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Introduction: Theory papers have been the most commonly employed method to assess learning outcomes in medical education. In these papers, both recall abilities and higher‑order cognitive functions need to be assessed giving proper weightage as per relevance. Hence it becomes necessary that valid assessment methods are employed to evaluate the required objectives/competencies. The objective of the study was to develop a method for analyzing postgraduate question papers of various specialties. Methodology: A rubric matrix was created with three broad objective criteria to assess framing and layout of the questions in each paper, analysis of different sets for same examination, and finally an overall assessment of all the papers for each subject. Results: A total of 28 specialty papers were available. A total number of papers analysed = 340. The overall mean score out of total 60 marks was 38.64 ± 4.5. It was seen that the majority (60%) of the departments have been graded as fair on analysis of the theory papers. None of the departments were graded as very good, while 7% of them were graded as good. Although a very minuscule percentage of the papers had grammatical errors and duplication of questions in the sets, only 57% of the departments had done a proper moderation and 21% had used higher domains of learning for assessment. Conclusion: Analysis of postgraduate question papers showed that the questions asked for postgraduates are more recall‑based instead of higher taxonomy of cognitive domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A growing number of health professions schools have implemented programmes for community-based education (CBE) for their students. There are indications, however, that particularly in developing countries, CBE programmes are not always optimally implemented or sustained. Objective: To test the suitability of an established method for curriculum evaluation, combined with a set of generic objectives for CBE programmes, for evaluation of CBE programmes. Methods: As a case study, Coles and Grant's model for curriculum evaluation was applied to the CBE programme of the Medical Faculty of Diponegoro University (MFDU) in Semarang, Indonesia. Document analysis yielded information on the programme on paper; participatory observation and staff interviews on the programme in action. In addition, MFDU's CBE programme was evaluated against a set of generic objectives for CBE programmes recently designed by us. Results: MFDU has created great opportunities for its CBE programme in which, however, also significant weaknesses were revealed. (1) In the community, much time was spent on formal teaching; (2) Students' work in the community was not jointly identified with community members regarding the community's felt health needs; (3) There was rarely continuity, and evaluation or follow-up of the students' work in the community; and (4) No systematic programme evaluations are carried out. Discussion: This evaluation study showed shortcomings in the implementation of MFDU's CBE programme. The major weaknesses identified point at an underutilization of the opportunities and potential jeopardization of the facilities in the community. On the other hand, more time is needed in the CBE programme to establish the health needs to be addressed jointly with the community and to assess the impact of activities undertaken. A thorough review of the CBE programme, perhaps taking the outcomes of this study into account, could turn MFDU's CBE programme into a fine example for other medical schools in Indonesia and beyond. Conclusion: Coles and Grant's method for curriculum evaluation proved suitable for evaluation of a CBE programme in a developing country. After additional comparison with a reference list of objectives for CBE programmes, reasoned suggestions for programme can be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the position paper of The Network: Towards Unity for Health (TUFH), an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Network, on primary care. Developments in primary care; Best evidence regarding health benefit of primary care; Primary care goals of the initiative; Attributes of primary-care oriented Academic Health Centers (AHC); Primary care innovations of the initiative.

Focuses on multiprofessional education in the health profession. Increasing demands of an elderly population; Emergence of infectious and complex diseases such as HIV/AIDS; Advantages of collaborative learning; Barriers to implementing interprofessional and multiprofessional education, practice and research.

Focuses on the role of problem-based learning in medical education. Community-based medical education; Student-centered inquiry process; Adoption of professional behavior and attitudes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the requirement of human resource for health (HRH) stands at 44.5 skilled health workers per 10,000 population. WHO recognizes India as one of the countries which has HRH crisis. Karnataka, a southern state in India, has the highest number of medical colleges yet faces the shortage of specialists in the public hospitals. We conducted desk review to understand the HRH crisis, particularly the medical specialists in India. Simultaneously, we conducted secondary research to explore the initiatives taken by the Government of Karnataka (GoK) to mitigate the shortage of medical specialists in the rural areas. GoK scaled up the National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) postgraduate and super-speciality courses such as Diplomate of National Board (DNB), Diploma, and Doctorate of National Board (DrNB) in district hospitals (minimum 250--500 bedded) and taluk hospitals (minimum 100 bedded) by utilizing the existing resources. Karnataka is the first state in India to expand the NBEMS (DNB and Diploma) courses in taluk hospitals and to begin DrNB courses in district hospitals. The paper documents the process of implementation of the NBEMS courses at district and taluk hospitals of Karnataka, which has supported in strengthening these hospitals in the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Research in family medicine is important. The objectives of this study were to explore the contribution of family physicians, their attitudes and practice, and the barriers to research in family medicine in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on Saudi family physicians in 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to family physicians through WhatsApp and email. Information sought included demographic data, scientific profile, number of publications, reasons for conducting research, barriers to the conduct of research, attitudes and skills for the conduct of research, and priority areas of research. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Descriptive statistics included mean and standard deviation for continuous variables and frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Student's t-test was used to compare the means of two groups of physicians. