1
|
Sojati J, Murali A, Rapsinski G, Williams JV. Do Not Throw Away Your Shot: Pilot Study in Improving Medical School Curricula Through Focused Vaccine Education. AJPM Focus 2024; 3:100178. [PMID: 38312525 PMCID: PMC10835123 DOI: 10.1016/j.focus.2023.100178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Introduction With widely prevalent vaccine hesitancy and medical mistrust, future healthcare providers require knowledge of vaccines and comfort in discussing vaccines with patients. However, many U.S. medical schools do not offer formal or elective curricula focused on vaccine education. Methods We sought to identify the need for such a curriculum and student gaps in knowledge through a pilot study surveying first- and second-year medical students at a large Pennsylvania medical school to assess knowledge about vaccine initiatives/policies, comfort in discussing vaccines, attitudes toward curricular changes, and effects of COVID-19 on willingness for vaccine education. Results Many participants (>40%) reported insufficient knowledge of vaccine policy, vaccine development and testing, and community vaccine initiatives. The majority (>50%) indicated discomfort in discussing vaccines in a clinical setting. Importantly, 79% of participants reported insufficient coverage of vaccine topics in the current curriculum. A total of 54% decisively wanted formal/mandatory education versus 72% who decisively wanted elective education. Desiring formal education was associated with less comfort in discussing vaccines overall and with vaccine-hesitant people in clinical settings. Reassuringly, 74% of participants noted that the COVID-19 pandemic made them want to learn more about vaccines. Guided by these findings, we conducted a pilot elective teaching about vaccines through case studies, interactive discussions, and role-playing scenarios. Pre- and postcourse surveys showed improvement in student knowledge in all vaccine-related topics assessed. Conclusions These data can inform the development of formal and elective curricula that effectively prepare medical students for patients' vaccine questions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorna Sojati
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Anjana Murali
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Glenn Rapsinski
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - John V. Williams
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Institute for Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation in Children, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu X, Chen H, Liu X, Teng T, Li X, Zhu D, Zhou X. Assessment of early scientific research skills training for medical undergraduates in China. Biochem Mol Biol Educ 2024; 52:210-219. [PMID: 38217460 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage, threatening future medical research and development. Medical institutions can contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating students' involvement in research. In this study, a medical undergraduate teaching module to develop research skills and encourage interest in research was held in Chongqing, China. Undergraduate medical students at Chongqing Medical University completed research skills training. Before and after the training, an online, anonymous, self-reported questionnaire was administered. The self-reported questionnaire investigated students' demographic characteristics, students' perception of attitudes toward conducting research, research skills (e.g., identifying and utilizing information, critical appraisal of literature, paper writing, and understanding of research), and feedback on scientific research training. The module was implemented with 25 students from July 2019 to October 2019, and 96.0% (N = 24) of participants responded to the questionnaire both prior to and after the training. In the evaluation of research skills, results showed that use of appropriate tools for research (Z = -3.340, p < 0.01), students' ability to undertake a focused literature search (Z = -3.40, p < 0.01), identifying and utilizing information (Z = -3.34, p < 0.01), and paper-writing skills (Z = -3.49, p < 0.01) were significantly improved after the undergraduates participated in the scientific research training. A qualitative analysis of the feedback showed that students found that the training helped to enhance their knowledge, improve their study scores, and motivate them to conduct research in the future. Early scientific research ability training strengthened the research skills of medical undergraduates and motivated them to pursue research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueer Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiyu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Academy of Pediatrics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoying Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Teng Teng
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Dean's office, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Elliott B, Carmody JB. To the Editor: Re-Evaluating Research Incentives-and Firefighting, a Response to Hughes et al. J Grad Med Educ 2024; 16:98-99. [PMID: 38304592 PMCID: PMC10829920 DOI: 10.4300/jgme-d-24-00010.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Elliott
- Chief Resident, Wright-Patterson Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - J Bryan Carmody
- Associate Professor, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Serban C, Dixon J, Adam M, Par M, Ligusovà I, Field J. The views of European students on the inclusion of research in undergraduate Oral Health Professional curricula. Eur J Dent Educ 2024; 28:86-93. [PMID: 37149896 DOI: 10.1111/eje.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The education of Oral Health Professionals (OHPs) is variable across Europe and consequently, there is concern that research skills are not consistently or optimally integrated into European OHP curricula. The aim of this study is to investigate the perspectives of European OHP students regarding the inclusion of research in the undergraduate curriculum. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 21-question online survey was administered to dental, dental hygiene, and dental hygiene and therapy students across Europe. Informed consent was obtained from participants and all responses remained confidential. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse the data. RESULTS A total of 825 student responses to the survey from 33 European countries were eligible for inclusion. The results demonstrated that OHP students recognise the importance of research in the dental field and value the inclusion of research in the curriculum. Although students indicated that they are interested to learn more about research, the survey results also showed that students had neutral opinions towards the existing curriculum providing enough training about research. CONCLUSION European OHP students agree on the need for an open and explicit research curriculum in OHP education. The development of a research domain within an open curriculum framework would help to harmonise the teaching and assessment of OHP research skills across Europe and ultimately improve graduating OHP's research skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christa Serban
- European Dental Students' Association (EDSA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Victor Babeș University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | | | - Marta Adam
- European Dental Students' Association (EDSA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Matej Par
- University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivana Ligusovà
- European Dental Students' Association (EDSA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Košice, Slovakia
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Onyango E, Browne J, Fulchand S, Kilgour J. Evaluating the publication practices of medical students: A mixed-methods study. Med Teach 2024; 46:252-257. [PMID: 37776891 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2023.2244661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Engagement in research and publication helps medical students develop the skills to improve healthcare through evidence-based medicine. The qualitative evidence-base for the medical student experience of publishing is limited. This study aims to explore medical students' publication practices and understand their experiences of research and publication. METHODS The study is based on a mixed-methods convergent design. A survey questionnaire was distributed to medical students in UK medical schools by social media and email communication. We recruited volunteer participants through the survey and interviewed a sample whilst the survey was open. We purposively selected the sample to ensure representation from research-intensive and other universities. RESULTS Survey results indicated that 21.3% (27/127) of respondents had a publication. The most common publication type was a conference abstract. The main motivation to publish was career progression and the main barriers were lack of opportunity or support to submit an article. There was no significant association between attending a research-intensive university and submitting an article. The interviews revealed that contributing to academic advancement was also a motivation to publish. Participants expressed receiving differing levels of support from supervisors and their institutions. CONCLUSIONS Data from the interviews suggested that the most commonly perceived barriers identified in the survey (lack of opportunity and support to conduct and publish research) may vary in prevalence between different medical schools. Further research is required to explore how different types of support offered by medical schools affect student engagement in publishing research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Onyango
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - J Browne
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - S Fulchand
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - J Kilgour
- School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Björklund M, Massoumi R, Ohlsson B. From master's thesis to research publication: a mixed-methods study of medical student publishing and experiences with the publishing process. BMC Med Educ 2024; 24:75. [PMID: 38245755 PMCID: PMC10800057 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05060-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical student master's theses are often carried out as research projects, and some are published as research papers in journals. We investigated the percentage of master's theses conducted by 5th -year students at the Medical Degree Program at Lund University, Sweden, that subsequently served as the basis for research publications. In addition, we explored both student and supervisor experiences with the publishing process. METHODS A cohort of four semesters of student data covering the period from 2019 to 2020 (n = 446) was searched in PubMed, Embase and the Web of Science to assess whether they had been published as research papers. Surveys were sent to students (n = 121) and supervisors (n = 77) to explore their experiences with the publishing process. RESULTS We found that 33% (149 of 446) of the students in the 2019-2020 cohort subsequently published their theses, and 50% of these students were listed as first authors. Most students published original research. Students (n = 21) and supervisors (n = 44) reported that the publishing process was time-consuming and that students needed multilevel support from supervisors to achieve successful publication. The publishing process was reported by 79% of the students to have led to additional learning. Most of the papers (126 of 149, 85%) had a clinical or patient-oriented focus. CONCLUSION A high percentage of the student publications in which students are listed as first authors require engagement from both students and supervisors. Supervisors play an essential role in supporting students in a successful publication process. Most of the published papers were either clinical or patient-oriented research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Björklund
- Library & ICT, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ramin Massoumi
- Translational Cancer Research, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Medicon Village, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bodil Ohlsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Malmö, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Internal Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Tomlinson OW. Predatory publishing in medical education: a rapid scoping review. BMC Med Educ 2024; 24:33. [PMID: 38183007 PMCID: PMC10770935 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05024-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic publishing is a cornerstone of scholarly communications, yet is unfortunately open to abuse, having given rise to 'predatory publishers'- groups that employ aggressive marketing tactics, are deficient in methods and ethics, and bypass peer review. Preventing these predatory publishers from infiltrating scholarly activity is of high importance, and students must be trained in this area to increase awareness and reduce use. The scope of this issue in the context of medical students remains unknown, and therefore this sought to examine the breadth of the current literature base. METHODS A rapid scoping review was undertaken, adhering to adapted PRISMA guidelines. Six databases (ASSIA, EBSCO, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) were systematically searched for content related to predatory publishing and medical students. Results were single-screened, facilitated by online reviewing software. Resultant data were narratively described, with common themes identified. RESULTS After searching and screening, five studies were included, representing a total of 1338 students. Two predominant themes- understanding, and utilisation- of predatory publishers was identified. These themes revealed that medical students were broadly unaware of the issue of predatory publishing, and that a small number have already, or would consider, using their services. CONCLUSION There remains a lack of understanding of the threat that predatory publishers pose amongst medical students. Future research and education in this domain will be required to focus on informing medical students on the issue, and the implication of engaging with predatory publishers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Owen W Tomlinson
- Department of Clinical and Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Life Science, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Babar M, Loloi J, Labagnara K, Watts KL, Laudano M. Implementation of a shared research database to increase medical student awareness and involvement in urology research A pilot study. Can Urol Assoc J 2024; 18:E26-E31. [PMID: 37812792 PMCID: PMC10766337 DOI: 10.5489/cuaj.8468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We aimed to assess the effect of a shared institutional research database on medical students' scholarly work, perceived research competency, and self-reported satisfaction. METHODS An institutional inventory database was created on Google Sheets with a listing of available mentors and a description of their ongoing research projects. The inventory database was shared with interested students and faculty. Students who agreed to participate were surveyed pre- and post-inventory. Survey questions assessed student demographics, prior research experience, and their perception of research competency and satisfaction. The number of presentations, publications, and articles pre- and post-inventory were also abstracted. Survey responses were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS A total of 20 students were surveyed pre-inventory and at a median followup of six months (5-7) post-inventory. There was a significant increase in scholarly presentations and publications post-inventory (p<0.05 for all). Furthermore, post-inventory, students reported feeling more confident in establishing an academic career, finding good mentors, managing their relationship with their mentor, managing professional challenges, and effectively showcasing themselves professionally and describing their research (p<0.05 for all). More than 65% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the database was easy to use, accessible, transparent, and would like a similar database created for other specialty departments. CONCLUSIONS After performing mentorship-guided research through an institutional research database, medical students felt more confident in their ability to perform research and produced more scholarly work. Therefore, we recommend a research database be created across all institutional departments to foster interest in conducting research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mustufa Babar
