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Background and objective: The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding testicular cancer and testicular self-examination (TSE) among medical faculty students in their last two semesters before beginning clinical practice. This study also investigates their beliefs about the importance and efficacy of these practices in early cancer detection. Materials and methods: This descriptive study was conducted between October 1, 2018, and July 31, 2019, involving both male and female students in the 5th and 6th grades of a medical faculty. A total of 278 students participated, providing insights into their level of awareness and engagement with TSE practices. Results: 52.2% of the students were aware of self-testicular examination, yet only 15.5% of male students reported performing TSE regularly. 13.3% of students reported receiving formal training on this topic during their medical education, and a mere 2.9% observed these examinations demonstrated in clinical settings. Champion's Health Belief Model Scale indicated average sensitivity scores of 11.01 ± 4.36, perceived severity of 20.58 ± 5.92, perceived benefits of 11.46 ± 2.99, perceived barriers at 10.14 ± 4.04, and self-efficacy scores at 18.64 ± 5.26. Conclusion and recommendations: The findings suggest that while medical students recognize the seriousness and benefits of TSE, there is a notable gap in regular practice and educational exposure. Increased educational efforts are recommended to enhance sensitivity and self-efficacy related to testicular cancer screening among future healthcare providers.

The past few decades have seen a boom in English-medium instruction (EMI) in Chinese universities. Despite growing research interest in EMI policy and practices in China, little is known about how students' motivation to study in the EMI programs is influenced by EMI policy and its implementation at the meso and micro levels. This study addresses this gap by examining an EMI program at a Chinese medical college. Through a survey of 118 students and interviews with 10 students and 6 teachers, we investigated students' EMI learning motivation, how and why it changed over time, and different stakeholders' perceptions of the EMI implementation. The questionnaire and interview data were triangulated with textual analysis results of institutional EMI policy documents. It was found that students' motivation generally declined over the course of EMI study and was often influenced by implementation factors such as pedagogical practices, assessment-related policies, and incentive strategies. Interactions and contradictions between the EMI policy goals, EMI implementation at different levels and students' motivation change were also analyzed through the Activity Theory lens to shed light on how higher education institutions could better sustain students' EMI motivation and enhance the quality of EMI programs.

Purpose: This study aims to analyse student and teaching staff views on how higher education (HE) can contribute to sustainable development, and to provide examples of how a medical university has adopted the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as part of its institutional strategies and practises. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on participant views from a conference, which aimed to identify actions needed for HE to contribute to the SDGs. More than 500 students, teachers and academic leaders participated at workshops to discuss and reflect on the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in sustainable development. The discussion key points were recorded on flipcharts, and the analysis builds on all written statements from the nine workshops. Based on the findings from the workshop, steering documents and activities of a medical university were identified as examples of implementation. Findings: Two overarching interdependent themes were identified and indicated a need to rethink the role not only of HE per se but also that of HEIs at large, to meet the challenges of sustainable development. The study also provides an example of how such organizational change can be practically implemented at a medical university, through the establishment of overarching institutional strategies, funding opportunities and external collaborations. Practical implications: The findings reflect a "bottom-up" call from students and educational staff for HEIs to step up and contribute to systems change - both through a change in pedagogies, as well as through an institution-wide approach and a shift in the role of HEIs in society. Originality/value: The study is unique in providing an exemplar of the implementation of sustainable development in HE at a specific medical university.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of two simulation types used for family planning consultation of midwifery students and to compare these methods. This study was conducted at a university in Kastamonu, Turkey, in 2020-2021. The sample of the study was 90 midwifery students. The family planning skill training and communication skills of the students were evaluated by watching the video recordings in the virtual patient simulation (VPS) and under the supervision of the instructor in the peer simulation (PS). In each instructional environment, the students' satisfactions were evaluated. Students' Knowledge scores of family planning increased after web-based training (38.3%; 67.9%) The mean scores for communication skills (VPS = 72.1; PS = 63.7) were found higher in VPS and family planning counseling skills (VPS = 66.5; PS = 77.6) were found in PS (p < 0.01). As the education environments were getting more like the reality, the students' not to used communication skills effectively and stress levels were found higher. VSP and PS are thought to be effective development of students' competency. The use of different simulation types can be integrated into midwifery education and contribute to the development of students' knowledge, skills, and communication levels.

