BMC Medical Education

BACKGROUND: Developing reflective capacity and critical thinking is one of the prerequisites of education in health professions, especially medicine. This study aimed to determine the reflective capacity of medical students and its role in their critical thinking disposition. METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive research, conducted in 2022, a total of 240 medical intern students were selected using the convenient sampling method. Data were collected using a reflective capacity questionnaire and critical thinking disposition questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS20...

BACKGROUND: Electronic platform based-learning for residents is increasing. The aim of this study was to identify the most reliable predictor variables related to the usage of electronic platform-based educational material for radiology residents which can predict a successful multiple-choice test during the academic year. METHODS: A two year survey was conducted based on the records of electronic platform-based educational material for radiology residents. Radiology resident education was based on the educational content of two educational electronic platform databases named RADPrimer and STATdx (Elsevier, Amsterdam) consisting in evidence-based and expert-vetted summary information to support learning and diagnosing in radiology...

BACKGROUND: Students´ assessment should be carried out in an effective and objective manner, which reduces the possibility of different evaluators giving different scores, thus influencing the qualification obtained and the consistency of education. The aim of the present study was to determine the agreement among four evaluators and compare the overall scores awarded when assessing portfolios of endodontic preclinical treatments performed by dental students by using an analytic rubric and a numeric rating scale...

BACKGROUND: One of the many identities a physician comes to form during their career is their identity as an educator. Exploring formation of this identity may enrich our understanding of how physicians make decisions related to their roles as educators, their behaviors, and how this ultimately influences the educational environment. It is the aim of this study to investigate educator identity formation of dermatology residents while early in their careers. METHODS: Drawing on a social constructionist paradigm, we conducted a qualitative study, utilizing an interpretative approach...

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of COVID-19 affected all aspects of life, including education. Communication and interaction are vital in any form of education. This study explained health profession educators' and students' experiences regarding the challenges of communication and cooperation in exclusively online classrooms during the COVID-19 era. METHODS: The present descriptive explanatory qualitative study examined health profession educators' and students' experiences with exclusively online classrooms during the COVID-19 era...

BACKGROUND: Research capacity and capability of rural health professionals is essential to the delivery of evidence-based care and for informing strategies to address rural health inequities. Effective implementation of research education and training is fundamental to building rural health professional research capacity and capability. A lack of overarching guidance to inform the delivery of research education and training in rural health services can contribute to gaps in capacity-building approaches...

BACKGROUND: The global spread of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to the use of online teaching methods in universities, but the effect of online education on dermatology teaching remains unclear. METHODS: We designed a multi-dimensional teaching evaluation form for data collection, student teaching feedback evaluation, and assessed the scores of final theoretical and clinical skill tests, to compare the effective difference between online and offline teaching of dermatology...

BACKGROUND: Medical schools are reported to be less accessible to students with non-traditional backgrounds. These students face barriers when applying for and transitioning to medical school, which may be reduced by offering free preparatory activities. By equalizing access to resources, these activities are expected to reduce disparities in selection outcomes and early academic performance. In the present study, four free institutionally-provided preparatory activities were evaluated by comparing the demographic composition of participating and non-participating applicants...

BACKGROUND: Role modelling's pivotal part in the nurturing of a physician's professional identity remains poorly understood. To overcome these gaps, this review posits that as part of the mentoring spectrum, role modelling should be considered in tandem with mentoring, supervision, coaching, tutoring and advising. This provides a clinically relevant notion of role modelling whilst its effects upon a physician's thinking, practice and conduct may be visualised using the Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP)...

BACKGROUND: The Progress Test Medizin (PTM) is a 200-question formative test that is administered to approximately 11,000 students at medical universities (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) each term. Students receive feedback on their knowledge (development) mostly in comparison to their own cohort. In this study, we use the data of the PTM to find groups with similar response patterns. METHODS: We performed k-means clustering with a dataset of 5,444 students, selected cluster number k = 5, and answers as features...