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY , United States
| | - Justin Loloi
- Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Urology, Bronx, NY , United States
| | - Kevin Labagnara
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY , United States
| | - Kara L. Watts
- Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Urology, Bronx, NY , United States
| | - Melissa Laudano
- Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Urology, Bronx, NY , United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Al-Subai RR, Kaleem MZ, Hassanien D, Eldestawy M, Hamwi MN, Elsayed E, Al-Kawari AS, H Farooqi H, Daher-Nashif S. Perceptions and Experiences of Pursuing Research Among Medical Students in Problem-Based Learning Curriculum: A Cross-Sectional Study from Qatar. J Med Educ Curric Dev 2024; 11:23821205241227327. [PMID: 38268725 PMCID: PMC10807392 DOI: 10.1177/23821205241227327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Early introduction to research prepares medical students for the practice of evidence-based medicine. Few studies have examined the experiences of research among medical students in the Arab region. This study assesses medical students' experiences in pursuing research at the national College of Medicine (CMED) in the state of Qatar. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. The inclusion criteria called for students over 18 years old enrolled in the college in Years 2 to 6 (pre-clinical and clinical phases) during the spring semester of 2022. The questionnaire included 5 sections with multiple-choice questions and 5-point Likert-scale questions. The questionnaire was validated using esperts review and by piloting it on 10% of the eligible students. STATA 17.0 was used to perform the statistical analysis, which involved a logistic regression and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS The study had 179 student participants (over half of the eligible group). Half were in the preclinical phase, and half were in the clinical phase. Approximately half had published at least 1 paper. For voluntary research, the main motivators were passion and positive past experiences, while the main demoralizer was inadequate time. For mandatory medical-student research, supervisor help was the main facilitator, and an academic load leaving insufficient time for research was the main barrier. The factors positively influencing voluntary research participation were being older, being male, studying in a more advanced program phase, and having a lower score for negative attitudes toward research. The main limitation of the study was the inclusion of only 1 medical school with 1 type of curriculum. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that better research experience can be ensured by providing space, time, and proper academic and moral support to students. The authors believe that doing so will indirectly positively affect the future translation of skills in evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reem R Al-Subai
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Doaa Hassanien
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Meral Eldestawy
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mahmoud N Hamwi
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Engy Elsayed
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Habib H Farooqi
- College of Medicine- QU Health-Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Parameswaran G, Bowman A, Swales C, Ooi SZY, Chan SW, Babu PR, Ramsay D, Kostoudi S, Bandyopadhyay S. Cross-sectional Survey of Medical student perceptions of And desires for Research and Training pathways (SMART): an analysis of prospective cohort study of UK medical students. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:964. [PMID: 38102619 PMCID: PMC10725016 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04881-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinician-scientists are critical to medical innovation and research. However, the number of clinician scientists in the UK has been declining steadily over the last decade. One of the cited reasons is poor student recruitment to academic training pathways. The SMART study aims to assess current student perceptions on research and identify key factors influencing whether a student is interested in research. DESIGN We conducted a cross-sectional survey study between January and May 2022. SETTING This was a multi-centre national study with data collected across 40 universities offering medical courses in the UK. PARTICIPANTS Participants were UK medical students enrolled in medicine for 21/22 academic year. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE The main outcomes were related to participant perceptions on research and whether they were interested in engaging with research in their future career. These measures were correlated with demographic and non-demographic details using regression analyses. RESULTS One thousand seven hundred seventy-four individuals participated in the SMART survey from 40 medical schools. Nearly half the participants felt there were barriers preventing them from doing research (46.67%) and almost three-quarters felt it was at least somewhat difficult to combine research with medical school (73.49%). Of the options available, most commonly students did not want to pursue an academic career (43.11%) or training pathway (42.49%). However, most participants felt it was useful to do research at medical school (59.54%) and were also interested in doing more research in the future (69.16%). Regression analysis identified many factors influencing student's perceptions of research including year of study, gender, socioeconomic status, family background, research exposure at medical school, ethnicity, and country of pre-university education. CONCLUSIONS The SMART study is the first of its kind in the UK, shedding light on medical student perceptions. While some express strong interest in academic careers, a larger proportion show a broader interest in research. Demographic factors like gender, parental occupation, and socioeconomic status play a role. Further exploration is needed for specific groups to address barriers, promote research, and boost academic pathway recruitment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amelia Bowman
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Daniele Ramsay
- Imperial University School of Medicine, London, UK
- Imperial Brain and Spine Initiative, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sofia Kostoudi
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, UK
| | - Soham Bandyopadhyay
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical & Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
- Wessex Neurological Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Oxford University Global Surgery Group, University of Oxford, St. Hilda's College, NuffieldOxford, OX4 1DY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Glehan A, Ramsey T, Kumaresan T, Setzen S, Gildener-Leapman N. Medical student otolaryngology research: Involvement, perceptions, motivations. Am J Otolaryngol 2023; 44:103977. [PMID: 37480685 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2023.103977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Otolaryngology is a competitive specialty that emphasizes research. This study explored medical student involvement in otolaryngology research including training, productivity, perceptions and career goals. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. METHODS A 27 question multiple choice survey was generated using Qualtrics and posted on an otolaryngology forum (Otomatch) from 10/09/2022 to 12/11/2022. RESULTS Thirty fourth year medical students (MS4) applying to U.S. otolaryngology residency programs responded. Nearly all (26/30 = 86.7 %) believe there should be dedicated time to research in medical school. MS4 produced an average of 3.23 otolaryngology papers (± 3.13), 5.23 poster presentations (± 9.22) and 2.50 oral presentations (± 5.06). MS4 feel it is more important for physicians to read (mean 4.47 on a 5-point scale; ± 0.76) than to conduct research (3.03 ± 0.87) or to emphasize it in evaluating residency applicants (2.79 ± 0.96). Seventeen respondents (17/30 = 56.7 %) lack interest in continuing research after medical school. Twenty-eight MS4 were evenly split (14/30 = 46.7 %) between a research-heavy or traditional residency. Students felt pressure to publish in low-impact journals (3.93 ± 0.94) for career advancement. CONCLUSION All respondents were involved in research yet the majority (16/30 = 53.3 %) eschew a research-heavy residency. Using research to evaluate success entices involvement for some who may not be interested. Pressure to publish may exacerbate ethical issues like inaccurately assigned authorship and deceptive reporting of publications. A decreased emphasis on research will enable students truly interested to continue without pressure to publish, leading to a potential increase in generalizable studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tam Ramsey
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Neil Gildener-Leapman
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sanabria-de la Torre R, Quiñones-Vico MI, Ubago-Rodríguez A, Buendía-Eisman A, Montero-Vílchez T, Arias-Santiago S. Medical students' interest in research: changing trends during university training. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1257574. [PMID: 37928463 PMCID: PMC10620684 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1257574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research is an important aspect of medical training and plays a vital role in the advancement of evidence-based medicine. However, little is known about medical students' attitudes towards research. So, the aim of this study was to assess the opinion of medical students on scientific research. Methods A cross-sectional study was designed that included students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Granada (UGR), Granada, Spain. A survey was distributed to assess their interest about research during undergraduate studies (1) and following graduation (2), participation in research activities (3), barriers towards research (4), expectation values and self-perceived skills (5). The opinions of students who had not taken clinical subjects (2nd year students) and students who had taken clinical subjects (4th and 6th year students) were compared. Results 91 students were included in the study (32 were 2nd year students and 59 were 4th and 6th year students). More 4th and 6th year students showed no interest in research (50.4% vs. 28.1%, p = 0.042) or in pursuing a doctoral thesis (75% vs. 50.9%, p = 0.079) than 2nd year students. In addition, more 4th and 6th year students felt that they did not have sufficient skills to engage in scientific research (52.4% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.002). Likewise a greater number of 4th and 6th year students considered that the professors did not encourage scientific research activities (74.6% vs. 40.6%, p = 0.002). Generally, students do not participate in scientific dissemination events. The main barriers to research identified were lack of funding and lack of awareness of opportunities. Conclusion Interest in research among medical students seems to decrease as the academic years progress. More research promotion could be implemented during the years of university studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Sanabria-de la Torre
- Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III and Immunology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
| | - María I. Quiñones-Vico
- Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain
- Cell Production and Tissue Engineering Unit, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Ubago-Rodríguez
- Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain
- Cell Production and Tissue Engineering Unit, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Trinidad Montero-Vílchez
- Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
| | - Salvador Arias-Santiago
- Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Cell Production and Tissue Engineering Unit, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada, Spain
- Dermatology Department, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Adeboye W, Osunronbi T, Faluyi D, Abankwa E, Abraha S, Adamu-Biu F, Ahmad Z, Akhionbare I, Chimba C, Corriero AC, Ibeanusi I, Inyang D, Jones R, Madume R, Mberu V, Mitoko CA, Nelson-Rowe E, O'Riordan M, Shoker S, Sofela A. Predictors of self-reported research engagement and academic-career interest amongst medical students in the United Kingdom: a national cross-sectional survey. Postgrad Med J 2023; 99:1189-1196. [PMID: 37594075 DOI: 10.1093/postmj/qgad067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We hypothesised that the gender/ethnic disparities and reductions in the UK academic-clinician workforce stem from research experience in medical school. This study investigated the factors influencing research engagement and academic-career interests among UK medical students. METHODS Using a 42-item online questionnaire, a national multicentre cross-sectional survey of UK medical students was conducted over 9 weeks in the 2020/21 academic year. Multiple binary logistic and zero-inflated negative binomial regressions were used to evaluate associations between the predictor variables and research engagement (yes/no), number of research projects conducted, and academic-career interest (yes/no). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS In total, 1573 students participated from 36 medical schools. No ethnic/gender differences in research engagement were observed. However, compared to men, women had a 31% decrease in the odds of being interested in an academic-clinician career [odds ratio (OR): 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52, 0.92]. Positive predictors of interest in academia were being a PubMed-indexed author (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.38, 3.47) and having at least one national/international presentation (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.88). Career progression was the primary motivating factor (67.1%) for pursuing research, whereas limited awareness of opportunities (68.0%) and time constraints (67.5%) were the most common barriers. CONCLUSION There were no ethnic differences in research engagement or academic-career intent. Although there were no gender differences in research engagement, female students were less likely to be interested in an academic career. This could be tackled by providing targeted opportunities to increase research productivity and self-efficacy in medical schools. Key messages: What is already known on this topic: There has been a decline in the number of academic clinicians, with a disproportionate gender and ethnic representation in the academic workforce. Engaging medical students in research activities during their medical training could mitigate the declining number of academic clinicians. Differential attainment occurs in medical school and persists after graduation. What this study adds: Although there were no gender/ethnic differences in research engagement amongst UK medical students, our study suggests that female students were less likely to be interested in pursuing an academic career. Time constraints, a lack of awareness of opportunities, and difficulty in finding research supervisors/mentors were the most common barriers to research engagement, whereas PubMed-indexed authorship was the strongest positive predictor of interest in an academic career. How this study might affect research, practice, or policy: Medical schools should facilitate the selection of good-quality research mentors that would provide adequate support to ensure that their students' works are published in peer-reviewed journals. Medical schools should employ local research officers to increase students' awareness of research opportunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Adeboye