The ability to connect key concepts of biochemistry with clinical presentations is essential for the development of clinical reasoning skills and adaptive expertise in medical trainees. To support the integration of foundational and clinical sciences in our undergraduate health science curricula, we developed a small group active learning exercise during which interprofessional groups of students use clinical cases to explore the biochemistry, diagnostic strategy, and evidence-based treatment options of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM). We designed multistage learning modules consisting of (1.) low-fidelity case simulations of pediatric patients presenting with IEMs, (2.) guided group discussions on clinical biochemistry, differential diagnoses, and diagnostic strategies, (3.) oral presentations of clinical reasoning strategies, and (4.) discussion of relevant evidence-based medicine topics related to the cases. These modules Scientific Knowledge Integrated in Patient Presentations (SKIPPs) were added to a first-semester foundational sciences course serving five health professions programs. The assessment of learning outcomes by students and faculty shows that SKIPPs sessions are well-received activities that significantly improve trainees' ability to integrate foundational science concepts into clinical scenarios, to practice interprofessional teamwork and to develop clinical reasoning skills.

The laboratory practice "Primary culture and directional differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)" is part of a required course for sophomore medical students at Tongji university, which has been conducted since 2012. Blended learning has been widely applied in medical courses. Based on a student-centered teaching philosophy, we reconstructed a comprehensive stem cell laboratory module with blended learning in 2021, aiming to facilitate students in enhancing their understanding of the multi-lineage differentiation potential of stem cells and improve their experimental skills, self-directed learning ability, and innovative thinking. First, we constructed in-depth online study resources, including videos demonstrating laboratory procedures, a PowerPoint slide deck, and published literature on student self-learning before class. In class, students performed a primary culture of BMSCs, freely chose among adipogenic, osteogenic, or chondrogenic differentiation, and used cytochemical or immunofluorescence staining for identification. After class, the extracurricular part involved performing quantitative polymerase chain reaction to examine the expression of multi-lineage differentiation marker genes, which was designed as an elective. After 2 years of practice, positive feedback was obtained from both students and faculty members who achieved, the learning goal as expected. The reconstructed stem cell laboratory module provides comprehensive practice opportunities for students. Students have a better understanding of BMSC at the molecular, cellular, and functional levels and have improved their experimental skills, which forms a basis for scientific research for medical students. Introducing blended learning into other medical laboratory practices thus seems valuable.

The metaverse is known as the hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, connected, universal and immersive virtual world that can be accessed via immersive technology devices. One approach to this concept can be achieved through the use of multi-user immersive virtual reality applications. Immersive virtual reality (IVR), which uses gadgets that allow the user to visualize and interact in an enveloping way, is a very attractive technology for teaching purposes. There are many references in the scientific literature about its use for this purpose, including encouraging results in the field of medicine. However, there have not been enough studies assessing how much this type of technology really contributes to learning medicine. This work investigates the feasibility of using the metaverse as an educational tool in medicine. We propose a multi-user immersive virtual reality application for implementing a scene of the metaverse in which medical students are taught. Our work considers that in order to ensure this type of technology is useful in the education of medical students, the technology itself (multi-user IVR) must be designed and implemented for a medical student profile. They usually spend too much time for adapting themselves to use and manage this kind of technology when they are exposed to it for learning. The technology should not be a barrier to acquiring, or disseminating the academic contents themselves. It should act as a catalyst that enhances the speed and capacity for learning medical educational topics. Thus, we present design and user experience specifications that we implemented in an anatomical dissection room in the metaverse, and with which we conducted experiments with 114 sixth-grade medical students. Our results indicate that, based on the design and user experience characteristics that we propose in this paper, the metaverse can indeed serve as a useful and effective educational resource whose technological complexity is no barrier to medical teaching.