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the association between categorical variables. RESULTS: A total of 313 family physicians filled the questionnaire; majority were male (65%), were married (90%), and worked under the Ministry of Health (73%). The total number of publications since graduation was 1165 papers with an average of 3.8 papers per physician. More than 70% were interested in conducting research, and more than two-thirds considered research important to the advancement of family medicine. One-third of the family physicians were currently involved in conducting research, while 30% were supervising at least one research project. The top five areas of priority were chronic diseases, mental health, health promotion, quality of healthcare, and medical education/training; whereas the top five obstacles to the conduct of research were the lack of time, lack of research environment, lack of financial and technical support, and the absence of skills. CONCLUSION: Saudi family physicians make a good contribution to research. The researchers and research bodies should focus on identifying the priority areas for research in family medicine in the next few years and provide support to achieve some of the objectives of the National Vision of 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quality improvement and performance evaluation have become today's mainstream medical issues, whereas in many areas of medical care, the quality of care services is less than desirable. Objective: To determine a conceptual model for practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) competency in medicine. Methods: This study was conducted using Walker and Avant's theoretical synthesis method. Articles related to the concept of PBLI were searched using the keywords of practice-based learning and improvement, quality improvement, core competency, medical education, practice-based learning in English, separately and combined in google, google scholar, and Pubmed databases. After identifying the theoretical blocks and variables of each block and communicating them, a visual model of PBLI was presented. After a focused search for each block, a total of 229 full papers were studied and the PBLI model was developed in six conceptual blocks. Results: The visual model that presented in this study shows the relation among six theoretical blocks of PBLI including: Block of approach to PBLI, PBLI process triggers block, gap bridging solutions, PBLI infrastructure block, PBLI sub-competencies block, PBLI academic development block. Conclusions: Nowadays, PBLI is one of the inevitable qualities of medicine that ensures the quality of medical practice, which, in addition to individual requirements, requires a series of technical, strategic, structural, and cultural infrastructures. By utilizing this capability, a physician will be able to discover the knowledge, skills, and performance gaps, and will be able to cope up with their appropriate approaches, thereby improving the quality of their medicine and the care provided and the patient's safety. It can provide satisfaction and trust in society. The model presented in this paper makes it easy to understand the relationships between the various components of this competency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of statistical analysis in medical research and explores the current state of statistical analysis in research papers published in the Indian Journal of Anaesthesia (IJA). The study found that collaboration with statisticians is widespread among authors, with 36% involving the statistical department of their institutes and 40% engaging private statisticians. However, a significant number of authors (72%) lacked formal training in statistics, highlighting the need for enhanced statistical education in medical research. The study also revealed varying levels of confidence among authors in interpreting and communicating statistical results, emphasizing the importance of targeted training and support. The article concludes that effective collaboration between authors and statisticians can lead to more robust research outcomes and higher-quality publications. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: There has been an observable trend towards developing medical competency frameworks across the globe. These competency frameworks are intended to improve societal trust in the medical education system in developing appropriately competent medical practitioners. A framework developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons; Canada has been widely accepted by several institutions across the world. Medical Council of India has also published a similar framework of medical competencies. Most of these frameworks does not consider ancient Indian frameworks which have existed for several thousand years. Current paper examines the medical competency frameworks from ancient India and compares it with current frameworks. Method: A review of literature available in reputable libraries and online on the medical competency framework from ancient India has been attempted. Key words including 'competency framework, medical framework, ancient India and fully equipped physician' were used. Results: A medical competency framework was written and implemented more than two thousand years ago. The framework identified key competencies including: Medical expertise, Communication skills, Scholar, Health advocacy and Professionalism. This framework was used for medical practitioners at the time and used during the training and subsequent medical practice. Conclusion: There is striking similarity between ancient Indian and current model of competency framework. Teachings and wisdom from ancient India can prove invaluable while developing future medical competency frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The McNamara fallacy refers to the tendency to focus on numbers, metrics, and quantifiable data while disregarding the meaningful qualitative aspects. The existence of such a fallacy in medical education is reviewed in this paper. Competency-based medical education (CBME) has been introduced in India with the goal of having Indian Medical Graduates competent in five different roles – Clinician, Communicator, Leader and member of the health care team, Professional, and Lifelong learner. If we only focus on numbers and structure to assess the competencies pertaining to these roles, we would be falling prey to the McNamara fallacy. To assess these roles in the real sense, we need to embrace the qualitative assessment methods and appreciate their value in competency-based education. This can be done by using various workplace-based assessments, choosing tools based on educational impact rather than psychometric properties, using narratives and descriptive evaluation, giving grades instead of marks, and improving the quality of the questions asked in various exams. There are challenges in adopting qualitative assessment starting with being able to move past the objective–subjective debate, to developing expertise in conducting and documenting such assessment, and adding the rigor of qualitative research methods to enhance its credibility. The perspective on assessment thus needs a paradigm shift – we need to assess the important rather than just making the assessed important; and this would be crucial for the success of the CBME curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rural populations in Canada are generally in worse health when compared to their urban counterparts. In 2014, the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada formed a joint Task force to advocate for improved health in rural communities. As a task force, they developed the Rural Road Map for Action. This paper uses the Rural Road Map for Action as a framework to examine the current state of family medicine's Post-Graduate Medical Education (PGME) in Canada. Methods: Surveys were sent to the programme directors of all English- and French-speaking post-graduate family medicine programmes. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyse survey responses. Results: Thirteen of 17 respondents completed the questionnaire. Despite on-going efforts, our results suggest that few programmes have equity and diversity admission's policies for rural and Indigenous students; a gap exists between the number of residents who are educated in rural areas and those who end up practising in rural areas; residents lack skills in Indigenous health; and more funded professional development opportunities are needed for rural physicians. Conclusion: Rural healthcare concerns are typically under-represented in PGME. The Rural Road Map for Action brings focus to the specific healthcare needs of rural areas, highlighting a recruitment and retention strategy that aligns education, practice, policy and research activities. Medical schools and national physician organisations need to continue to advocate for the health of rural communities through increasing the rural physician workforce and providing appropriate training for rural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents abstracts of articles on health education. 'Implementing a communication skills programme in medical schools: needs assessment and programme change,' by Toni Suzuki Laidlaw, Heather MacLeod, David M. Kaufman, Donald B. Langille and Joan Sargeant; 'The effectiveness of a computer-assisted instruction programme on communication skills of medical specialists in oncology,' by Robert L. hulsman, Wynand J.G. Ros,Jacques A.M. Winnbust and Jozien M. Bensing.