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - David Faluyi
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Efua Abankwa
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Semhar Abraha
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Zain Ahmad
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Chimba Chimba
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Anna C Corriero
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Ikenna Ibeanusi
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah Inyang
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Jones
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Madume
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Valentine Mberu
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Serena Shoker
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, LU4 8DY, United Kingdom
| | - Agbolahan Sofela
- Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL6 8BT, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Alshamrani KM, Alkenawi AA, Kaifi RE, Alhulil KA, Munshi WM, Alqurayqiri AF, Alshehri FA, Abdulmannan HI, Ghulam EM, Tasslaq SE, Aldhebaib AM. The barriers, motives, perceptions, and attitudes toward research among radiology practitioners and interns in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1266285. [PMID: 37877018 PMCID: PMC10593452 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1266285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Research and the use of evidence-based practices are imperative to the advancement of diagnostic imaging modalities. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions and attitudes of radiology practitioners (i.e., Technicians, Technologists or Specialists, and Senior Specialists) and interns in King Abdulaziz Medical Cities (KAMCs), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, toward research, and to explore the various barriers and obstacles that hinder their research efforts. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive investigation was carried out from December 2022 to March 2023 among 112-KAMCs' radiology practitioners and interns, using previously developed and validated questionnaire comprised of five distinct sections, each serving a specific purpose, and with a non-probability convenient sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were generated for participants' demographics, and chi-square and fisher's exact tests were used to examine the association between participants' demographics and their involvement in research. Results Among the 137 KAMCs' radiology practitioners and interns who were invited to participate, 112 responded and completed the questionnaire, resulting in an overall response rate of 81.75%. Radiology practitioners and interns from various medical imaging subspecialties were found to be involved in research to the extent of 83%, with nearly half (40.9%) of them have had publications, and 53.3% of these publications being either cross-sectional studies or retrospective clinical studies. A lack of time (66.1%), a lack of a professional supervisor support program (50.9%), and deficiency in research skills (45.5%) were common obstacles that may impede the participants' ability to conduct research. The most common motives for participants to conduct research were the desire to improve their resumes (69.6%), get accepted into postgraduate radiology programs (58%), and improve their research skills (52.7%). Conclusion KAMCs' radiology practitioners and interns have a positive attitude toward performing research. Despite the high percentage (83%) of those involved in research, the number of publications remains low. A crucial step to advancing the profession's evidence base is engaging radiology practitioners and interns in research and encouraging radiology practitioner-led research. The study findings can serve as a valuable basis for designing developmental programs aimed at overcoming research obstacles among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khalid M. Alshamrani
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulkader A. Alkenawi
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reham E. Kaifi
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khaled A. Alhulil
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael M. Munshi
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz F. Alqurayqiri
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal A. Alshehri
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hawazen I. Abdulmannan
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Enas M. Ghulam
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameer E. Tasslaq
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali M. Aldhebaib
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard—Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Smith SR, Nguyen A, Chenard D, Burnham K, Albert A. Impacts of a University Research Assistant Program: The First Decade. Med Sci Educ 2023; 33:1139-1146. [PMID: 37886277 PMCID: PMC10597947 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-023-01852-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Purpose There is a declining number of physician-scientists. Little is published about the potential for university student experiences to contribute to the pipeline of future researchers. The purpose of this study was to describe a unique university research program and report the outcomes of the first 10 years. Method The University Research Assistant Program (URAP) was described including course content, research experiences, and student composition. Outcomes of URAP student contributions to the literature and research presentations was reported. URAP students were also surveyed to assess their perspectives on the impact of the URAP program on career choices after graduation. Results URAP began as an independent study course and grew into for-credit university courses. A total of 212 students have taken at least one semester and 88 responded to the survey. All students who participated in URAP have graduated, and 77% (n = 68) reported the URAP program prepared them to reach their career goals. Most graduates pursued health care careers including medical school (55%), Master's programs in health care (29%), or PhD in health care (5%). URAP students participated in research involving 11 different pediatric subspecialties. Many attained co-authorship of abstracts and publications, 53 first-authored an abstract presentation and 7 manuscripts. Conclusions URAP significantly influenced university students who overwhelmingly entered health care fields. While difficult to assess if these early experiences will influence participation as future physician -scientists, these students made meaningful research contributions while enrolled in these courses. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01852-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon R. Smith
- Division of Emergency Medicine, CT Children’s, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Hartford, CT USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ingale MH, Tayade MC, Bhamare S. Early clinical exposure: Dynamics, opportunities, and challenges in modern medical education. J Educ Health Promot 2023; 12:295. [PMID: 37849881 PMCID: PMC10578560 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_237_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Applications of early clinical exposure (ECE) are wide-ranging and reflect the important role that ECE plays in medical education. This review article aimed to highlight the dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of ECE in medical education. STUDY METHODOLOGY This review article was conducted through a comprehensive search of electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google search engine. The keywords used for the search were "early clinical exposure," "medical education," "clinical skills," "patient contact," and "medical students. The inclusion criteria for selecting the articles were that they should be written in English, peer-reviewed, and provide insights into the dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of ECE in medical education. RESULTS ECE allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the patient experience, and to develop empathy and a patient-centered approach to care. ECE can also help to improve recruitment and retention of medical students, by providing a more engaging and rewarding learning experience. CONCLUSION ECE is a promising teaching method that has the potential to improve clinical skills and patient outcomes. However, it also poses some challenges that must be addressed to ensure its effective implementation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayur H. Ingale
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Dr. D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Motilal C. Tayade
- Department of Physiology, Pravara Institute of Medical Sciences (DU), Loni, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sunil Bhamare
- Department of Microbiology, Government B J Medical College, Pune, Maharastra, India
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bantounou MA, Kumar N. Peer-Led Versus Conventional Teacher-Led Methodological Research Education Sessions: An Initiative to Improve Medical Education Research Teaching. Med Sci Educ 2023; 33:935-943. [PMID: 37546205 PMCID: PMC10403477 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-023-01818-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction To enhance doctors' engagement with research, the National Medical Research Association (NMRA) developed a research teaching series, delivering peer-led (PL) sessions by medical students and conventional teacher-led (CL) sessions by licenced physicians/lecturers. We assessed the effectiveness of the series and compared the PL and CL approaches. Methods The teaching sessions were delivered virtually via Zoom weekly either PL or CL. Feedback was provided by participants on completion of every session using a 10-point Likert scale assessing their knowledge pre- and post-training. Results A total of 87 participants were included generating 782 feedback forms, 367 (47.1%) for PL and 412 for CL sessions. The median knowledge scores significantly increased following each session (p-value < 0.05) independent of teaching approach. An overall improvement in the median knowledge score from all sessions from 5/10 to 8/10 was reported. There was no significant difference between knowledge gained from the CL or PL teaching. Conclusion Didactic PL research training sessions are equally effective as CL sessions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Niraj Kumar
- National Medical Research Association (NMRA), London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Bard JT, Yeluru H, Karpov MV, Mu D. Evaluating the Impact of a Medical School Student-Run Research Organization on Scholarly Activity. Cureus 2023; 15:e43067. [PMID: 37680401 PMCID: PMC10481763 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 change to Pass/Fail scoring has motivated medical students to pursue more research opportunities. To support students, a student-led organization was created at an allopathic medical school, offering initiatives such as workshops, mentorship, and research projects. Here, we evaluate its impact on medical student research. Methods An observational survey study was conducted to assess students' research involvement and productivity and their sense of support, confidence, and comfort in pursuing research at an institution during the first two years of medical school. These variables were compared between three contiguous classes of students and between club members and non-members. Analyses included t-tests, Chi-square tests, and ANOVA, among others. Results Findings revealed that organization membership was associated with an increased number of research projects. Club members (M= 4.49) reported a significantly greater number of projects compared to non-members (M= 4.49) (p= 0.002). Students who had access to the organization during their preclinical years (M= 4.38) reported significantly more projects compared to students whose preclinical years were before the organization's conception (M= 2.21) (p= 0.041). However, research productivity and feelings of support and confidence in research did not differ by class or club membership. Conclusions Club members engaged in a greater number of research projects as compared to non-members and students who had access to the organization during their preclinical years. The implementation of similar organizations at every medical school can allow more students to engage in scholarly work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Bard
- Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA
| | | | | | - David Mu
- Research, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Kaur R, Hakim J, Jeremy R, Coorey G, Kalman E, Jenkin R, Bowen DG, Hart J. Students' perceived research skills development and satisfaction after completion of a mandatory research project: results from five cohorts of the Sydney medical program. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:502. [PMID: 37438817 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04475-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research activities undertaken during University studies contribute to preparation of medical students for practice of evidence-based medicine. This study aimed to understand medical students' experiences, perceived research skills development and satisfaction associated with completion of mandatory research projects. METHODS An online survey was sent to five cohorts of students (n = 1375) from years 2017-2021 at the completion of their research projects. Univariate analysis was conducted to understand students' perception of research skills development, followed by linear regression modeling to explore factors influencing satisfaction with their research project. Manifest content analysis employing a framework approach was used to analyse qualitative data from responses to open ended questions. RESULTS Response rate was 42%, with 513 (89%) returned surveys being complete and included in analysis. Whilst 37% of students felt they had requisite research skills before undertaking the research project, 84% reported they had these skills after completing the project (χ2 = 8.99, P = 0.02). Mean satisfaction score of the students was 5.0/10 (+/- 2.5, median = 6 (IQR = 3.0-7.0) with 59% of students reporting satisfaction scores higher than the average. Higher satisfaction scores were reported by those who perceived that: research methods and teaching was useful in preparing them for conducting research; the research project helped them acquire new skills; the project resulted in peer-reviewed publication; and, who felt supported by their supervisors. Responses to open ended questions offered important insights into student experience and emphasised the importance of supportive supervisors and the need for a dedicated research block in the busy medical program. CONCLUSIONS The majority of students reported positive outcomes from the mandatory research project. Student satisfaction can be improved by ensuring supportive research environments and high-quality supervision, and inclusion of dedicated research time in the medical curriculum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajneesh Kaur
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia.