This study aimed to (1) elaborate on microblogging-based instruction, which was built on social media platform X and designed based on the four phases of the design-based research (DBR) framework (Amiel and Reeves in J Educ Technol Soc 11(4):29-40, https://www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.11.4.29, 2008); (2) put microblogging-based instruction into practice in a medical English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course; (3) examine students' perceptions of the pedagogical value of X platform usage on their learning experiences; and (4) investigate how well microblogging-based instruction enhances the students' specialised-language performance. On the basis of the four phases of the DBR framework, a study was conducted with students studying a medical ESP course to identify the problems in the teaching practices used in ESP courses. To improve the identified problems, following the second phase, social media platform X was used to supplement ESP face-to-face instruction. Three tasks were designed for the students to do on X. These tasks were implemented and assessed on 19 EFL first-year premedical undergraduate students over 16 weeks at a university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data collected from the students included a copy version of the ESP final test, a questionnaire, and semi- structured interviews. The results revealed that X-based instruction improved students' ability to use medicine-specialised language, offered opportunities for students to become more familiar with medicine-specific terms, perceived ability in using writing and reading skills, collaborative learning, and generated thoughtful discussions outside the confines of the classroom. However, the students' inadequate knowledge of the specialised subject, the stress of making X mandatory, and log- in overload remain key challenges against the effective appropriation of X use in an ESP context.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to propose a research model based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model to examine whether media richness (MR), human-system interaction (HSI) and human-human interaction (HHI) as technological feature antecedents to medical professionals' learning engagement (LE) can affect their learning persistence (LP) in massive open online courses (MOOCs). Design/methodology/approach: Sample data for this study were collected from medical professionals at six university-/medical university-affiliated hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, and 309 (51.5%) usable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study. Findings: This study certified that medical professionals' perceived MR, HSI and HHI in MOOCs positively affected their emotional LE, cognitive LE and social LE elicited by MOOCs, which together explained their LP in MOOCs. The results support all proposed hypotheses and the research model accounts for 84.1% of the variance in medical professionals' LP in MOOCs. Originality/value: This study uses the S-O-R model as a theoretical base to construct medical professionals' LP in MOOCs as a series of the psychological process, which is affected by MR and interaction (i.e. HSI and HHI). Noteworthily, three psychological constructs, emotional LE, cognitive LE and social LE, are adopted to represent medical professionals' organisms of MOOCs adoption. To date, hedonic/utilitarian concepts are more commonly adopted as organisms in prior studies using the S-O-R model and psychological constructs have received lesser attention. Hence, this study enriches the S-O-R model into an invaluable context, and this study's contribution on the application of capturing psychological constructs for completely explaining three types of technological features as external stimuli to medical professionals' LP in MOOCs is well-documented.

Difficulty in visualizing anatomical structures has been identified as a challenge in anatomy learning and the emergence of three-dimensional printed models (3DPMs) offers a potential solution. This study evaluated the effectiveness of 3DPMs for learning the arterial supply of the head and neck region. One hundred eighty-four undergraduate medical students were randomly assigned to one of four learning modalities including wet specimen, digital model, 3DPM, and textbook image. Posttest scores indicated that all four modalities supported participants' knowledge acquisition, most significantly in the wet specimen group. While the participants rated 3DPMs lower for helping correct identification of structures than wet specimens, they praised 3DPMs for their ability to demonstrate topographical relationships between the arterial supply and adjacent structures. The data further suggested that the biggest limitation of the 3DPMs was their simplicity, thus making it more difficult for users to recognize the equivalent structures on the wet specimens. It was concluded that future designs of 3DPMs will need to consider the balance between the ease of visualization of anatomical structures and the degree of complexity required for successful transfer of learning. Overall, this study presented some conflicting evidence of the favorable outcomes of 3DPMs reported in other similar studies. While effective for anatomy learning as a standalone modality, educators must identify the position 3DPM models hold relative to other modalities in the continuum of undergraduate anatomy education in order to maximize their advantages for students.