Presents abstracts on Academic Medicine, Medical Education, Medical Teacher and Teaching and Learning in Medicine publications. Factors facilitating the development of community-academic partnership; Establishment of programs for the unity of health professionals and communities; Deterioration of doctor-patient relationship.

Background: Childhood pneumonia is one of the leading causes of mortality among under-five children. It is responsible for 15% of all deaths of children U5, killing 808,694 children in 2017 (1). Traditional visual inspection and manual count method is used to detect and classify fast-breathing, a key indicator of Pneumonia. In response to UNICEF's call for a reliable diagnostic tool, Philips was the first to respond with the Children's Automatic Respiratory Monitor for measuring fast breathing objectively. Aim: UNICEF and Philips Foundation initiated a field study to test the acceptability, usability and efficacy of the Automatic Respiratory Monitor in Determining Fast Breathing in low resource setting environments. Settings and Design: Philips Foundation partnered up with the Directorate of Medical Education in West Bengal, India to conduct the field study amongst community healthcare workers and beneficiaries in a rural district of West Bengal. In collaboration with North Bengal Medical College & Hospital, a community-based study was conducted in a tribal tea garden of Naxalbari block. Methods and Material: Acceptability and usability of the device was assessed through structtured interviews and dialogues with community health workers (CHWs), caregivers and local healthcare practitioners. Efficacy of the device was represented by the inter-rater agreement between the traditional visual inspection and manual count method and the device reading. Statistical Analysis Used: A descriptive community based mixed method study was conducted. Satisfaction among community healthcare workers (CHWs) and beneficiaries was found to be promising across all study parameters. Results and Conclusions: The paper captures the study methods, statistical analysis of the data, the conclusions, areas of further research and recommends community-wide use of the device in objectively measuring fast breathing among children under the age of five years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural competency is a wide notion with a variety of academic bases and differing perspectives on how it should be implemented. While it is widely acknowledged that cultural competency should be an element of general practise, there is a paucity of literature in this area. It has been commonly claimed that cultural competency is a fundamental prerequisite for working well with persons from different cultural backgrounds. Medical students must learn how to connect successfully with patients from all walks of life, regardless of culture, gender, or financial background. Hence, National Medical Council (NMC) has included cultural competence as a course subject in the curriculum of medical education. The opportunities and concept of Competency Based Medical Education, the inclusion of cultural competency in medical course by NMC, various models and practice skill of cultural competence in medical education are discussed in this paper. This study will be useful to researchers who are looking at cultural competency as a research variable that influences study result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge and the beliefs on medical education influence the teaching-learning approach used by medical educators and their perception of students' ability to be active learners. This paper highlights the student-centred teaching methods used by the medical educators of the Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia for undergraduate medical student teaching, their medical education approach in teaching and their perception on students' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competency-based medical education curriculum (CBME) has received traction worldwide. However, its adoption and implementation have significantly varied across the globe. The National Medical Commission, India (2019) has adopted CBME to improve the quality and content of training of medical students. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spawned several challenges implementing the CBME. Therefore, there is a need to reflect on using novel teaching and assessment methods to enrich medical and psychiatric training. In this paper, we aimed to study global trends and characteristics of competency-based psychiatry training programs and how these experiences can be utilized to overcome challenges and facilitate the implementation of CBME in Psychiatry in the Indian context. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The findings are presented narratively. Psychiatry training for medical students greatly vary across the globe. High-income countries mainly have implemented CBME and have incorporated psychiatry training during the foundation/pre-clerkship period itself. There is more reliance on skill development and flexible and learning-based training vs. time-based training. Various enrichment activities have been incorporated into the medical curriculum to promote and strengthen psychiatry training for medical students, particularly in developed nations, which have yielded positive results. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the medical student's training, it has reiterated the significance of skill-based education and opened novel avenues for implementing the CBME. Medical educationists need to adapt themselves to provide CBME to the students. Making structural, curricular changes, orienting teachers, and students about the CBME, mentoring teachers, adopting novel training and assessment methods, utilizing enrichment activities, collaborating with educational institutions and technology providers, periodically evaluating the implementation of the CBME, and making appropriate course corrections are essential. In addition, there is a need to address structural barriers, such as lack of workforce, for better realization of the CBME objectives.eriodically evaluating the implementation of the CBME, and making appropriate course corrections are essential. Additionally, there is a need to address structural barriers, such as lack of workforce, for better realization of the CBME objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost every institution and academic medical center has its own simulation center today. It seems to have become a prerequisite and is incorporated into the guidelines of setting up new centers as well as in the upgrading and enhancement plans of existing institutions. In considering this, it is critical to consider the needs and demands of the healthcare population and staff the center will be serving. Setting up a simulation center is not an endeavor to be undertaken lightly. It entails a sustainable commitment in terms of political will, professional, educational and financial commitments. On the other hand, setting up a simulation center can be the most worthwhile and rewarding experience if the objectives and goals are met and effective learning occurs. The latter is an important element to be considered in the step toward nurturing an effective healthcare practitioner. In this paper, the principle author, who is the Director of the SingHealth Duke NUS Institute of Medical Simulation (SIMS) in Singapore, shares her views and experience of leading a world-class simulation facility. She has been involved in SIMS from its conception and is a strong advocate of medical education and lifelong learning. At the end of this paper, she shares a Checklist which puts together all the important considerations for anyone or any institution what is looking at setting up a simulation facility, a simulation-based training program, or even upgrading and upscaling their current simulation centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Properly constructed single best-answer multiple choice questions (MCQs) or items assess higher-order cognitive processing of Bloom's taxonomy and accurately discriminate between high and low achievers. However, guidelines for writing good test items are rarely followed, leading to generation and application of faulty MCQs. Materials and Methods: During lockdown period in 2020, internal assessment was taken through online mode using Google Forms. There were 60 'single response type' MCQs, each consisting of single stem and four options including one correct answer and three distractors. Each item was analyzed for difficulty index (Dif I), discrimination index (DI), and distractor efficiency (DE). Results: The mean of achieved marks was 42.92± (standard deviation [SD], 5.07). Dif I, DI, and DE were 47.95± (SD 16.39) in percentage, 0.12± (SD 0.10), and 18.42± (SD 15.35), respectively. 