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BackgroundPatients with head and neck cancer (HNC) frequently experience disease-related symptoms and treatment adverse effects that impact their overall quality of life. Cancer-specific mobile health apps for patient-related outcomes allow patients to communicate with their clinicians and proactively track their symptoms, which have been shown to improve clinical management and disease outcomes. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of LogPAL, a novel iPhone-based mobile health app designed to help HNC survivors track and manage their posttreatment symptoms. MethodsPatients who completed curative treatment for HNC in the preceding 24 months were recruited from 2 clinical sites within a single institution. Upon enrollment, participants completed a brief sociodemographic survey, downloaded the app onto their iPhone devices, and were asked to complete a series of biweekly questionnaires (based on the Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) via the app for an 8-week study period. The primary feasibility endpoints included retention (retaining >80% of the enrolled participants for the duration of the study period), adherence (>50% of the participants completing 100% of the questionnaires over the study period), and usability (a mean system usability scale [SUS] score >68). Additional postintervention questions were collected to assess perceived usefulness, acceptance, and overall satisfaction. ResultsBetween January and October 2019, 38 participants were enrolled in the study. Three participants dropped out, and 3 were classified as nonusers. The remaining 32 (87%) were eligible for analysis. Their mean age was 57.8 (SD 12.3) years (range 24-77 years, 81% [26/32] male). Overall, 375 of 512 (73.2%) questionnaires were completed, with 17 (53%) of the 32 participants adherent. Participant-reported usability was acceptable; the mean SUS score was 71.9 (95% CI 64.3-79.5) with high satisfaction of LogPAL usefulness and likelihood to recommend to other cancer survivors. ConclusionsThis single-arm prospective pilot study showed that LogPAL is a feasible, regularly used, accepted app for HNC survivors, justifying a full-scale pilot. Based on the findings from this study, future iterations will aim to improve usability and test intervention efficacy.

Establishing interprofessional identity is critical in preparing health care teams to work in collaborative environments and enhance efficacy of patient care. Accreditation standards for health profession programs have been implemented to include interprofessional education (IPE), yet there remains obfuscation regarding occupational therapy's (OT) professional identity. The purpose of this prospective pre-post test study was to assess an experiential IPE event for health profession students (n = 170 from ten health profession programs) to: (1) determine the effectiveness of role playing and team-based case discussions on students' knowledge and perceptions toward each other's professions, and (2) specifically assess the impact of the IPE event on students' perceptions toward OT roles and responsibilities. Health profession students were asked to complete a survey prior to and at the conclusion of the IPE event, which included the validated Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and non-standardized closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative analysis of responses showed a significant improvement in interdisciplinary perceptions after the experience as evidenced by higher IEPS scores. Post-test open-ended responses confirmed this finding. Health profession programs were stratified, revealing positive significant differences regarding OT. These findings suggest role-playing and team-based case discussions for IPE can have a positive impact on students' interprofessional perceptions and understanding of OT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the many clerkship models of medical education, all can be considered a form of experiential learning. Experiential learning is a complex pedagogical approach involving the development of cognitive skills in an environment with a unique culture with multiple stakeholders, which may impact learner motivation, confidence, and other noncognitive drivers of success. Students may delay the transition to the clerkship year for myriad reasons, and the intricate nature of experiential learning suggested this may impact student performance. This retrospective, observational study investigated the impact of clerkship postponement by measuring subsequent clerkship performance. Pre-clerkship and third-year clerkship performance were analyzed for three cohorts of students (classes of 2018, 2019, and 2020, N = 274) where students had the option to delay the start of their clerkship year. A mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-tests were conducted to compare academic performance over time among students who did and did not delay. Across three cohorts of students, 12% delayed the start of the clerkship year (N = 33). Regardless of prior academic performance, these students experienced a significant reduction in clerkship grades compared to their non-delaying peers. Delaying the start of the clerkship year may have negative durable effects on future academic performance. This information should be kept in mind for student advisement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) provides important information to residency programs. Despite recent recommendations for standardization, it is not clear how much variation exists in MSPE content among schools. We describe the current section content of the MSPE in US allopathic medical schools, with a particular focus on variations in the presentation of student performance. A representative MSPE was obtained from 95.3% (143 of 150) of allopathic US medical schools through residency applications to the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in select programs for the 2019–2020 academic year. A manual data abstraction tool was piloted in 2018–2019. After training, it was used to code all portions of the MSPE in this study. The results were analyzed, and descriptive statistics were reported. In preclinical years, 30.8% of MSPEs reported data regarding performance of students beyond achieving "passes" in a pass/fail curriculum. Only half referenced performance in the fourth year including electives, acting internships, or both. About two-thirds of schools included an overall descriptor of comparative performance in the final paragraph. Among these schools, a majority provided adjectives such as "outstanding/excellent/very good/good," while one-quarter reported numerical data categories. Regarding clerkship grades, there were numerous nomenclature systems used. This analysis demonstrates the existence of extreme variability in the content of MSPEs submitted by US allopathic medical schools in the 2019–2020 cycle, including the components and nomenclature of grades and descriptors of comparative performance, display of data, and inclusion of data across all years of the medical education program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: Resident as Teacher (RaT) curriculum continues to be recognized as a critical component of residents' education. However, in busy clinical workplaces, there are time constraints limiting formal training for RaT. This study aimed to assess the engagement and acceptability of Just-in-Time-Teaching (JiTT) infographics, a novel RaT tool that provides digestible evidence-based knowledge & skills at the time & place where teaching happens. Methods: The study focused on residents and faculty between July - September 2019, across 12 residency programs in six specialties. JiTT infographics were distributed weekly for six weeks. Engagement of residents was measured by open rates of infographics. Acceptability was evaluated using mixed-methods analysis of a questionnaire at the conclusion of the study, and a focus group with appointed resident and faculty champions. Descriptive statistical analyses were applied to ascertain preliminary results. Results: Overall, 76.2% (198/260) of residents opened infographics, with an average engagement rate of 64.9% Analysis of acceptability evaluations revealed infographics to be effective and had a positive impact on teaching style. Discussion and Conclusion: JiTT infographics function as an educational approach to support teaching strategies in the busy clinical setting. It can be adapted across diverse programs and integrated into a teaching toolbox for residents and faculty., (Copyright: © 2021 Orner D et al.)