Social media platforms such as Instagram are becoming increasingly popular sources for students to access anatomy educational resources. This review used content analysis to examine posts under the hashtag #anatomynotes and is the first to map the characteristics of anatomy education posts on Instagram and determine any temporal changes. Sample posts were gathered from April 2019 and April 2021 and categorized according to the technical format, purpose and author credentials. Engagement was recorded in the form of likes and comments. Overall, posts depicting illustrations remained the most popular format within both time periods. Three-dimensional models saw an increase in popularity with a 62.5% rise. Students remained the most common author type throughout and increased further in 2021 by 25%. Clinician authors and posts focusing on clinical education also increased in 2021 by 17.9% and 227%, respectively. Humor-based posts saw the greatest increase among the post purposes, with 1000% more recorded in 2021. Engagement overall saw a decline with notably significant reductions in average likes per post among all text-based posts (-72%, p < 0.0001), all illustrative posts (-51%, p = 0.0013), and a decline in the presence of comments among all text-based posts (-65.1%, p = 0.0158). These findings highlight that Instagram is a popular platform for facilitating near-peer teaching while increasingly providing a space where students and clinicians can interact. Additionally, it highlights the benefits of the platform for visually focused learners. However, future research should seek to determine whether Instagram can facilitate deeper learning and have an impact on academic and clinical performance.

Anatomy practical classes are an essential part of learning human anatomy. The flipped classroom teaching model has been used in medical education in recent years. However, its precise impacts on anatomical knowledge acquisition and learning outcomes remain controversial. With the development of information technology, new educational tools, such as Rain Classroom, have recently attracted much interest. The Rain Classroom is an application that can easily connect students and teachers through smartphones or computers. However, whether and how to apply it to the flipped classroom in anatomy practical classes needs to be evaluated. In this study, we designed a teaching model of flipped classroom assisted by Rain Classroom and carried it out in anatomy practical classes at our university. Results showed that the final exam scores of the experimental group were significantly improved, compared with the control group (p < 0.01); the final exam score was significantly correlated with both the pre-class quiz score (p < 0.05) and the in-class quiz score (p < 0.001). Student satisfaction was measured by a questionnaire on a Likert scale of 1-5. All the mean scores were greater than 4.5, indicating that most students had positive attitudes toward this teaching model. The present study suggests that the Rain Classroom helps support students throughout the learning processes of the flipped classroom, and the model of flipped classroom assisted by Rain Classroom could improve students' learning efficiency and ultimately increase their exam performance in anatomy practical classes.

Anatomical pathology (AP) is an anatomy-centric medical specialty devoted to tissue-based diagnosis of disease. The field faces a current and predicted workforce shortage, likely increasing diagnostic wait times and delaying patient access to urgent treatment. A lack of AP exposure is proposed to preclude recruitment to the field, as medical students are afforded only a limited understanding of who a pathologist is and what they do (their professional identity/PI and role). Anatomical sciences educators may be well placed to increase student understanding of anatomical pathologists' PI features, but until features of anatomical pathologists' PI are understood, recommendations for anatomy educators are premature. Thus, this scoping review asked: "What are the professional identity features of anatomical pathologists reported in the literature, and how have these changed over time?" A six-stage scoping review was performed. Medline and PubMed, Global Health, and Embase were used to identify relevant studies (n = 74). Team-based framework analysis identified that features of anatomical pathologists' professional identity encompass five overarching themes: professional practice, views about the role, training and education, personal implications, and technology. Technology was identified as an important theme of anatomical pathologists' PI, as it intersected with many other PI feature themes, including diagnosis and collaboration. This review found that pathologists may sometimes perceive "professional competition with technology," such as artificial intelligence. These findings suggest unique opportunities for integrating AP-specific PI features into anatomy teaching, which may foster student interest in AP, and potentially increase recruitment into the field.