46.67% of the items were easy and 21.66% were of acceptable discrimination. Very weak negative correlation was found between Dif I and DI. Out of total 180 distractors, 51.66% were nonfunctional one. Conclusion: Item analysis and storage of MCQs with their indices provides opportunity for an examiner to select MCQs of appropriate difficulty level as per the need of assessment and decide their placement in the question paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregivers, or persons who provide unpaid support to a loved one who could not manage to live independently or whose health or well-being would deteriorate without this help, are increasingly common. These rates have only increased with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many to care for sick family members in the short or long term. Unfortunately, caregiving is associated with significant burden and health risks, not only for caregivers themselves but also for the care recipients of overwhelmed caregivers. These risks have also been exacerbated by the social isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although interventions exist which have been proven to reduce caregiver burden, education on these interventions is lacking, partly because there has not been a memorable framework on how to care for caregivers. In this paper, an innovative framework to teach clinicians about caring for caregivers is introduced, the C.A.R.E. framework: Caregiver well-being, Advanced care planning, Respite, and Education. This simple framework will help providers become aware of caregiver needs, comfortable in addressing their needs, and able to suggest interventions proven to reduce caregiver burden. Knowledge of this framework should start with medical students so that they can incorporate this critical aspect of primary care into their clinical practice early on in their careers. If providers can simply remember to perform these four interventions, to C.A.R.E. for our caregivers, then they will make a significant impact on the lives of both our patients and their loved ones, during the present COVID-19 pandemic and thereafter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncertainty in all spheres of higher education due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on teaching–learning and assessments in medical colleges across the globe. The conventional ways of assessment are now neither possible nor practical for certifying medical graduates. This has necessitated thoughtful considerations in making adjustments to the assessment system, with most institutions transitioning to online assessments that so far have remained underutilized. Programmatic assessment encourages the deliberate and longitudinal use of diverse assessment methods to maximize learning and assessment and at present can be utilized optimally as it ensures the collection of multiple low-stake assessment data which can be aggregated for high-stake pass/fail decisions by making use of every opportunity for formative feedback to improve performance. Though efforts have been made to introduce programmatic assessment in the competency-based undergraduate curriculum, transitioning to online assessment can be a potential opportunity if the basic tenets of programmatic assessment, choice of online assessment tools, strategies, good practices of online assessments and challenges are understood and explored explicitly for designing and implementing online assessments. This paper explores the possibility of introducing online assessment with face-to-face assessment and structuring a blended programmatic assessment in competency-based medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching anatomy is an important but expensive part of the medical curriculum, potentially more than many countries can afford. In the search for efficient methods, cost‑effectiveness is of utmost importance for such countries. The aim of this contribution is to provide a review of the literature on anatomy teaching methods, evaluating these for feasibility in resource‑deprived countries. Methods: A literature review was carried out to identify distinct approaches to anatomy teaching published in the period 2000–2014, using the databases of PubMed, Wiley Online Library, Elsevier, HINARI, Springer, and ERIC. The approaches found were compared against their conceptual, operational, technical, and economic feasibility and Mayer's principles of effective instruction. Results: Our search yielded 432 papers that met the inclusion criteria. We identified 14 methods of teaching anatomy. Based on their conceptual feasibility, dissection and technology enhanced learning approaches appeared to have more benefits than others. Dissection has, besides benefits, many specific drawbacks. Lectures and peer teaching showed better technical and economic feasibility. Educational platforms, radiological imaging, and lectures showed the highest operational feasibility. Dissection and surgery were found to be less feasible with regard to operational, technical, and economic characteristics. Discussion: Based on our findings, the most important recommendations for anatomy teaching in seriously resource‑deprived countries include a combination of complementary strategies in 3 different moments, lecturing at the beginning, using virtual learning environment (for self‑study), and at the end, using demonstration through prosected specimens and radiological imaging. This provides reasonable insights in anatomy through both dead and living human bodies and their virtual representations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this paper was to determine the validity and reliability of a questionnaire tool for measuring students' attitudes toward components relevant to research training programs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: The paper reports the responses of 564 Saudi Arabian students from seven government universities to the questionnaire comprising 16 items on 3 conceptual subscales, which measured students' attitude to research activities in the college; students' opinion of faculty involvement in research; and infrastructural facilities in the college. The results of this study provide the final scale, with all the 16 items of the initial Likert scale, for which strong evidence was obtained. Results: Results indicated that the students' attitude toward the research (SAR) scale had three latent factors, which explained 62% of the variance: The three subscales measured includes: (i) Research activities offered in the college, (ii) students' opinion of faculty involvement in research, and (iii) infrastructural facilities offered in the college for research. The full scale including three subscales had good internal consistency (rs = 0.72 and α = 0.77 for full scale; and a between 0.71 and 0.79 for three subscales). Conclusion: This study provides evidence of reliability and validity of the SAR scale for the measurement of students' attitudes toward research training programs in Saudi Arabian Universities. The research findings will provide the basis for further research on health science students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a brief overview of the main approaches to research in medical education. It discusses the quantitative, qualitative and mixed- methods research paradigms with respect to study designs, data collection methods and data analysis. Different study designs are supported with recent examples from healthcare education research to highlight their relevance and appropriate use. The review serves to enable the readers to select an approach that addresses their research goal. The practical tips regarding data collection tools and statistical analysis should aid medical educators to plan a research strategy that successfully answers