| | - Jonathan Hakim
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Richmond Jeremy
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Genevieve Coorey
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Eszter Kalman
- Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education), Educational Innovation Team, DVC(E) Portfolio, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Rebekah Jenkin
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - David G Bowen
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Joanne Hart
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Navarro SM, Stewart K, Tessier KM, Berhane A, Alvarado SP, Tafirei T, Abdi H, Keil EJ, Tuttle T, Rickard J. Medical Students' Perceptions of Clinical and Research Training: An International Needs Assessment of 26 Countries. Int J Transl Med Res Public Health 2023; 7:e454. [PMID: 37854359 PMCID: PMC10583816 DOI: 10.21106/ijtmrph.454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Objective Despite calls to incorporate research training into medical school curriculum, minimal research has been conducted to elucidate trends in research knowledge, opportunities, and involvement globally. This study aims to: (1) assess medical students' perceptions of the level of training they received on research based on their medical school training, and (2) evaluate the obstacles related to conducting research as part of medical students' training. Methods A 94-question, bilingual survey designed by a small focus group of individuals from medical schools across the globe and administered to medical students from different parts of the world, distributed via social media networks (Twitter, Now X, Facebook) and email distributions via international partnerships from November 1 to December 31, 2020. The survey collected demographic information including age, gender, medical institution and country, degree, year in training, clinical rotations completed, plans for specialization, and additional graduate degrees completed. Statistical analysis included a summary of survey participant characteristics, and a comparison between regions, with a variety of comparison and logistic regression models used. Results A total of 318 medical students from 26 countries successfully completed the survey. Respondents were majority female (60.1%), from Latin America (LA) (53.1%), North America (NA) (28.6%), and Other world regions (Other) (18.2%). Students felt research was an important component of medical training (87.7%), although many reported lacking research support from their institution (47.5%). There were several reported barriers to research, including lack of research opportunities (69.4%), lack of mentors (56.6%), lack of formal training (54.6%), and barriers due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (49.3%). Less frequent were barriers related to financial resources (41.6%), physical resources (computer or internet access) (18%), and English language ability (6.9%). Students from Latin America and Other were more likely to report a desire to pursue research later in their medical careers compared with students from North America. Conclusions and Implications for Translation Despite significant interest in research, medical students globally report a lack of formal research training, opportunities, and several barriers to conducting research, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The study highlights the need for student research training internationally and the role of further regional-specific and institutional-specific evaluation of research training needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelsey Stewart
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, US
| | - Katelyn M. Tessier
- Masonic Cancer Center, Biostatistics Core, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, US
| | - Aemon Berhane
- Medicine at College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Tavonga Tafirei
- National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
| | - Hodan Abdi
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA
| | - Evan J. Keil
- University of Michigan, Department of Obstetrics, Ann Arbor, MI, US
| | - Todd Tuttle
- University of Minnesota, Department of Surgery, Minneapolis, MN, US
| | - Jennifer Rickard
- University of Minnesota, Department of Surgery, Minneapolis, MN, US
- University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kigali, Rwanda
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Gowda A, Bacchi S, Kovoor JG, Gupta AK, Maddern GJ, Chan WO. Should research success be predicted amongst medical students and junior doctors? ANZ J Surg 2023; 93:1742-1743. [PMID: 37565636 DOI: 10.1111/ans.18460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Akash Gowda
- Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Stephen Bacchi
- Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Joshua G Kovoor
- Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Aashray K Gupta
- Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia
| | - Guy J Maddern
- Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Discipline of Surgery, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Weng Onn Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Blackard JT, Knapke JM, Schuckman S, Veevers J, Hardie WD, Ryan PH. Introducing trainees to research using an online, asynchronous course. J Clin Transl Sci 2023; 7:e155. [PMID: 37528939 PMCID: PMC10388436 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2023.579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Research is an important aspect of many students' training. However, formal research training is rarely included in curricula. Thus, we developed an online, asynchronous series of modules to introduce trainees to multiple topics that are relevant to the conduct of research. Methods Research 101 was utilized by first-year medical students and undergraduate students conducting mentored research projects. Students' knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction were assessed using pre- and post-module surveys with five-point Likert scaled questions, open-ended text responses, and a final quiz. Results Pre-module survey results showed that learners felt most confident with the Conducting a literature search and Race and racism in medicine modules and least confident with the Submitting an Institutional Review Board protocol at UC module. Post-module survey responses were significantly increased compared to pre-module results for all modules and questions (p < 0.0001). The response to "The content of this module met my needs" was endorsed across all modules (84.9% "yes" responses). A final quiz of 25 multiple-choice questions was completed by 92 participants who received a median score of 21. Content analysis of open-ended post-module survey responses identified several strengths and opportunities for improvement in course content and instructional methods. Conclusions These data demonstrate that significant learning resulted from completion of Research 101, as post-module survey scores were significantly higher than pre-module survey scores for all modules and questions. Final quiz scores were positive but also highlighted opportunity for additional trainee learning and will guide evolution of future modules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason T. Blackard
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jacqueline M. Knapke
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Stephanie Schuckman
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer Veevers
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - William D. Hardie
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Patrick H. Ryan
- Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Manku B, Saffari TM, Sandhu V, Khajuria A. A Cross-Sectional Study on Inequity and Unmet Needs in Conducting Systematic Reviews (SRMA) and Meta-Analysis Among Medical Students and Junior Doctors. Adv Med Educ Pract 2023; 14:647-655. [PMID: 37360839 PMCID: PMC10290472 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s401483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Systematic reviews and meta-analyses allow a transparent, rigorous, and replicable analysis to summarize the results of multiple related studies and are considered top of the evidence-based medicine study hierarchy. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the unmet educational needs of students worldwide, notably those from underprivileged backgrounds. This cross-sectional study aimed to ascertain students' and junior doctors' attitudes on their current knowledge, confidence and preparedness of appraising and conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis internationally. Methods A free online webinar was held in May 2021 by the senior author and a pre-event questionnaire was distributed. Responses collected were used for analysis anonymously to ascertain students' knowledge, experience, and confidence in preparing a systematic review and meta-analysis using a 1-5 Likert scale using IBM SPSS 26.0. Associations were examined using Chi-square and crosstabs analysis. Results Out of 2004 responses from 104 countries included in the analysis, the majority of delegates were from lower middle-income countries and were not familiar with the PRISMA checklist (59.2% and 81.1% respectively of the total number of participants). The majority had never attended any formal training (83%) and felt their medical institute gave them minimal advice (72.5%) in preparing systematic reviews. Among those who had attended formal training, the proportion was significantly higher in those belonging to high and upper middle-income countries combined (20.3%) than lower and lower-middle-income countries combined (15%). Conclusion This study highlights gaps that need addressing to enhance the knowledge of medical students and junior doctors performing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Clear disparities are found in country income and the level of education. Future large-scale studies are needed to understand the rationale of working on online research projects and the opportunities available to medical students and junior doctors that may lead to medical curriculum changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhagat Manku
- Department of Surgery, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, Warwickshire, UK
| | - Tiam Mana Saffari
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Vinesh Sandhu
- University College London Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ankur Khajuria
- Kellogg College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Riad AM, Cambridge WA, Henshall D, McAdam H, Drake TM, Fairfield CJ, Knight SR, Sgrò A, Shaw C, Glasbey JC, Potter MA, Harrison EM, McLean KA. Educational impact and recommendations from implementation of student-led clinical trial recruitment: a mixed-methods study. Postgrad Med J 2023; 99:484-491. [PMID: 37294723 DOI: 10.1136/pmj-2022-142122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Medical students have an essential role in medical research, yet often lack opportunities for involvement within randomised trials. This study aimed to understand the educational impact of clinical trial recruitment for medical students. Tracking wound infection with smartphone technology (TWIST) was a randomised controlled trial that included adult patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery across two university teaching hospitals. All recruiters underwent prerecruitment training based on 'Generating Student Recruiters for Randomised Trials' principles, and completed prerecruitment and postrecruitment surveys. Respondent agreement with statements were assessed using 5-point Likert scales (from 1 ('strongly disagree') to 5 ('strongly agree')). Quantitative data were analysed using paired t-tests to compare differences pre-involvement and post-involvement. Thematic content analysis was performed on free-text data to generate recommendations for future student research involvement. Of 492 patients recruited to TWIST between 26 July 2016 and 4 March 2020, 86.0% (n=423) were recruited by medical students. Following introduction of student co-investigators (n=31), the overall monthly recruitment rate tripled (4.8-15.7 patients). 96.8% of recruiters (n=30/31) completed both surveys, and all respondents reported significant improvement in clinical and academic competencies. Three higher-level thematic domains emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) engagement, (2) preparation and (3) ongoing support. Student recruitment in clinical trials is feasible and accelerates recruitment to clinical trials. Students demonstrated novel clinical research competencies and increased their likelihood of future involvement. Adequate training, support and selection of suitable trials are essential for future student involvement in randomised trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aya M Riad
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - David Henshall
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Heather McAdam
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Thomas M Drake
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cameron J Fairfield
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Center for Medical Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephen R Knight
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Center for Medical Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alessandro Sgrò
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Catherine Shaw
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Center for Medical Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
| | - James C Glasbey
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery, University of Birmingham Institute of Translational Medicine, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mark A Potter
- Colorectal Unit, University of Edinburgh Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ewen M Harrison
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Center for Medical Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kenneth A McLean
- Department of Clinical Surgery, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Center for Medical Informatics, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Edinburgh, UK
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Osunronbi T, Adeboye W, Faluyi D, Sofela J, Abankwa E, Abraha S, Adamu-Biu F, Ahmad Z, Akhionbare I, Chimba C, Corriero AC, Fofanah IJ, Ibeanusi I, Ibrahim U, Inyang D, Jones R, Kolawole A, Madume R, Mandangu C, Mberu V, Nelson-Rowe E, O'Riordan M, Shoker S, Sofela A. Predictors of self-reported research productivity amongst medical students in the United Kingdom: a national cross-sectional survey. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:412. [PMID: 37280642 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04412-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of academic clinicians in the UK is declining and there are demographic inequalities in the clinical-academic workforce. Increased research productivity by medical students is believed to reduce future attrition in the clinical-academic workforce. Thus, this study investigated the association between student demographics and research productivity amongst UK medical students. METHODS This is a national multicentre cross-sectional study of UK medical students in the 2020/21 academic year. We appointed one student representative per medical school, and they disseminated a 42-item online questionnaire over nine weeks, through departmental emails and social media advertisements. The outcome measures were: (i) publications (yes/no) (ii) number of publications (iii) number of first-authored publications (iv) abstract presentation (yes/no). We utilised multiple logistic and zero-inflated Poisson regression analyses to test for associations between the outcome measures and predictor variables at a 5% significance level. RESULTS There are 41 medical schools in the UK. We received 1573 responses from 36 UK medical schools. We failed to recruit student representatives from three newly formed medical schools, whilst two medical schools prohibited us from sending the survey to their students. Women had lower odds of having a publication (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.33-0.85) and on average had fewer first-author publications than men (IRR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37-0.89). Compared to white students, mixed-ethnicity students had greater odds of having a publication (OR: 3.06, 95% CI: 1.67-5.59), an abstract presentation (OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.37-3.26), and on average had a greater number of publications (IRR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.02-3.43). On average, students who attended independent UK secondary schools had a higher rate of first-author publications compared to those that attended state secondary schools (IRR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.23-3.15). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that there are gender, ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in research productivity among UK medical students. To tackle this, and potentially improve diversity in clinical academia, we recommend that medical schools should facilitate targeted high quality research mentorship, funding and training, especially for under-represented-in-medicine students.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Temidayo Osunronbi
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, UK
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zain Ahmad
- Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Agbolahan Sofela
- Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK.
- Southwest Neurosurgery Centre, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth, PL6 8DH, UK.