Basic science, clinical science, and health system science (HSS) have become three pillars of integration upon which modern, post-Flexner, medical education is now based. Because of this new approach to curricular integration in a clinical presentation curruculum, medical training is now placed in the context of healthcare delivery. This study described the design, implementation, and assessment of an integrated teaching strategy, including the effect on students' performance in a medical neuroscience course's summative and formative examinations of an integrated clinical presentation curriculum. The integrated teaching of basic science content, clinical case discussion, and HSS was performed in the first year of an allopathic integrated pre-clerkship curriculum. The two cohorts were from two different years, spring 2018 and 2019. The acceptance of the integrated teaching strategy by medical students was above 80% in all categories that were assessed, including enhancing the integrated experience in learning basic and clinical science materials in the context of HSS; understanding of the learning lessons; facilitation of self-directed learning; provision of a better learning environment; and a holistic understanding of materials including the relevance of HSS issues in the discussion of neurological cases in the medical career of the students. More than 90% of the students scored =70% in summative questions mapped to the four learning objectives of the integrated teaching session. The objectives are the correlation of structure to specific functions (94.0 ± 0.21), clinical anatomical features of the nervous system (95.0 ± 0.27), cross-sectional features of the nervous system (96.0 ± 0.31), and the effect of lesions on the structure and functional pathways of the nervous system (97.0 ± 0.34). This result was significantly higher when compared to students' performance in the non-integrated teaching cohort (p < 0.05). Formative assessments (F(7,159) = 92.52, p < 0.001) were significantly different between the two groups. When medical students were evaluated using the same questions for formative assessment, they performed better in the integrated teaching cohort (*p < 0.05) compared to the non-integrated teaching cohort (**p < 0.05).

Despite being a traditional coursework for pre-medical and medical students around the globe, biochemistry education suffers from a lack of positive appreciation due to the nature of the subject combined with deficiency of teaching modalities. A first semester biochemistry course was designed to include four different teaching modalities: lectures, recitations, case studies, and student presentations. A multi-item, anonymous, and voluntary questionnaire was distributed to students who had just completed the course and to those who had taken it the previous year. The questionnaire asked students to evaluate the course and how the different modalities affected their learning. These questionnaires took place in a two-year period between 2020 and 2021. Eighty-six (46%) of 186 total students responded. The vast majority of respondents agreed with the use of multimodal teaching techniques with respect to its impact on overall preparedness for future coursework, understanding, and enjoyability. Lectures and recitations were found to be the most useful in information retention and learning, although the same were found to be less enjoyable than other modalities. Although case studies and presentations were found to be enjoyable, most students ranked them low in terms of information retention and were the most voted to be removed from the course. There was general agreement between premedical and medical students' perception on the usefulness of the multimodal teaching techniques with respect to medical biochemistry modules and standardized exams. The agreement between cohorts suggests the premedical students accurately evaluated the usefulness of the course for the following year and validates the usefulness of the premedical student surveys. Use of multiple modalities in biochemistry education can be of substantial benefit in engaging and preparing students for further education.

The purpose, aim and goals of higher education itself have been discussed and researched in the context of massified and marketised higher education in Germany, with a focus mainly on higher education national policies or the view of faculty staff. By shifting the perspective instead to the students, this article asks what higher education means to them nowadays. This study is based on 95 interviews with German graduate students from three disciplines (i.e. business administration/management, medicine and musicology) and it offers a typology of what students understand as the purpose of higher education. Six types were reconstructed from the empirical material, along three main lines of higher education's purpose (i.e. occupational, personal and societal). This paper also shows how the chosen discipline becomes more salient for the student's perception of higher education purpose than their social background. This questions previous research that found strong ties between instrumentalism and social background in higher education. This paper also demonstrates that social differences do matter in their egalitarian or elitist variation of understanding within non-instrumentalist types. Overall, this study illustrates how heterogenous contemporary higher education purpose has become, which mirrors a further general differentiation in higher education.