the research question and produces credible and generalisable data. This can advance knowledge in the field to benefit teachers, students and patients alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Dubai Residency Training Program (DRTP) is a structured postgraduate educational training program started on 1992 to improve healthcare in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through education and training; align doctors' training in the UAE with internationally recognized standards; deliver educational best practice; and achieve a balance between clinical service delivery and continuing professional development. The aim of this paper is to review the experiences, challenges and outcomes of the DRTP over the last 25 years. Methods: All documentation relating to the DRTP was reviewed and reevaluated. Results: The DRTP has become a very solid foundation; yet, one of the major challenges we are facing is containing the balance between the health service and education. Another challenge is that our capacity for training is limited, in spite of demand, we are not yet able to open all specialties needed in the UAE. Finally, there is a mandate to separate the educational body from service to better govern the education. Conclusions: The time has come, however, for the UAE to have its own medical specialty board. This would further support high quality, comprehensive specialty training to deliver the bespoke workforce required by the Dubai Health Authority. The concept of structured training where the resident knows what, when, and how to learn the required knowledge and skills is already established, and the UAE has the required numbers of highly trained professionals to form the board. Nevertheless, we should neither be complacent nor underestimate the challenges that remain to deliver the UAE specialty board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acquiring adequate resources for anatomy education has represented a challenge throughout the discipline's long history. A significant number of collections housed in anatomy departments contain human tissue of unknown provenance with some obtained in morally dubious ways. This paper outlines the history and future prospects of one such anatomical assemblage - the Burns Anatomical Collection, currently housed at the University of Maryland (UM). The collection originally contained more than 1000 anatomically prepared mummified human remains. They were produced by the renowned Scottish anatomist Allan Burns in Glasgow in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The prepared cadavers became a commodity and after Burns' death, were acquired by his pupil Granville Pattison, who later sold them to the UM. While the origin of these human remains is unknown, historical data suggests that most of the cadavers for the collection were obtained through grave robbing. While intensely used in anatomy teaching in the nineteenth century, specimens from the collection should now be treated primarily as historical artifacts, appropriate only for teaching medical history and ethics. Other perspectives may include repatriating and reburying the human remains and providing a memorial service. Most importantly, this collection and others similar to it should initiate dialog and reflection on the ethical aspects of the past and present medical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health professional students from high-income countries increasingly participate in short-term experiences in global health (STEGH) conducted abroad. One common criticism of STEGH is the inherent power differential that exists between visiting learners and the local community. To highlight this power differential, this paper explores perceived benefits as described by volunteer and community respondents and applies Maslow's hierarchy of needs to commonly identified themes in each respondent group. Methods: A semistructured survey was used to collect qualitative responses from both volunteers and community members located in a Dominican Republic community, that is, a hotspot for traditionally conducted STEGH. Thematic analysis identified themes of perceived benefits from both respondent groups; each group's common themes were then classified and compared within Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Results: Each respondent group identified resource provision as a perceived benefit of STEGH, but volunteer respondents primarily focused on the provision of highly-skilled, complex resources while community respondents focused on basic necessities (food, water, etc.) Volunteer respondents were also the only group to also mention spiritual/religious/life experiences, personal skills development, and relationships as perceived benefits. Applying Maslow's hierarchy thus demonstrates a difference in needs: community respondents focused on benefits that address deficiency needs at the bottom of the hierarchy while volunteers focused on benefits addressing self-transcendence/actualization needs at the top of the hierarchy. Conclusions: The perceived difference in needs met by STEGH between volunteers and the host community within Maslow's hierarchy may drive an inherent power differential. Refocusing STEGH on the relationship level of the hierarchy (i.e., focusing on partnerships) might help mitigate this imbalance and empower host communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender medicine has gained importance over the past 20 years. Nevertheless, the scientific findings concerning gender‑ and sex‑specific patient care have not been sufficiently integrated into the education of physicians. It was therefore our aim, against initial resistance in our school, to integrate clinically relevant aspects of gender medicine into the existing medical curriculum. This paper describes the implementation process of a lecture‑based interdisciplinary, longitudinal, basic gender curriculum and evaluates students’ attitudes in relation to sex and semester level. Methods: The curriculum encompasses 15 lecture sessions scheduled in years 1 through 5 of the medical curriculum at Ulm University, Germany. Prospectively gathered evaluation data of two cross‑sectional analyses of this basic curriculum in the first and fifth semesters are analyzed by sex. Results: More than 80% of the students have registered for this new curriculum. Evaluation data show a predominantly positive (75.5%) student response; however, only about half of those surveyed indicated that they had learned new material or judged the content on gender to be relevant to their practice of medicine. Students at a more advanced semester level (88.2% vs. 55.2%) and male participants more than female participants (36.7% vs. 62.4%) showed lower acceptance. Discussion: It was possible to integrate gender issues into the existing medical student curriculum. Despite the overall positive rating, our evaluation data identified the aspects of rejection and resistance in some students, particularly male and more advanced students. Further studies on the development of student attitudes toward gender issues are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been attempts recently to bring clarity as to the role/functions of the discipline of community medicine. Debates on whether community medicine is a discipline in itself and if so is it a clinical discipline has been there for decades across the world. As the departments of community medicine do not exclusively teach any clinical skill to undergraduate or postgraduates, it is difficult to argue that our discipline is a clinical discipline. Our stalwarts are also known for their work at community and government level and not as clinicians. Our current undergraduate course does not prepare the students adequately for their role in society, profession and health system. Our mandate is to prepare the would-be-doctors as a "finished product" to the country. Our training should address the current crisis that afflicts our profession. A list of learning objectives to be achieved in the three domains of profession, health system, and society and suggestions to improve the teaching of this discipline are provided in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Written examinations are a predominant part of the assessment in Indian medical colleges and are used in the