- School of Medicine, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, EX1 2HZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Fox JL, Cribb J, Cumming K, Martin P. Medical student interest and participation in research at one rural clinical school: Insights from the last six years. Aust J Rural Health 2023; 31:569-574. [PMID: 36762881 DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Limited evidence is currently available relating to research acitivity of medical students training in regional or rural areas. OBJECTIVE To describe medical student interest and participation in research at The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School (UQRCS). DESIGN Annual student expression of interest surveys were collated with records of student research participation maintained at UQRCS from 2017-2022. Additionally, a systematic search was conducted to identify student outputs not captured in internal records. Frequencies and proportions were calculated for all descriptive data along with proportions of students who engaged with a project, and projects that led to a peer-reviewed publication. FINDINGS At UQRCS commencement, 55% of research-interested students reported having basic research skills. Thirty-nine percent of research-interested students engaged with a project, most commonly literature reviews (47%) or audits (29%). Thirty-three percent of completed projects led to a peer-reviewed manuscript. DISCUSSION Students who engage with a project are unlikely to receive a project in their preferred clinical area and should be informed about the transferrability of research skills. Most students have basic research skills when commencing a project and therefore require ongoing support and mentorship from staff/supervisors. CONCLUSION Publication rates of medical students in regional/rural areas are comparable to those reported by metropolitan medical schools (~30%).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L Fox
- The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jacky Cribb
- The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kaye Cumming
- The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia
| | - Priya Martin
- The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
- Health and Behavioural Sciences, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kim S, Jeong H, Cho H, Yu J. Extracurricular activities in medical education: an integrative literature review. BMC Med Educ 2023; 23:278. [PMID: 37087451 PMCID: PMC10122317 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04245-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The importance of extracurricular activities (EAs) has been emphasized in medical education. These activities could enhance medical students' emotional and physical health and afford them developmental opportunities. Despite the growing amount of research related to this theme, few studies review and synthesize the existing literature. This study aims to provide an understanding of the educational implications of EAs in medical colleges and constructs an integrated conceptual framework concerning their types and learning outcomes by literature review. METHODS An integrative literature review was conducted following Torraco's method, with the aim to generate a new framework for the given topic. The authors utilized Scopus and PubMed as databases, using search terms "extracurricular," "medical," and "students." Initially, titles and abstracts were screened to include relevant studies, and the researchers verified the eligibility of the articles by following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the 263 articles identified, 64 empirical studies were selected for further review. RESULTS EAs in undergraduate medical education can be classified into direct extracurricular activities and indirect extracurricular activities, the latter of which is sorted into nine sub-categories. We identified seven main categories regarding the learning outcomes of EAs. In addition to general activities (e.g., pro-social activities, team sports), some distinctive activities such as research have been largely addressed in previous studies. The results of EAs were discussed in relation to academic growth, career development, and psychological experiences. CONCLUSIONS This review identified the types and learning outcomes of EAs in the context of medical education, thereby suggesting ways to improve the quality of EAs and maximize their educational effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sejin Kim
- Office of Medical Education, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Hyeyoon Jeong
- Department of Medical Education, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Hyena Cho
- Department of Medical Education, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea
| | - Jihye Yu
- Department of Medical Education, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Ho A, Auerbach A, Faulkner JJ, Guru SK, Lee A, Manna D. Barriers to research opportunities among osteopathic medical students. J Osteopath Med 2023; 123:187-194. [PMID: 36724116 DOI: 10.1515/jom-2022-0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Despite the increase of importance placed on research, both by residency program directors and the medical field at large, osteopathic medical students (OMS) have significantly fewer research experiences than United States (U.S.) allopathic medical students and non-U.S. international medical graduates. However, few studies have addressed this long-standing discrepancy, and none directly have focused on osteopathic medical students to assess their unique needs. The literature would benefit from identifying the barriers osteopathic medical students encounter when participating in research and understanding the currently available resources. OBJECTIVES To assess the barriers that OMS face when seeking research opportunities, identify resources currently available to osteopathic medical students at their respective schools, and investigate factors that contribute to an osteopathic medical student's desire to pursue research opportunities. Additionally, to investigate osteopathic medical students' confidence in research methodology. METHODS A survey was created by the investigators and administered to participants over a three-month period via a GoogleForm. Research participants were surveyed for demographic information, as well as their involvement in research projects in the past, mentor availability, institutional resources, motivation to participate in research, individual barriers to participation, and confidence in their ability to do independent research. Responses were de-identified and analyzed using Microsoft Excel functions to count data and calculate percentages, as well as Pearson's chi square analysis. RESULTS After relevant exclusion, 668 responses were included. Of the students surveyed, 85.9% (574) indicated they currently and/or in the past were involved in research. More than half of the respondents that are not currently involved in research are interested in pursuing it (86.9%; 344). The primary barriers students reported facing include lack of time (57.8%; 386), feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to start (53.4%; 357), and lack of access to research (53%; 354). 34.7% (232) of students stated they either did not have resources from their school or were unsure whether these resources were available. The two most cited motivations to pursue research included boosting their residency application and/or interest in the area of study. Male gender and current research were associated with reported confidence in research ( [4, n=662]=10.6, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study provide a synopsis of the barriers to research opportunities among osteopathic medical students. Notably, ⅓ of OMSs reported an absence or unawareness of available research resources at their osteopathic medical schools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Ho
- Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown, NY, USA
| | - Alyssa Auerbach
- Department of Emergency Medicine, St. John's Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, NY, USA
| | - Jantzen J Faulkner
- Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | | | - Amber Lee
- Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Smith, AR, USA
| | - David Manna
- Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Middletown, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Zheng H, Al-Refaie W, Chou J, Galli F, Lai V, Felger EA. Gender Disparity in Earliest Phase of Academic Surgical Training: An Area for Intervention. J Am Coll Surg 2023; 236:687-694. [PMID: 36744799 DOI: 10.1097/xcs.0000000000000641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To overcome persistent gender disparities in academic surgery, it is critical to examine the earliest phase of surgical training. This national study sought to assess whether gender disparities also existed among surgical interns, as a proxy for medical school research experience in both quantity and quality. STUDY DESIGN Using the 2021 to 2022 public information of 1,493 US-graduated categorical general surgery interns, a bibliometric evaluation was conducted to assess medical school research experience. Multivariable linear regressions with response log-transformed were performed to evaluate the impact of intern gender on (1) total number of peer-reviewed publications, (2) total impact factor (TIF), and (3) adjusted TIF based on authorship placement (aTIF). Back-transformed estimates were presented. RESULTS Of these interns, 52.3% were female. Significant differences were observed in TIF (male 6.4 vs female 5.3, p = 0.029), aTIF (male 10.8 vs female 8.7, p = 0.035), gender concordance with senior authors (male 79.9% vs female 34.1%, p < 0.001), Hirsch index (male 21.0 vs female 18.0, p = 0.026), and the geographic region of their medical schools (p = 0.036). Multivariable linear regressions revealed that female interns were associated with lower TIF (0.858, p = 0.033) and aTIF (0.851, p = 0.044). Due to a significant gender-by-region interaction, adjusted pairwise comparisons showed that male interns in the Northeast had approximately 70% higher TIF (1.708, p = 0.003) and aTIF (1.697, p = 0.013) than female interns in the South. CONCLUSIONS Gender disparities existed in the quality of research experience in the earliest phase of surgical training. These timely results call for additional interventions by the stakeholders of graduate medical education.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zheng
- From the Department of Surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC (Zheng)
| | - Waddah Al-Refaie
- MedStar Health, Georgetown University Medical Center, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC (Al-Refaie, Galli)
| | - Jiling Chou
- Center of Biostatistics, Informatics and Data Science, Medstar Health Research Institute, Rockville, MD (Chou)
| | - Francesca Galli
- MedStar Health, Georgetown University Medical Center, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, DC (Al-Refaie, Galli)
| | - Victoria Lai
- the Division of Endocrine Surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC (Lai, Felger)
| | - Erin A Felger
- the Division of Endocrine Surgery, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC (Lai, Felger)
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bhatti F, Mowforth O, Butler M, Bhatti Z, Rafati Fard A, Kuhn I, Davies BM. Meeting the Shared Goals of a Student-Selected Component: Pilot Evaluation of a Collaborative Systematic Review. JMIR Med Educ 2023; 9:e39210. [PMID: 36920459 PMCID: PMC10132035 DOI: 10.2196/39210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research methodology is insufficiently featured in undergraduate medical curricula. Student-selected components are designed to offer some research opportunities but frequently fail to meet student or supervisor expectations, such as completion or publication. We hypothesized that a collaborative, educational approach to a systematic review (SR), whereby medical students worked together, may improve student experience and increase success. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to establish whether offering a small team of students the opportunity to take part in the screening phase of SRs led by an experienced postgraduate team could enhance the learning experience of students, overcome the barriers to successful research engagement, and deliver published output. METHODS Postgraduate researchers from the University of Cambridge led a team of 14 medical students to work on 2 neurosurgical SRs. One student was appointed as the lead for each SR. All students were provided with training on SR methodology and participated in title and abstract screening using Rayyan software. Students completed prepilot, midscreening, and postscreening questionnaires on their research background, perceptions, knowledge, confidence, and experience. Questions were scored on a Likert scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 10 (strongly agree). RESULTS Of the 14 students involved, 29% (n=4) reported that they had received sufficient training in research methodology at medical school. Positive trends in student knowledge, confidence, and experience of SR methodology were noted across the 3 questionnaire time points. Mean responses to "I am satisfied with the level of guidance I am receiving," "I am enjoying being involved in the SR process," and "I could not gain this understanding of research from passive learning e.g., textbook or lecture" were greater than 8.0 at all time points. Students reported "being involved in this research has made me more likely to do research in the future" (mean 8.57, SD 1.50) and that "this collaborative SR improved my research experience" (mean 8.50, SD 1.56). CONCLUSIONS This collaborative approach appears to be a potentially useful method of providing students with research experience; however, it requires further evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Faheem Bhatti
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Mowforth
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Max Butler
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Zainab Bhatti
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Amir Rafati Fard
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Isla Kuhn
- Cambridge University Medical Library, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin M Davies
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Cuschieri A, Sant D, Vella SL, Demanuele R, Schembri R, Cuschieri S. Allied Health Professional Students' Perceptions on Research: A Multi-disciplinary Mixed-Methods Study. Med Sci Educ 2023; 33:129-138. [PMID: 37008430 PMCID: PMC10060477 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-022-01715-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Modern medicine necessitates evidence-based interdisciplinary patient care. Research is at the centre of fostering an evidence-based mindset in healthcare teams. Studies have demonstrated that exposing students to research translates into better patient care. Studies investing the perceptions of students towards research have focused on the views of medical students, leaving the perceptions of allied health professional (AHP) students unaccounted for. Methods A mixed-methods, anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to 837 AHP students studying at the University of Malta, across five different courses. The collected data was then statistically analysed through descriptive statistics and chi-square testing. Qualitative results were coded, triangulated and subsequently analysed. Results An overall response rate of 28.43% was achieved. Only 2.49% of respondents managed to publish research, despite many participants stating that research is important for their future careers. Career progression and lack of opportunity were identified as the major motivating and stumbling factors, respectively. Students pursuing research-focused degrees considered their curriculum to sufficiently equip them with research skills, compared to students studying clinically oriented degrees (p < 0.01). Conclusion The results obtained from this study indicate that the perceptions of AHP students towards research are on par with the already established medical students. AHP students face the same stumbling blocks, are driven by the same motivating factors and experience a similar disparity between interest in research and research being produced, as medical students. Thus, a joint effort, between stakeholders in medical and AHP students' education, should be taken to address the factors limiting undergraduate students from conducting research. This will enable the implementation of an evidence-based mindset in the clinic, ultimately resulting in better patient care. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01715-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cuschieri
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD 2080 Malta
| | - Desiree Sant
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD 2080 Malta
| | | | - Ritienne Demanuele
- Faculty of Social Wellbeing, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD 2080 Malta
| | - Roderick Schembri
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD 2080 Malta
| | - Sarah Cuschieri
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD 2080 Malta
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Cuschieri A, Cuschieri S. Analysing the Impact of an Elective Research Experience on Medical Students' Research Perceptions. Med Sci Educ 2023; 33:157-164. [PMID: 36688012 PMCID: PMC9845813 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-023-01727-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Physicians are at the centre of bench-to-bedside research, yet the number of physicians engaging in research is declining. One solution to overcome this alarming trend is exposing medical students to research. This study aims to assess the impact of engaging medical students in research, and the feasibility of conducting research solely using online communication. METHODS A pilot elective research opportunity was offered to medical students enrolled to the University of Malta Doctor of Medicine and Surgery course by a resident academic (summer 2021) of the same institute to assess the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Europe. An anonymous survey was distributed to seventy medical students recruited to participate in this elective research project. The data collected was analysed and interpreted. RESULTS A response rate of 88.73% was achieved. "Career progression" and "lack of time" were the most reported motivating and hindering factors towards conducting research, respectively, before engaging in a research experience. Research experience helped overcome reported barriers (p < 0.01), while also challenging students' perceptions towards research. An increase in positive perceptions towards research was observed after conducting research. An overwhelming majority (90.47%) of participants reported that mentorship played an influential role in their overall experience, and 95.24% commented that they would like research opportunities to be made available by their faculty. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Giving students the opportunity to conduct research demonstrated how research experience improves students' soft skills and the understanding of research. This study also portrayed how remote research opportunities are effective in engaging students and increased the number of students who would consider a career in research. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01727-w.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cuschieri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD2080 Malta
| | - Sarah Cuschieri
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Imsida, MSD2080 Malta
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Otaki F, AlHashmi D, Khamis AH, Azar AJ. Investigating the evolution of undergraduate medical students' perception and performance in relation to an innovative curriculum-based research module: A convergent mixed methods study launching the 8A-Model. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280310. [PMID: 36638127 PMCID: PMC9838838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Embedding into undergraduate medical programs experiential research curricula, based on holistic theories of education which emphasize participation in the social world, remains uncommon. The purpose of this study was to investigate the journey of undergraduate medical students in relation to an innovative compulsory curriculum-based research module, which has a prominent experiential learning component. METHODS A convergent mixed methods study design was adapted to develop a systemic understanding of the experience of the undergraduate medical students throughout the respective research module. As such, the students' perception of the experience was qualitatively explored using thematic analysis (n = 15). In parallel, the students' performance data were quantitatively analyzed using multi-repeated ANOVA (n = 158). The findings from both types of analyses (i.e., qualitative and quantitative study components) were then mapped onto each using joint display analysis. FINDINGS The exploration generated four themes that correspond to sequential steps that the students go through to effectively integrate the scientific research method. These themes include: 1- Attend-Acquire, 2- Accumulate-Assimilate, 3- Apply-Appreciate, and 4-Articulate-Affect. Quantitatively, two distinct clusters of mean Grade Point Average were revealed (p<0.01). Joint display analysis enabled integrating the qualitative and quantitative findings, generating the 8A-Model. CONCLUSION The evidence-driven 8A-Model, generated by this study, highlights that medical students' understanding of the true value of research seems to increase as they progress in the module. They begin expressing appreciation of the significance of the experience when they start implementing what they are learning as part of their own research studies. It is recommended for such a research module, with a firm experiential learning component, to be integral to undergraduate medical programs. This is expected to improve the future physicians' research competences, and in turn add value in terms of quality of care and patient outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farah Otaki
- Strategy and Institutional Excellence, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Deena AlHashmi
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Amar Hassan Khamis
- Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Aida Joseph Azar
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Marais DL, Gey van Pittius N. Supporting undergraduate research capacity development: A process evaluation of an Undergraduate Research Office at a South African Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Afr J Health Prof Educ 2022. [DOI: 10.7196/ajhpe.2022.v14i4.1592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. University-based research capacity development (RCD) mechanisms tend to focus on staff and postgraduate students, with few structures targeted at undergraduate students. Support for undergraduate research must be tailored to the unique requirements of research at this level, while maintaining links with relevant structures in both the RCD and teaching and learning domains.Objective. To conduct a process evaluation of the Undergraduate Research Office (URO) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, using RCD and characteristics of excellence in undergraduate research criteria as benchmarks.Methods. A process evaluation of URO’s first 6 years was conducted using a logic model of URO’s inputs, activities, and outputs. Through a retrospective document review, a descriptive analysis of URO’s inputs and activities (narrative) and URO’s outputs (statistical) was conducted.Results. Following a description of inputs and activities, results present URO’s outputs as a measure of the uptake of these activities. From 2015 to 2020, 259 undergraduate research projects were completed. Research consultations, workshops and undergraduate presentations at the faculty’s Annual Academic Day have more than doubled since URO’s inception. The Undergraduate Research Ethics Committee has reviewed 243 ethics applications since 2015, with a 1 - 2-week turnaround time. A total of 134 funding applications worth ZAR705 986 have been awarded for research project, conference presentation and publication costs.Conclusion. Results show the potential impact of a formal undergraduate research support entity on the undergraduate research outputs of a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. This article highlights elements for success for formal undergraduate research support, and identifies gaps going forward.
