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Background: Cardiac auscultation is a core clinical skill taught in medical school. Due to contact restrictions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, interaction with patients was very limited. Therefore, a peer-to-peer virtual case-based auscultation course via video conference was established.Methods: A randomized controlled cross-over study was conducted to evaluate whether participation in a virtual auscultation course could improve heart auscultation skills in 3rd-year medical students. A total of sixty medical students were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group after informed consent was obtained. Due to no-shows, 55 students participated. Depending on allocation, students attended three ninety-minute courses in intervals of one week in a different order: a virtual case-based auscultation course held via video chat, literature self-study, and an on-site course using a high-fidelity auscultation simulator (SAM II). The study's primary endpoint was the performance of the two groups at the simulator after participating in the virtual auscultation course or literature self-study. To evaluate their auscultation skills, students participated in five assessments using the same six pathologies: stenosis and regurgitation of the aortic and mitral valve, ventricular septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus. Moreover, participants rated their satisfaction with each course and provided a self-assessment of competence.Results: Compared to literature self-study, participation in the virtual auscultation course led to a significantly improved description of heart murmurs at the auscultation simulator with regard to the presence in systole and diastole, low- and high-pitched sounds, and volume dynamics. There was no significant difference between the groups in diagnostic accuracy and identification of the point of maximal intensity. After the virtual course, students showed higher satisfaction rates and a higher increase in self-assessed competence compar, Hintergrund: Die Herzauskultation ist eine der wichtigsten klinischen Fertigkeiten, die im Medizinstudium gelehrt werden. Aufgrund von Kontaktbeschränkungen während der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie war die Interaktion mit Patienten sehr begrenzt. Daher wurde ein Peer-to-Peer-Kurs zur fallbasierten Auskultation per Videokonferenz entwickelt.Methoden: In einer randomisierten, kontrollierten Cross-over-Studie wurde untersucht, ob die Teilnahme an einem virtuellen Auskultationskurs die Herzauskultationsfertigkeiten von Medizinstudierenden im dritten Studienjahr verbessern könnte. Sechzig Medizinstudierende wurden randomisiert einer Experimental- oder Kontrollgruppe zugeteilt. Aufgrund von Nichterscheinen nahmen insgesamt 55 Studierende teil. Je nach Zuteilung besuchten die Studierenden in unterschiedlicher Reihenfolge drei neunzigminütige Kurse im Abstand von einer Woche: einen virtuellen, fallbasierten Auskultationskurs per Videokonferenz, ein Fachliteratureigenstudium und einen Kurs mit einem High-Fidelity-Auskultationssimulator (SAM II) in Präsenz. Der primäre Endpunkt der Studie war die Performance der beiden Gruppen am Simulator nach der Teilnahme am virtuellen Auskultationskurs oder am Fachliteratureigenstudium. Um ihre Auskultationsfähigkeit zu bewerten, nahmen die Studierenden an fünf Assessments teil, bei denen stets dieselben sechs Pathologien verwendet wurden: Stenose und Insuffizienz der Aorten- und Mitralklappe, Ventrikelseptumdefekt und persistierender Ductus arteriosus. Außerdem bewerteten die Teilnehmenden ihre Zufriedenheit mit den einzelnen Kursformaten und gaben eine Selbsteinschätzung der Zunahme ihrer Kompetenz ab.Ergebnisse: Im Vergleich zum Fachliteratureigenstudium führte die Teilnahme am virtuellen Auskultationskurs zu einer signifikant verbesserten Beschreibung der Herzgeräusche am Auskultationssimulator in Bezug auf Zuordnung zu Systole und/oder Diastole, Identifizierung hoher und tiefer Frequenzen sowie Lautstärkedynamik. Bei der diagnostischen Präzis