assessment of all types of learning or cognitive knowledge. Written tests are used to provide feedback and to measure the sufficiency of learning to proceed in the curriculum. It is best used to assess on "Knows" and "Knows how" of Miller's Pyramid. Traditional short- and long-essay items are not structured; there is no cross-checking of the set paper by the subject expert. There is a problem of undersampling or oversampling of content and items do not test the problem-solving abilities of students. Usually, questions are based on simple recall and knowledge is not tested in depth. Subjective scoring, rater bias, bluffing, flawed format, and idiosyncratic jargons are the other threats to the validity. This article describes the solutions to address limitations of traditional written examination based on the review of the current literature. Structuring long and short essay questions, preparing blueprint of the content, scoring rubrics, model answers, training the subject experts, and using multiple subject expert raters are the most important steps to address the validity threats and to make assessment more objective and focused. Uniform, bias-free assessment boosts confidence and results in positive impact on the academic performance of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the appropriateness of using oral examination as an assessment method in medical or dental education. It highlights the rationale for using oral exam and it also discusses the usefulness of adopting oral exam as an assessment tool. Oral Examination is a form of assessment where a set of stimulus questions are developed that address critical areas of knowledge or sets of abilities related to a competency or set of competencies. Students are expected to respond verbally in their own words, which allow an assessment of the student's depth of comprehension, and capacity to apply knowledge and insights to different situations. Responses to the questions are assessed using a rating scale or scoring system. In practice, oral exams were used not as a substitute, but as a complement to written exams. They are a way to ask what is not feasible through the written format. The paper reviews literature to explore the strengths and weaknesses of using an oral exam as an assessment tool. The paper concludes by offering a set of alternatives and recommendations to improve the utility of the oral exam methodology. Substantial work, however, is needed to develop the traditional oral examination into a 'best practice oral' format appropriate for medical or dental education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a paper on the initiative on curriculum development of the community-oriented medical education curriculum in Pakistan. The paper describes the procedure used in developing the curriculum, training of faculty, and the main features of the curriculum. The medical colleges, stakeholders, Pakistani Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, the Community-Oriented Medical Education project collaborated in designing the curriculum. Emphasis was given on conducting undergraduate medical education at primary and secondary healthcare facilities.

Context: Written communications have a long history in medicine. Today, doctors spend a significant part of their work time completing paper work. Although the importance of accurate written communications is acknowledged, medical curricula rarely include focused teaching on this topic. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to assess the feasibility of a teaching session for second-year medical students aimed at raising their awareness of written communications in the context of health care. Methods: Immediately after the session, students and tutors completed written evaluations of their experiences. Four months after the session the entire cohort completed a knowledge test, and scores of attendees and non-attendees were compared. Findings: Three of four learning objectives were completely met by at least half of the students and the exercises were rated as helpful. Students' and tutors' comments identified specific aspects of the session that require improvement, in particular, developing the exercise on patient-centred written communications. Students who attended the session scored significantly higher in a relevant knowledge test than non-attendees. Discussion: The session provided students with the knowledge to identify patient-centred written communications and other features of effective writing in the context of medical care. Conclusions: Introducing the topic early in the medical curriculum may prove valuable in establishing effective practice. Providing students with opportunities to revisit this important topic throughout their medical education may also be beneficial. The long-term impact of the session needs to be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assumes the reader (1) has little knowledge about program evaluation, and (2) is interested in evaluation to improve a community-based health professions education program. There are other important and useful approaches that can be used to address an evaluation of a community-based health professions education program, and readers are encouraged to explore them - they appear in health education, public health education, in evaluation, and in program theory literature. The paper is organized around a group of questions as a reference or organizer for the reader. These include topics like why evaluation is wanted, what kinds of questions can be addressed through evaluation, who stakeholders are, who should conduct the evaluation, what methods can be used, and how to analyze data and report results from the evaluation. In the paper, I have attempted to include examples that are related to community-based health professions programs. Finally, the paper ends with the recognition that there is much more to learn in the field of evaluation and suggestions for ways to continue pursuit of knowledge in this topical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships do matter! In fact, medicine cannot be learned without them, and community-based medical education (CBME) curricula that ignore them or take them for granted do so at their students peril! Could these assertions provide a key to quality in CBME curricula? In a previous paper, I provided evidence for a simple model of four key relationships, the four Rs, to act as a framework to analyse CBME. These four Rs are the relationships between (1) clinicians and patients, (2) health service and university research, (3) government and community, and (4) personal principles and professional expectations. In this paper I describe a key to discerning quality in this model. This key is integrity - that coalition of soundness and interdependence that enables the quality of the whole to be greater than the sum of the parts. I will also discuss the implications of this model for CBME with particular reference to reform of student selection, curricular goals, course structure, and assessment. Whilst further research based on this model is needed, as a result of this synthesis of the current medical education literature, I propose that it is its capacity to produce clinical, social, institutional and interpersonal integrity in its graduates that makes communitybased medical education such an attractive alternative. Relationships do matter! [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A key concept for general practice nowadays is that of patient-centred medicine. In this model the physician's aim is to integrate the patient's experience of illness with the conventional understanding of disease, trying to reconcile the patient's agenda with his/her own. This paper describes a preliminary experience of a CME course on patient-centred medicine in Italy. Aim and Methods: The article focuses on a 7 hour course for teaching patient-centred medicine to Italian general practitioners. Assessment of the course was done both in terms of learner satisfaction and efficacy. Learner satisfaction was evaluated by a questionnaire with a 6-point Likert scale and course efficacy by a pre/post-paper-and-pencil test. Findings and Discussion: The pilot course on patient-centred medicine seems to obtain high satisfaction in participants. Furthermore, an increase in competence with