Collapse
|
35
|
Sandvei MS, Jacobsen GW, Stien MH, Ræder H, Munthe LA, Skogen V. A national intercalated medical student research program - student perceptions, satisfaction, and factors associated with pursuing a PhD. Med Educ Online 2022; 27:2122105. [PMID: 36069755 PMCID: PMC9467552 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2122105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To counteract a decreasing number of physician-scientists, a national intercalated Medical Student Research Programme (MSRP) was launched in Norway in 2002. We aimed to assess whether the students' favourable perceptions and satisfaction with the program had prevailed since the inception in 2002 and until 2015, and to identify factors associated with pursuing a PhD. METHODS The study was an incorporation of data from two previous national evaluations of the MSRP performed in 2007 and 2015. We used electronic questionnaires to explore demographic characteristics, area and type of research, student satisfaction, and future scientific goals. In 2007, questionnaires were sent to all 208 students, and 183 (88%) replied. In 2015, the corresponding numbers were 279, and 240 (86%). Categorical data were analysed using either Kruskal-Wallis or Pearson's chi square test. Differences between sample means were assessed with Student`s t-test while logistic regression was used to test associations between selected covariates and the students' ambitions to pursue a PhD degree. RESULTS Overall, the student satisfaction was 79%. However, more students in 2015 received less regular and less supervision time and expressed a need for more of it. Seventy-seven per cent expressed an ambition to pursue a PhD. Students were more likely to have a PhD ambition if they were satisfied with the program, had a supervisor with high expectations for them, or had already published some of their results. At both time points, students (86% vs. 89%) responded that the MSRP had a positive impact on their regular curriculum achievements. CONCLUSIONS The high degree of satisfaction with the national MSRP among undergraduate students has prevailed since the inception in 2002. By far, the program has also met its goal to increase the number of aspiring physician-scientists. However, to maintain that goal over time, adequate and personal supervision is a prerequisite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Søfteland Sandvei
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- The Cancer Clinic, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Geir Wenberg Jacobsen
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Helge Ræder
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Ludvig Andre Munthe
- KG Jebsen Centre for Bcell Malignancies, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vegard Skogen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
Fostering skills in research is important for medical schools. This scoping review examined undergraduate curricular structures devoted to research training and their outcomes. For the sixty papers meeting inclusion criteria, descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis were conducted. Forty (67%) articles described US programs, with 30 (50%) being mandatory. Timing of research training was variable across included studies with the majority (58%) describing embedded longitudinal curricula. Reported benefits included enhanced knowledge, improved research and writing skills, clarity around career plans, and mentoring relationships. There are many curricular structures for undergraduate research training, but no high-quality evidence to support particular designs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather Murray
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
| | | | - Melanie Walker
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Tsiartas E, Kontopyrgou D. Regarding: "Are medical students interested in research? - Students' attitudes towards research". Ann Med 2022; 54:2211-2212. [PMID: 35930595 PMCID: PMC9359193 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2108131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eirinaios Tsiartas
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Dimitra Kontopyrgou
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Bauer J, Schendzielorz J, Oess S, Mantke R. [Depth and integration of science modules in medical studies at recognized public and private faculties in Germany: A cross-sectional study]. Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes 2022; 174:90-96. [PMID: 36137933 DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2022.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At the end of November 2020, four years after the adoption of the Masterplan Medizinstudium 2020, the Federal Ministry of Health presented the draft bill for the revision of the medical licensing regulations. This was adapted in August 2021 and stipulates, among other things, the completion of a mandatory scientific project up to the second stage of the medical examination, which is to be conducted within twelve weeks and based on the structured teaching of scientific skills using longitudinal courses. This study examines to what extent the mentioned aspects of the draft bill are already included in the current compulsory curricula in German medical study programs. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, we conducted a document analysis and an online survey of the student deaneries of state and private, state-recognized faculties of medicine in Germany. The objective was to assess the integration of curricular science projects and longitudinal science modules. The data was analyzed descriptively. RESULTS In total, 40 (93%) of 43 faculties were included in the document analysis. 26 (60.5%) of 43 academic deans responded to the online questionnaire. Only twelve (30%) of the faculties offer a mandatory science project according to the document analysis and eight (30.8%) according to the evaluation of the online survey. In relative terms, a mandatory science project is already a curricular component in the majority of model and reform degree programs (document analysis: 83.3%, n=10 / N=12; questionnaire: 87.5%, n=7 / N=8). This contrasts with a significantly smaller number of regular degree programs that currently offer a science project as a mandatory component (document analysis: 16.7%, n=2 / N=12; questionnaire: 12.5%, n=1 / N=8). In the majority of the model and reform courses, a compulsory (longitudinal) science module has already been integrated into the curriculum (document analysis: 75%, n=12 / N=16; questionnaire: 55.5%, n=6 / N=11). This is only true for 25% (n=4 / N=12; document analysis) and 44.5% (n=5 / N=11; questionnaire) of the regular courses. DISCUSSION The results of the surveys indicate that the regular study programs, in particular, need to be restructured in order to integrate the intended time frame of twelve weeks for an obligatory science project into the current curriculum. How this is to be achieved without reducing the existing study content seems to be still unclear. Regardless of the current draft bill, however, this step appears to be necessary in order to strengthen the acquisition of scientific competencies in medical studies and to adapt it to international medical education. CONCLUSION The majority of the current model and reformed medical study courses already fulfill the requirements of the draft bill for the new licensing regulations with regard to the curricular integration of an obligatory scientific project and longitudinal strand on scientific work, which offer hints on design possibilities for further faculties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian Bauer
- Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Medizinstudent im 11. Semester, Campus Brandenburg a.d.H., Deutschland.
| | - Julia Schendzielorz
- Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Studiengangsweiterentwicklung und Ausbildungsforschung, Campus Brandenburg a.d.H., Deutschland
| | - Stefanie Oess
- Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Studiengangsweiterentwicklung und Ausbildungsforschung, Campus Brandenburg a.d.H., Deutschland; Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Leiterin Institut für Biochemie, Campus Neuruppin, Deutschland; Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Prodekanin für Studium und Lehre, Campus Neuruppin, Deutschland
| | - René Mantke
- Klinik für Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Brandenburg, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg Theodor Fontane, Brandenburg, Deutschland; Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften Brandenburg, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg, Campus Brandenburg a.d.H., Deutschland
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Muacevic A, Adler JR. A Fully Online Research Practicum Curriculum for Undergraduate Medical Students: A Protocol Paper. Cureus 2022; 14:e31901. [PMID: 36579282 PMCID: PMC9792335 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.31901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Research is a critically important skill for medical trainees that helps physicians to advance the state of science and provide optimal healthcare to patients. The number of physician-scientists is decreasing. Competing priorities, limited research faculty, shrinking research budgets, and meeting accreditation standards limit the amount of time and effort needed to train undergraduate medical students sufficiently for them to engage in independent research activities. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and implementation of a fully online research practicum as part of the medical school curriculum. METHODS A fully online research curriculum for preclinical medical students was developed and implemented by the researchers as a mandatory component of student training. This curriculum addressed research education challenges in medical schools with limited resources and/or for situations for which face-to-face research may be impractical or expensive. Students were also encouraged to practice critical thinking and critical appraisal of the evidence. Student-initiated research projects were conducted in teams and completed with support from faculty research mentors and librarians. During the first two cycles, 86 student team projects were completed. During the third cycle, 45 team projects were conducted. RESULTS Two complete cycles of a two-semester research practicum were completed. The majority of these studies were presented at regional, national, and international conferences, published as posters, and/or published as articles in peer-reviewed journals. Faculty mentor publications also increased as a result of engagement in the practicum. DISCUSSION The results of this research practicum provide evidence of the usefulness of a hands-on tailored research program delivered online for increasing research literacy, promoting interest among medical students in research, and motivation for future engagement in research as verified by student project outcomes during and beyond the practicum experience. The practicum can be used for individual students or as a team-based approach. A research practicum such as this also has the potential to improve the prospects of a successful application for post-graduate training, grants, and high-impact publications.
Collapse
|
40
|
Johnson A, Bland CM, Teng C, Zheng L, Colin Hungerpiller J, Easterling M, Arnold S, Dean M, Royals C, Brandon Bookstaver P. From Start to Finish: Examining factors associated with higher likelihood of publication among abstracts presented at an international infectious diseases scientific meeting. Open Forum Infect Dis 2022; 9:ofac415. [PMID: 36147600 PMCID: PMC9487641 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The landscape of infectious diseases research by interprofessional teams continues to change in both scope and engagement. Limited information exists regarding publication metrics and factors associated with publication of abstracts presented at professional infectious diseases meetings.
Methods
This was a retrospective, observational study evaluating abstracts presented at IDWeek in 2017 and 2018. The primary endpoint was the proportion of abstracts that were subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. Factors associated with publication were evaluated and a description of publication metrics was reported.