BACKGROUND: Over the last decade, developments in e-Learning and technologies are creating the groundwork for health sciences and medical education. Literature demonstrates that we have yet to reach any form of consensus about which indicators are needed to assess and teach quality health sciences and medical education through technology or innovation. There is, therefore, a greater need for a tool or platform that is properly constructed, validated and tested within health sciences. METHODS: This paper presents a study, which is part of a larger research project assessing staff and students' perceptions of the importance and relevance of different aspects of e-Learning and mHealth in health sciences curricula at four universities in South Africa...

BACKGROUND: Many students report feeling inadequately prepared for their clinical experiences in pediatrics. There is striking variability on how pediatric clinical skills are taught in pre-clerkship curricula. METHODS: We asked students who completed their clerkships in pediatrics, family medicine, surgery, obstetrics-gynecology and internal medicine to rate their pre-clinical training in preparing them for each clerkship, specifically asking about medical knowledge, communication, and physical exam skills...

PURPOSE: Despite patient safety initiatives, medical errors remain common and devastating. Disclosing errors is not only ethical, but also promotes restoration of the doctor-patient relationship. However, studies show active avoidance of error disclosure and the need for explicit training. In the South African setting, sparse information exists in terms of undergraduate medical training in error disclosure. To address this knowledge gap, the training of error disclosure in an undergraduate medical programme was examined, against the background of the available literature...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly worldwide. Nurses work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to improve diabetes management. Yet, little is known about nurses' role in nutritional management of diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) toward nutritional management of diabetes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 nurses, who were recruited between July 4 and July 18, 2021 from two referral tertiary teaching hospitals in Iran...

BACKGROUND: Medical school is a challenging time, with many medical students reporting symptoms of burnout, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and psychological distress during pre-clinical and clinical years. First-generation college and first-generation medical students may be two groups of students at increased risk for the negative psychosocial effects of medical school. Importantly, grit, self-efficacy, and curiosity are protective factors against the negative psychosocial effects of medical school, whereas intolerance of uncertainty is a risk factor...

BACKGROUND: Our study determined Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) effectiveness in evaluating specific skill sets based on medical students' performances during the undergraduate years and compared the academic performances of medical students who appeared for onsite/online MMI. METHODS: A retrospective study of 140 undergraduate medical students between 2016 and 2020 included data on age, gender, pre-university results, MMI scores, and examination results. Appropriate non-parametric tests were applied to compare the students' MMI and academic performances...

BACKGROUND: Mainstream medical education remains largely focused on national health issues. Therefore, in order to expose medical students to international health issues, it is beneficial to facilitate international medical electives. METHODS: This article describes the Junior Project Officer (JPO) program, a medical experience based on clinical electives in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). Residents spend 6 months as part of a multidisciplinary medical team in Africa...

BACKGROUND: This study aims to qualitatively examine the readiness of medical students to change to virtual clerkship (VC) during the pandemic, from both the faculty and students' perspectives. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted based on the framework of readiness to change. Focus group discussions with students, and semi-structured interviews with clinical faculty members were done using appropriate online platforms. Transcripts were then analyzed using inductive-deductive approach...

Faculty development (FD) programs are critical for providing the knowledge and skills necessary to drive positive change in health professions education, but they take many forms to attain the program goals. The Macy Faculty Scholars Program (MFSP), created by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation (JMJF) in 2010, intends to develop participants as leaders, scholars, teachers, and mentors. After a decade of implementation, an external review committee conducted a program evaluation to determine how well the program met its intended goals and defined options for ongoing improvement...

BACKGROUND: Medical educators in academia have faced challenges incorporating leadership training into curricula while minimizing redundancy and assuring value and relevance for all learners. This study aims to assess the status of leadership training as perceived by family medicine residents in Riyadh to advise the development of a formal leadership training curriculum. METHOD: The research is cross-sectional and quantitative. Participants were asked via an electronic questionnaire about their leadership attitudes, perceived degree of training in various leadership domains, and where they could find additional training...