regards to patient-centredness resulted after the course. The pilot study represents the first Italian CME seminar on patient-centred medicine. Results obtained both in terms of satisfaction and efficacy suggest that the CME course is a valid educational tool. The opportunity to extend the experience to a higher number of participants is therefore recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists suggests that sociology should be included within the speech and language therapy curriculum. However, in spite of this, sociology is seldom given priority. Although the role of sociology with the curricula of other professions has been discussed, the role of sociology within speech and language therapy has not. Given the contemporary climate of competence-based training, the position of subjects such as sociology is being compromised. This paper sets out three reasons in support of including sociology within speech and language therapy by drawing on the distinction between a ''personal education'' and a ''semantic conjunction'' model of the relationship between theory and professional practice. First, it is argued that sociology makes a valid contribution to an holistic approach to care—which is rapidly becoming the cornerstone of speech and language therapy practice. Second, this paper suggests that the inherent reflexivity within the discipline provides health professionals with an invaluable tool with which to engage in reflexive practice. Finally, it is argued that given the global emphasis on evidence-based practice, the study of sociology and sociological research methods equips therapists to interpret and conduct empirical research. This paper concludes by arguing that sociology should be viewed as an essential component of the speech and language therapy curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuing professional development (CPD) involves not only educational activities to enhance medical competence in medical knowledge and skills, but also in management, team building, professionalism, interpersonal communication, technology, teaching, and accountability. This paper aims at reviewing best practices to promote effective CPD. Principles and guidelines, as already defined by some professional societies and world organizations, are emphasized as core actions to best enhance an effective lifelong learning after residency. The personal learning plan (PLP) is discussed as the core of a well-structured CPD and we describe how it should be created. Fundamental CPD principles and how they are integrated in the framework of every physician's professional life will be described. The value of systematic and comprehensive CPD documentation and assessment is emphasized. Accreditation requirements and professional relationships with commercial sponsors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outlines the main reasons why the periodical 'Education for Health,' is unique among health professions education journals and the strategies that would improve the research papers being received for publication. Ability to inspire people and projects; Origins of research papers; Support of authors; Reasons why papers are rejected or need to undergo substantial revision.

Microteaching, a teacher training technique currently practiced worldwide, provides teachers an opportunity to perk up their teaching skills by improving the various simple tasks called teaching skills. With the proven success among the novice and seniors, microteaching helps to promote real‑time teaching experiences. The core skills of microteaching such as presentation and reinforcement skills help the novice teachers to learn the art of teaching at ease and to the maximum extent. The impact of this technique has been widely seen in various forms of education such as health sciences, life sciences, and other areas. The emerging changes in medical curricula by the Medical Council of India and the role of medical teachers envisage the need of this special training of teachers and monitoring of their skills for their continued efficient performance at any age. The alleged limitations of microteaching can be minimized by implementing this at the departmental level in several sequences. The author made literature search of research and review articles in various educational databases, journals, and books. From the reference list of published articles, books were also reviewed. This paper presents an outline of the various phases of microteaching, core teaching skills, implementation aspects, and the impact of microteaching on medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of many reforms and changes in medical training in the UK, postgraduate training has undergone significant transformation. The establishment of Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB), Modernizing Medical Careers (MMC), new recruitment processes and changes in the curriculum and examination structure are all having a major impact on the future training and teaching programs in psychiatry in the UK. Entry into psychiatry is becoming increasingly competitive and progression in career is now competency based in addition to the examination requirements subject to an annual review and regular appraisal. A structured portfolio is also vital in order to present evidence of competencies and ensure smooth progression through the training grades. This paper gives a general outline of these changes and describes the new training and examination requirements of the new system in place in the Psychiatric training in United Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, higher medical education has witnessed major changes in the structure and content of postgraduate medical training. Seven professional competencies have been described that address the medical doctors' ability to effectively communicate and transfer medical information, interact effectively and professionally, and demonstrate a good grasp of clinical knowledge and skills. Proficiency in didactic skills, however, is an important competency that has not received prominent attention. In the clinical setting, attending-physicians and medical residents are responsible for teaching. Consequently, several medical institutions have proposed the need for teacher training programs to improve the teaching skills of attending doctors and medical residents. The supporters of these programs believe that through teaching, medical doctors improve their individual professional and clinical problem-solving abilities. Hence, it is logical to assume that didactic skills' training would contribute to the professional development of doctors. In this paper, we re-examine the underlying theory of the didactic proficiency, how it relates to the clinical setting, and why it may be beneficial for the professional training of medical residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a systematic international review of tobacco smoking habits among medical students. Particular attention was paid to countries where smoking rates have been historically well-documented in local journals, but were less often included in larger international review articles. The methodology involved a search of relevant medical subject headings, after which the reference lists of journal papers were also examined to find additional publications. A total of 66 manuscripts met the inclusion criteria. The most common countries previously studied included India, the United States, Australia, Japan, Pakistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Overall, our review suggests that the prevalence of smoking among medical students varies widely amongst different countries and also between male and female students within the same areas. Consistently low smoking rates were found in Australia and the United States, while generally high rates were reported in Spain and Turkey. Given their important future role as exemplars, more effective measures to help reduce tobacco smoking among medical students are clearly needed worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In 1998 Ben-Gurion University, in collaboration with Columbia University, inaugurated the first medical school with the express purpose of training students in International Health and Medicine (IHM). The highlight of the program is the two-month clerkship in IHM. The purpose