Results
Of the 887 abstracts analyzed from the IDWeek meetings, 236 (26.6%) were published. Significantly more abstracts were published if they were presented as a platform presentation versus poster presentation (35% vs. 21%, p < 0.001). Inclusion of a PhD author significantly increased the likelihood of publication (p = 0.0014). Prospective studies, greater number of authors, and greater number of study subjects were more common among published abstracts. Median time to publication was 10.9 months and the majority were published in infectious diseases journals with an overall average impact factor of 7.7 across all journals.
Conclusion
Abstracts from IDWeek presented as oral platforms and those including a PhD author were more likely to be published. Large, diverse authorship teams were common among published abstracts. The high quality of resulting manuscripts is evident by the destination journals and their respective impact factors. These data may be used to inform and motivate clinicians and trainees engaging in infectious diseases related research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asia Johnson
- PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, Methodist University Hospital, 1265 Union Avenue , Memphis, TN , USA
| | - Christopher M Bland
- Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, 5354 Reynolds Street , Suite 225, Savannah, GA , USA
| | - Chengwen Teng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC , USA
| | - Lily Zheng
- PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, UF Health Shands Hospital, 1600 SW Archer Road , PO Box 100316, Gainesville, FL , USA
| | - J Colin Hungerpiller
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC , USA
| | - Morgan Easterling
- PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital & University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 848 Adams Avenue , Memphis, TN , USA
| | - Sarah Arnold
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC , USA
| | - Madeline Dean
- University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC , USA
| | - Carrington Royals
- PGY1 Pharmacy Resident, Tandem Health SC, Inc. 1278 N. Lafayette Drive , Sumter, SC , USA
| | - P Brandon Bookstaver
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Outcomes Sciences, University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy , 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC , USA
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Mittal S, Lau V, Prior K, Ewer J. Twelve tips for medical students on how to maximise remote learning. Med Teach 2022; 44:851-858. [PMID: 33974486 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2021.1912308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Medical schools are increasingly utilising remote learning. Remote learning can take many forms such as online lectures, small group tutorials, virtual clinical skills sessions, and online case presentations. Remote learning presents both challenges and opportunities for students globally. This article shares twelve tips from senior medical students, based on the author's personal experience of remote learning and the relevant literature, to help others maximise the benefits of both synchronous and asynchronous remote learning. The authors include guidance on how to approach the remote format, embrace the use of technology, detail helpful open-access resources, and encourage students to become independent learners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Mittal
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Victoria Lau
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Katie Prior
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Joseph Ewer
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Wilton A, Pananwala H. Publication in the Australian medical student journal is associated with future academic success: a matched-cohort study. BMC Med Educ 2022; 22:586. [PMID: 35907843 PMCID: PMC9338663 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03607-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical student journals (MSJs) help to introduce the fundamentals of academic research and publication to future doctors. It has recently been shown that MSJs can influence doctors' future academic and professional success, however these findings have not been replicated in an Australian cohort. The aim of this study was to examine the association between publication in the Australian Medical Student Journal (AMSJ) and markers of a student's future academic trajectory, including future publication, attainment of higher academic degree or entry into specialist training. METHODS Articles authored by medical students in the AMSJ from 2010 to 2015 were retrospectively identified. A list of these student authors was made, with university- and year- matched control students randomly selected from university graduation databases. For all students, data related to academic success were obtained from multiple sources including PubMed®, Google, university databases and author affiliation information from publications. A multivariable conditional logistic regression model was used to assess correlation between variables. The primary outcome measure was the number of postgraduate PubMed®-indexed publications. Secondary outcome measures included attainment of higher degree or faculty position. Clinical speciality was also recorded. RESULTS Fifty-five AMSJ authors (14 case reports, 17 original research, 21 review articles) from 14 Australian universities were included. Publication in the AMSJ was associated with future PubMed® indexed publications (OR 3.43, 95% CI 1.74-6.77, P < 0.001) and higher degree attainment (OR 4.05, 95% CI 1.99-8.22, P = 0.0001). AMSJ authors were also significantly more likely to enter into surgical training (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.10-5.84, P = 0.029). A multivariable conditional logistic regression model demonstrated that publication in the AMSJ was predictive of future PubMed indexed publication, independent of higher degree or faculty position attainment (OR 2.56, CI 1.22-5.39, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION We have shown that publication in a MSJ is associated with markers of academic success in an Australian cohort. PubMed®-indexed publications, attainment of a Masters degree, and entry in to surgical training were all significantly correlated to AMSJ publication. A conditional logistic regression model demonstrated that medical student publication in the AMSJ influences the number of future PubMed®-indexed publications, independent of major academic confounding variables.
Collapse
|
43
|
Amgad M, Atteya LA, Hussein H, Mohammed KH, Hafiz E, Elsebaie MAT, Alhusseiny AM, AlMoslemany MA, Elmatboly AM, Pappalardo PA, Sakr RA, Mobadersany P, Rachid A, Saad AM, Alkashash AM, Ruhban IA, Alrefai A, Elgazar NM, Abdulkarim A, Farag AA, Etman A, Elsaeed AG, Alagha Y, Amer YA, Raslan AM, Nadim MK, Elsebaie MAT, Ayad A, Hanna LE, Gadallah A, Elkady M, Drumheller B, Jaye D, Manthey D, Gutman DA, Elfandy H, Cooper LAD. NuCLS: A scalable crowdsourcing approach and dataset for nucleus classification and segmentation in breast cancer. Gigascience 2022; 11:6586817. [PMID: 35579553 PMCID: PMC9112766 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Deep learning enables accurate high-resolution mapping of cells and tissue structures that can serve as the foundation of interpretable machine-learning models for computational pathology. However, generating adequate labels for these structures is a critical barrier, given the time and effort required from pathologists. Results This article describes a novel collaborative framework for engaging crowds of medical students and pathologists to produce quality labels for cell nuclei. We used this approach to produce the NuCLS dataset, containing >220,000 annotations of cell nuclei in breast cancers. This builds on prior work labeling tissue regions to produce an integrated tissue region- and cell-level annotation dataset for training that is the largest such resource for multi-scale analysis of breast cancer histology. This article presents data and analysis results for single and multi-rater annotations from both non-experts and pathologists. We present a novel workflow that uses algorithmic suggestions to collect accurate segmentation data without the need for laborious manual tracing of nuclei. Our results indicate that even noisy algorithmic suggestions do not adversely affect pathologist accuracy and can help non-experts improve annotation quality. We also present a new approach for inferring truth from multiple raters and show that non-experts can produce accurate annotations for visually distinctive classes. Conclusions This study is the most extensive systematic exploration of the large-scale use of wisdom-of-the-crowd approaches to generate data for computational pathology applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Amgad
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Lamees A Atteya
- Cairo Health Care Administration, Egyptian Ministry of Health, 3 Magles El Shaab Street, Cairo, Postal code 222, Egypt
| | - Hagar Hussein
- Department of Pathology, Nasser institute for research and treatment, 3 Magles El Shaab Street, Cairo, Postal code 222, Egypt
| | - Kareem Hosny Mohammed
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Hamilton Walk M163, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ehab Hafiz
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Research, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, 1 El-Nile Street, Imbaba Warrak El-Hadar, Giza, Postal code 12411, Egypt
| | - Maha A T Elsebaie
- Department of Medicine, Cook County Hospital, 1969 W Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Ahmed M Alhusseiny
- Department of Pathology, Baystate Medical Center, University of Massachusetts, 759 Chestnut St, Springfield, MA 01199, USA
| | - Mohamed Atef AlMoslemany
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Gamal Abd El-Nasir, Qism Shebeen El-Kom, Shibin el Kom, Menofia Governorate, Postal code: 32511, Egypt
| | - Abdelmagid M Elmatboly
- Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, 15 Mohammed Abdou, El-Darb El-Ahmar, Cairo Governorate, Postal code 11651, Egypt
| | - Philip A Pappalardo
- Consultant for The Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM), George Mason University, 10920 George Mason Circle Institute for Advanced Biomedical Research Room 2008, MS1A9 Manassas, Virginia 20110, USA
| | - Rokia Adel Sakr
- Department of Pathology, National Liver Institute, Gamal Abd El-Nasir, Qism Shebeen El-Kom, Shibin el Kom, Menofia Governorate, Postal code: 32511, Egypt
| | - Pooya Mobadersany
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ahmad Rachid
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Anas M Saad
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA
| | - Ahmad M Alkashash
- Department of Pathology, Indiana University, 635 Barnhill Drive Medical Science Building A-128 Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Inas A Ruhban
- Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus, Damaskus, PO Box 30621, Syria
| | - Anas Alrefai
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Nada M Elgazar
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, 1 El Gomhouria St, Dakahlia Governorate 35516, Egypt
| | - Ali Abdulkarim
- Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Kasr Al Ainy Hospitals, Kasr Al Ainy St., Cairo, Postal code: 11562, Egypt
| | - Abo-Alela Farag
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Amira Etman
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Gamal Abd El-Nasir, Qism Shebeen El-Kom, Shibin el Kom, Menofia Governorate, Postal code: 32511, Egypt
| | - Ahmed G Elsaeed
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, 1 El Gomhouria St, Dakahlia Governorate 35516, Egypt
| | - Yahya Alagha
- Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Kasr Al Ainy Hospitals, Kasr Al Ainy St., Cairo, Postal code: 11562, Egypt
| | - Yomna A Amer
- Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Gamal Abd El-Nasir, Qism Shebeen El-Kom, Shibin el Kom, Menofia Governorate, Postal code: 32511, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Raslan
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Menoufia University Hospital, Gamal Abd El-Nasir, Qism Shebeen El-Kom, Shibin el Kom, Menofia Governorate, Postal code: 32511, Egypt
| | - Menatalla K Nadim
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Mai A T Elsebaie
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Ayad
- Research Department, Oncology Consultants, 2130 W. Holcombe Blvd, 10th Floor, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Liza E Hanna
- Department of Pathology, Nasser institute for research and treatment, 3 Magles El Shaab Street, Cairo, Postal code 222, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Gadallah
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, 38 Abbassia, Next to the Al-Nour Mosque, Cairo, Postal code: 1181, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Elkady
- Siparadigm Diagnostic Informatics, 25 Riverside Dr no. 2, Pine Brook, NJ 07058, USA
| | - Bradley Drumheller
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 201 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Jaye
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 201 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David Manthey
- Kitware Inc., 1712 Route 9. Suite 300. Clifton Park, New York 12065, USA
| | - David A Gutman
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, 201 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Habiba Elfandy
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Kasr Al Eini Street, Fom El Khalig, Cairo, Postal code: 11562, Egypt.,Department of Pathology, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE 57357), 1 Seket Al-Emam Street, El-Madbah El-Kadeem Yard, El-Saida Zenab, Cairo, Postal code: 11562, Egypt
| | - Lee A D Cooper
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, 675 N St Clair St Fl 21 Ste 100, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Center for Computational Imaging and Signal Analytics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Helgøy KV, Bonsaksen T, Røykenes K. Research-based education in undergraduate occupational therapy and physiotherapy education programmes: a scoping review. BMC Med Educ 2022; 22:358. [PMID: 35545770 PMCID: PMC9097417 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03354-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In a research-based learning environment, students learn how to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners, and to generate discipline-enriching knowledge. Research training is important for all healthcare professionals and the integration of research in education can be one approach to improve evidence-based practice among future professionals. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify studies reporting on research-based education in undergraduate occupational therapy and physiotherapy curricula to document the current state of knowledge and to map factors that reflect and support the implementation of research-based education in undergraduate occupational therapy and physiotherapy programmes. METHODS A scoping review was used to systematically select and summarize existing literature. The search was conducted using a combination of keywords and MeSH terms in the following databases: EBSCO (Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, ERIC), MEDLINE, Embase, Education Source and grey literature. A thematic analysis identified strategies used to implement and promote research-based education in occupational therapy and physiotherapy bachelor programmes. RESULTS The database search identified 3068 records. 75 were eligible for full-text assessment and 27 studies were included. The studies were published between 1999 and 2021 and were conducted in Norway, Canada, South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, Ireland, Taiwan, Italy, and Iran. The study designs were mainly quantitative and qualitative, and studies included primarily occupational therapy and physiotherapy students. We identified the following four strategies: 'student engagement in research', 'curriculum improvement regarding EBP', 'EBP teaching' and 'journal club', where 'EBP teaching' was most frequently identified. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this scoping review suggest that ensuring students' competence in research methods is necessary for students to be able to read and understand research articles, which are important as foundational skills in undergraduate research training. Journal clubs can be a foundation for student engagement with research literature, and students' basic research skills may be facilitated through their involvement in research projects and by conducting systematic reviews. Further, cooperation with clinical practice is important, and the awareness of research-based education should be increased among both faculty members and students.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kjersti Velde Helgøy