Face masks are an important way to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the prolonged pandemic has revealed confounding problems with the current face masks, including not only the spread of the disease but also concurrent psychological, social, and economic complications. As face masks have been worn for a long time, people have been interested in expanding the purpose of masks from protection to comfort and health, leading to the release of various "smart" mask products around the world. To envision how the smart masks will be extended, this paper reviewed 25 smart masks (12 from commercial products and 13 from academic prototypes) that emerged after the pandemic. While most smart masks presented in the market focus on resolving problems with user breathing discomfort, which arise from prolonged use, academic prototypes were designed for not only sensing COVID-19 but also general health monitoring aspects. Further, we investigated several specific sensors that can be incorporated into the mask for expanding biophysical features. On a larger scale, we discussed the architecture and possible applications with the help of connected smart masks. Namely, beyond a personal sensing application, a group or community sensing application may share an aggregate version of information with the broader population. In addition, this kind of collaborative sensing will also address the challenges of individual sensing, such as reliability and coverage. Lastly, we identified possible service application fields and further considerations for actual use. Along with daily-life health monitoring, smart masks may function as a general respiratory health tool for sports training, in an emergency room or ambulatory setting, as protection for industry workers and firefighters, and for soldier safety and survivability. For further considerations, we investigated design aspects in terms of sensor reliability and reproducibility, ergonomic design for user acceptance, and privacy-aware data

The initial interaction between medical students and their "Silent Teacher" in the dissection lab is an important experience in the process of establishing a professional ethos. However, COVID19 complicated this process and the optimal approach to achieve this introduction remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to develop an online case-based approach as the basis for donor introduction to medical students based on Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports. MRI scans of 16 body donors were assessed by a radiologist and observations were uploaded to a web-based DICOM viewer (www.rad3d.com). A list of learning objectives were generated for each donor and radiology reports were constructed based on: chief complaints, medical history, radiology and pathology that were reviewed prior to the class. Within the lab and following COVID19 restriction policy, students read through the radiology reports and viewed the augmented reality (AR) visualizations of the MRI scans using z-space computers providing additional dissection team interactions. Finally, surface anatomy exercises were undertaken that corresponded to the primary pathology providing a direct interaction with the donor. This process included Sketchfab and other links to underscore anatomical correlations (Figure 1). A survey was conducted to assess student perceptions of the experience. The study design comprised a voluntary survey tool to assess student level of anxiety and whether the online approach was effective. Response scales were either bimodal or Likert-base (5 scale) and analyzed with Fisher's exact test. Follow up open ended questions were also presented to the students. The response rate was 33/80 (41.25%). Most students (82.7%) felt anxious first, but the anxiety decreased in time (60.7%). They mostly accomplished the tasks (surface exercises 97%; reviewing MRIs 87.9%) and found surface exercises useful in terms of reducing anxiety (90.6%), and initiating team work (100%). A total of 79.3% of t

[Abstract Not Available]

The initial interaction between medical students and their "Silent Teacher" in the dissection lab is an important experience in the process of establishing a professional ethos. However, COVID19 complicated this process and the optimal approach to achieve this introduction remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to develop an online case-based approach as the basis for donor introduction to medical students based on Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports. MRI scans of 16 body donors were assessed by a radiologist and observations were uploaded to a web-based DICOM viewer (www.rad3d.com). A list of learning objectives were generated for each donor and radiology reports were constructed based on: chief complaints, medical history, radiology and pathology that were reviewed prior to the class. Within the lab and following COVID19 restriction policy, students read through the radiology reports and viewed the augmented reality (AR) visualizations of the MRI scans using z-space computers providing additional dissection team interactions. Finally, surface anatomy exercises were undertaken that corresponded to the primary pathology providing a direct interaction with the donor. This process included Sketchfab and other links to underscore anatomical correlations (Figure 1). A survey was conducted to assess student perceptions of the experience. The study design comprised a voluntary survey tool to assess student level of anxiety and whether the online approach was effective. Response scales were either bimodal or Likert-base (5 scale) and analyzed with Fisher's exact test. Follow up open ended questions were also presented to the students. The response rate was 33/80 (41.25%). Most students (82.7%) felt anxious first, but the anxiety decreased in time (60.7%). They mostly accomplished the tasks (surface exercises 97%; reviewing MRIs 87.9%) and found surface exercises useful in terms of reducing anxiety (90.6%), and initiating team work (100%). A total of 79.3% of t