of this paper is to describe the IHM clerkship and report the preliminary results of an evaluation.Methods: To evaluate the impact of the clerkship on the students' attitudes and knowledge of IHM, the students were asked to complete a previously validated self-assessment questionnaire before and after the clerkship.Results:Ninety-six students participated in the IHM clerkship in the first 3 years. The mean age of the students was 29.4 ± 4 and 53% were female. Comparison of the student's answers before their departure and after their return showed a significant difference in 5 of 64 items on the questionnaire. There was also a significant increase in the overall scores of the female students but no change in the scores of the male students pre- and post-clerkship.Discussion and Conclusions: Our results show that students who completed the clerkship modestly increased their knowledge of some aspects of IHM as measured by the survey. Further studies on the long-term impact of IHM experiences are needed in parallel with efforts to increase medical students' exposure to IHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Task-based learning (TBL) is an educational strategy recommended for the later years of the medical education programme. The TBL programme was adopted for clinical years in the 2000–2001 academic year in Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine (DEUSM). Objective: The aim of this paper is to describe the TBL programme of DEUSM. Methods: DEUSM outlined 50 clinical tasks for fourth-year students and 37 for fifth-year students. The tasks were grouped into four and five blocks. Interdisciplinary practicals, lectures and patient visits were organised in each task's schedule. The tasks were the focus of learning and each discipline contributed its own learning opportunities to the attached tasks. Formative and summative methods were used to evaluate the programme. Conclusion: Based on the experience and feedback provided by the students and trainers, the authors considered TBL an applicable and advisable approach for the clinical years of medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Although interest exists among medical educators in using writing that reflects on clinical experience to enhance medical students' communication skills, empathy, and overall professionalism, little empirical research documents the value of this approach. This study explored whether students trained in one type of writing would first demonstrate increased awareness of emotional aspects of a clinical encounter in their writing; and second, be evaluated more positively in an OSCE situation by standardized patients. Method: Ninety-two students were assigned to either a point-of-view writing or a clinical reasoning condition as part of a second year doctoring course. At the end of the year, students were evaluated in an OSCE format on 3 cases, and completed a writing assignment about an ER death from cardiac arrest. Student essays were scored according to presence or absence of various themes. A linguistic analysis of the essays was also performed. Point-of-view and clinical reasoning group scores were compared on both measures, as well as on the standardized patient OSCE ratings. Results: Students trained in point-of-view writing demonstrated significantly more awareness of emotional and spiritual aspects of a paper case in a writing assignment than did students trained in clinical reasoning. By contrast, students in the clinical reasoning group were more likely to distance from the scenario. The two groups did not differ on SP OSCE ratings. Conclusion: Training in point-of-view writing can improve medical students' written skills on certain affective dimensions. It is not clear that these skills can translate into clinical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resources in medical education are not evenly distributed and access to education can be more problematic in rural areas. Similar to telemedicine's positive influence on health care access, advances in information and communications technologies (ICTs) increase opportunities for medical education. This paper provides a descriptive overview of the use of ICTs in medical education and suggests a conceptual model for reviewing ICT use in medical education, describes specific ICTs and educational interventions, and discusses opportunities and challenges of ICT use, especially in rural areas. The literature review included technology and medical education, 1996-2005. Using an educational model as a framework, the uses of ICTs in medical education are, very generally, to link learners, instructors, specific course materials and/or information resources in various ways. ICTs range from the simple (telephone, audio-conferencing) to the sophisticated (virtual environments, learning repositories) and can increase access to medical education and enhance learning and collaboration for learners at all levels and for institutions. While ICTs are being used and offer further potential for medical education enhancement, challenges exist, especially for rural areas. These are technological (e.g., overcoming barriers like cost, maintenance, access to telecommunications infrastructure), educational (using ICTs to best meet learners' educational priorities, integrating ICTs into educational programs) and social (sensitivity to remote needs, resources, cultures). Finally, there is need for more rigorous research to more clearly identify advantages and disadvantages of specific uses of ICTs in medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This paper outlines a collaborative, cross-national educational initiative, commenced in 2001, in which an Australian university provided clinical and research education assistance to a Filipino University. The aim was to establish the first Filipino Master of Science in Physical Therapy program that would train physiotherapists in their home country using best available content and teaching expertise . Process: Principles of quality transnational education underpinned the program design and contractual agreements. Australian educational input was tailored to local constraints to ensure efficient and effective delivery of high quality, relevant material. Approximately 60% of the inaugural program was delivered by Australian educators in one-week intensive courses on-shore in the Philippines, using local facilities and case-scenarios. Follow-up support and evaluation were provided by video, email, written workbooks and assignments once these educators returned to Australia. Filipino graduates, who were competent with course content, taught the remaining subjects. In line with an aim of empowering Filipino graduates to assume responsibility for teaching all aspects of the program by 2006, the Australian educators are now teaching less than 25% of the course content to subsequent student cohorts. After 2006, they will provide mentorship only to the program. Results: In 2003, 12 students in the first cohort graduated with Master of Science in Physical Therapy from the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Twenty-four students subsequently enrolled in the second cohort (commenced 2003) and 21 students into the third cohort (commenced 2004). Six of the inaugural graduate cohort are currently acting as tutors for the Australian educators and will assume full teaching roles in 2006. Comparison of feedback from student evaluations at UST indicates significant improvements in teaching quality for the graduates from the inaugural program. Research activity and publications have also increased as a result of completion of the program. Discussion: Such a cross-institutional, cross-national program has not been described previously for physiotherapy, and no other similar health program (for nursing) evaluated the educational processes in the manner used in this program. The program met its aims and has produced sustainable educational outcomes and outputs. Conclusion: Future scholarly activities between the two institutions include extension of postgraduate training to other health disciplines, cross-institutional PhD student enrolments and collaborative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lists select titles of papers on medical education and related topics from various publications. recent as of July 2005.