- Center of Diakonia and Professional Practice, VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Tore Bonsaksen
- Department of Health and Nursing Science, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Science, Elverum, Norway
- Department of Health, Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, Sandnes, Norway
| | - Kari Røykenes
- Faculty of Health Studies, VID Specialized University, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Gasparello J, Papi C, Zurlo M, Cosenza LC, Breveglieri G, Zuccato C, Gambari R, Finotti A. Teaching during COVID-19 pandemic in practical laboratory classes of applied biochemistry and pharmacology: A validated fast and simple protocol for detection of SARS-CoV-2 Spike sequences. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266419. [PMID: 35385518 PMCID: PMC8985952 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) is still a major health issue. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the university teaching to consider in high priority the switch from in-presence teaching to remote teaching, including laboratory teaching. While excellent virtual-laboratory teaching has been proposed and turned out to be very useful, the need of a real-laboratory in-presence teaching is still a major need. This study was aimed at presenting a laboratory exercise focusing (a) on a very challenging therapeutic strategy, i.e. SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, and (b) on technologies that are playing a central role in applied biochemistry and molecular biology, i.e. PCR and RT-PCR. The aims of the practical laboratory were to determine: (a) the possibility to identify SARS-CoV-2 sequences starting from a recombinant plasmid and (b) the possibility to discriminate cells with respect to the expression of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. This activity is simple (cell culture, RNA extraction, RT-qPCR are all well-established technologies), fast (starting from isolated and characterized RNA, few hours are just necessary), highly reproducible (therefore easily employed by even untrained students). We suggest that this laboratory practical exercises should be considered for face-to-face teaching especially if the emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic is maintained. The teaching protocol here described might be considered in order to perform fast but meaningful in-presence teaching, making feasible the division of crowded classes in low-number cohorts of students, allowing the maintenance of the required social distance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Gasparello
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Papi
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Matteo Zurlo
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Lucia Carmela Cosenza
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giulia Breveglieri
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristina Zuccato
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberto Gambari
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Interuniversity Consortium for Biotechnology (CIB), Trieste, Italy
- * E-mail: (RG); (AF)
| | - Alessia Finotti
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- * E-mail: (RG); (AF)
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
den Bakker CR, Ommering BW, van Leeuwen TN, Dekker FW, De Beaufort AJ. Assessing publication rates from medical students' mandatory research projects in the Netherlands: a follow-up study of 10 cohorts of medical students. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e056053. [PMID: 35379628 PMCID: PMC8981330 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The medical field is facing a clinician-scientist shortage. Medical schools could foster the clinician-scientist workforce by offering students research opportunities. Most medical schools offer elective research programmes. Subsequently, a subset of doctors graduates without any research experience. Mandatory research projects may be more sufficient to develop clinician-scientist, but take more supervision and curricular time. There is limited insight in the scientific outcomes of mandatory research experiences. This study aims to examine publication rates of a mandatory research experience, identify factors associated with publication, and includes postgraduate research engagement. DESIGN AND SETTING Prospective follow-up study involving 10 cohorts of medical students' mandatory research projects from Leiden University Medical Center. PARTICIPANTS All medical students who conducted their research project between 2008 and 2018 (n=2329) were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Publication rates were defined as peer-reviewed scientific publications, including research papers, reviews, and published meeting abstracts. Postgraduate research engagement was defined as research participation and dissemination of research at scientific conferences or in journals. RESULTS In total, 644 (27.7%) of all mandatory research experiences resulted in publication, with students mainly as first (n=984, 42.5%) or second author (n=587, 25.3%) and above world average citation impact (mean normalised journal score 1.29, mean normalised citation score 1.23). Students who conducted their research in an academic centre (adjusted OR 2.82; 95% CI 2.10 to 3.77), extended their research (adjusted OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.20), were involved in an excellency track (adjusted OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.44 to 3.01), or conducted clinical (adjusted OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.15 to 3.74) or laboratory (adjusted OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.16 to 4.01) research published their research more often. Later as junior doctors, this group significantly more often disseminate their research results at scientific conferences (adjusted OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.23) or in journals (adjusted OR 1.98; 95% CI 1.14 to 3.43). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a significant subset of hands-on mandatory research projects with flexible learning pathways result in tangible research output with proper impact and that such successful experiences can be considered as diving board towards a research-oriented career.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte R den Bakker
- Center for Innovation in Medical Education, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Belinda Wc Ommering
- Center for Innovation in Medical Education, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thed N van Leeuwen
- Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Friedo W Dekker
- Center for Innovation in Medical Education, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arnout Jan De Beaufort
- Center for Innovation in Medical Education, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Sharma RK, Ogle HL. Twelve tips for students who wish to write and publish. Med Teach 2022; 44:360-365. [PMID: 33836132 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2021.1908977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Stepping into the world of research can be an overwhelming task, especially for those with relatively little experience, such as medical students. This article aims to provide students with tips for writing and publishing in all fields. The 12 tips are as follows: (1) find your why; (2) play to your strengths and be realistic; (3) be well read; (4) revisit missed opportunities; (5) talk to the doctors around you; (6) broaden your horizons; (7) get to grips with the submission process early; (8) pay attention to the details; (9) remember that submission is not the end; (10) the process can't be rushed; (11) consider the alternative paths to presenting research; (12) start writing. This writing is derived from personal experience with supporting evidence and is not designed to be encyclopaedic, simply a reference to help students alleviate any concerns and begin their own journey into the world of research.
Collapse
|
48
|
Nguyen HMN, Lauritz B, Lew S, Gartrell R, Yeung J. Improving research amongst medical students: what can we do to help? Results from a cross-sectional survey. ANZ J Surg 2022; 92:328-329. [PMID: 35305064 DOI: 10.1111/ans.17287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ha My Ngoc Nguyen
- Western Clinical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brianne Lauritz
- Department of Surgery (Western Precinct), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Colorectal Surgery Unit, Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen Lew
- Western Clinical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Richard Gartrell
- Department of Surgery (Western Precinct), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Colorectal Surgery Unit, Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Justin Yeung
- Department of Surgery (Western Precinct), The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Colorectal Surgery Unit, Western Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
van der Steen JT, Tong WH, Groothuijse J, Ommering BWC. Perceptions and Motivation Regarding Performing Research in Physicians Specializing in Care for Older Adults Involved in a Mandatory Evidence-Based Medicine Training Study: A Mixed-Methods Study. Adv Med Educ Pract 2022; 13:217-224. [PMID: 35300225 PMCID: PMC8922237 DOI: 10.2147/amep.s348735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Evidence underpinning treatment of older persons with complex conditions is often sparse, and involving more early career physicians committed to optimizing care for older adults may help increase a relevant evidence base. We examined perception of and motivation to conduct research in physicians (residents) specializing in care of older adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Residents of an academic medical centre in the Netherlands enrolled in a 3-year training programme. The programme includes a mandatory evidence-based medicine (EBM) training study on pain and discomfort in cognitively impaired nursing home patients, in which residents perform their research over the 3-year duration of the programme. We employed a mixed-methods design with survey and qualitative interviews (December 2019-April 2020). The survey included validated scales with agreement response options rated 1-7. Qualitative interviews were underpinned by interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS Of 38 invited residents, 23 (15 females) participated. The mean score on perceptions of research was 4.1 (SD 0.8); on intrinsic motivation 4.8 (SD 1.0); on extrinsic motivation 4.3, with a higher SD of 1.4. Eight interviews also showed diversity in the extent to which residents felt equipped to conduct the mandatory EBM training study, and research more generally, which was related to previous experiences performing research. The residents generally did not anticipate conducting research themselves despite recognizing the benefits of training in research. CONCLUSION Perceptions and motivation of the residents specializing in care of older people to conduct research, although considered relevant to their practice, were not very positive. The study results in recommendations to motivate physicians in geriatrics training to conduct research, eg through personalized boosting of self-efficacy. This is crucial to motivate future physicians to contribute to research relevant to older people in more ways than just delivering data for research conceived by (non-clinical) researchers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenny T van der Steen
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Wing H Tong
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Argos Zorggroep “DrieMaasStede”, Center for Specialized Geriatric Care, Schiedam, the Netherlands
| | - Janneke Groothuijse
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care (PHEG), Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Belinda W C Ommering
- Center for Innovation in Medical Education, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Hamby T, Wilson DP, Bui P, Lowery J, Basha R. Medical student research opportunities: a survey of osteopathic medical schools in the United States. J Osteopath Med 2022; 122:289-295. [PMID: 35245010 PMCID: PMC9131179 DOI: 10.1515/jom-2021-0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Context It is important for colleges of osteopathic medicine (COMs) to provide opportunities for osteopathic medical students (OMSs) to conduct research under the guidance of professional researchers. However, COMs historically lag behind allopathic medical schools in research offerings for medical students. The literature would benefit from a synopsis of research opportunities for OMSs at COMs. Objectives This study aims to assess the availability of research opportunities currently offered to OMSs and to identify structured research programs (SRPs) to provide data that may help COMs expand such opportunities. Methods Two online surveys were developed. The General Survey asked about general research opportunities, research requirements, and SRPs, which we define as optional, intramural, and mentored research programs. The follow-up SRP Survey sought to understand the history, funding, and organizational structure of SRPs. Between February and June 2021, the General and SRP Surveys were sent to all COMs in the United States. Response data were analyzed descriptively. Results Responses were received from 32 (84.2%) of 38 COMs. Nearly all COMs offered research symposia, offered third- or fourth-year research elective rotations, and provided some form of funding for OMSs to participate in research. Fourteen (43.8%) COMs had mandatory research requirements. Twenty COMs (62.5%) offered 31 SRPs, and surveys were completed for 25 (80.6%) SRPs. SRPs were founded a median (range) of 7 (1–43) years prior and accommodated 20 (4–50) OMSs annually. Among the responding SRPs, 12.0% had external funding, 96.0% required applications, 50.0% interviewed applicants prior to acceptance into the program, 72.0% required OMSs to identify their own mentors, 68.0% offered stipends to OMSs, 28.0% offered course credits, 96.0% had clinical research opportunities, and 68.0% offered research-oriented didactics. In 84.0% of SRPs, OMSs worked predominantly in the summer after OMS-I; for these SRPs, students had 4–10 weeks of dedicated time for participation in research. Conclusions Findings from our surveys provide a synopsis of the research opportunities currently provided by COMs in the United States. Our data demonstrated wide variability of research opportunities among COMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Hamby
- Department of Research Operations, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Don P. Wilson
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Priya Bui
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Jonathan Lowery
- College of Osteopathic Medicine at Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Riyaz Basha
- Department of Research Operations, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Fort Worth, TX, USA
- Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine at The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|