COVID-19 has caused a revelation of change across the world. Higher education leaders faced significant challenges during the unprecedented crisis, particularly in the early stage of the pandemic. We examined the University of Sydney's response to the pandemic using key informant interviews with leaders at different levels of the university structure to fill the crisis management gap in Australia's higher education sector. Key themes that emerged from the interviews focused on the importance of communication strategies in crisis, how the level of collaboration affected the pandemic response efforts and that adaptability to change was essential for engagement and communication in a time where face-to-face contact was limited. We applied the thematic analysis results from the interviews to Mitroff and Pearson's crisis management model to reflect on the University's response. We identified several recommendations from the experiences for future public health crisis responses.

We audited the websites of all 57 undergraduate medicine course websites at UK universities for 2020 entry, looking in particular for the clarity of information regarding contextual admissions (CA). 49 programmes featured 47 distinct CA policies, using 26 different contextual markers, 8 programmes had no CA policy. Half (51%) of these courses with CA described clearly how they used CA, some allowed candidates to evaluate their own eligibility. However, the burden currently falls on individual applicants to understand the CA system at each medical school. Medical schools should present CA information clearly and accessibly so that applicants can make informed choices where to apply, having a one-stop for accessing all CA information across medical schools would also lessen the research burden on applicants. This could increase applications from a more diverse range of applicants. Other degree courses might use this study as a springboard to reflect on their CA policies.

Due to the rigor and pace of undergraduate medical anatomy courses, it is not uncommon for students to struggle and fail initially. However, repetition of coursework places an additional burden on the student, instructor, and institution. The purpose of this study was to compare the exam preparation strategies of repeating and non-repeating students to identify areas where struggling students can be supported prior to course failure. As part of their integrated anatomy course, first-year medical students at Indiana University completed a metacognitive Practice-Based Learning and Improvement (PBLI) assignment prior to and after their first exam. In the PBLIs, students were asked to reflect on their exam preparation strategies, confidence, and satisfaction, as well as their predicted and actual exam performance. PBLI responses from non-repeating and repeating students were then analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. A total of 1802 medical students were included in this study, including 1751 non-repeating and 51 repeating students. Based on their PBLI responses, non-repeating students were appropriately confident, somewhat satisfied, and more accurate when predicting their exam performance. Repeating students were overconfident, dissatisfied, and inaccurate when predicting their first exam performance on their initial, unsuccessful attempt but were more successful on their second, repeat attempt. Qualitative analysis revealed that repeating students aimed to improve their studying by modifying their existing study strategies and managing their time more effectively. In conjunction with other known risk factors, these insights into repeater and non-repeater exam preparation practices can help anatomy educators better identify and support potential struggling students.

The 3D stereoscopic technique consists in providing the illusional perception of depth of a given object using two different images mimicking how the right and left eyes capture the object. Both images are slightly different and when overlapped gives a three-dimensional (3D) experience. Considering the limitations for establishing surgical laboratories and dissections courses in some educational institutions, techniques such as stereoscopy and photogrammetry seem to play an important role in neuroanatomy and neurosurgical education. The aim of this study was to describe how to combine and set up realistic models acquired with photogrammetry scans in 3D stereoscopic projections. Three donors, one dry skull, embalmed brain and head, were scanned using photogrammetry. The software used for displaying the final realistic 3D models (Blender, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) is a free software and allows stereoscopic projection without compromising the interactivity of each model. By default, the model was exported and immediately displayed as a red cyan 3D mode. The 3D projector used in the manuscript required a side-by-side 3D mode which was set up with simple commands on the software. The final stereoscopy projection offered depth perception and a visualization in 360° of each donor; this perception was noted especially when visualizing donors with different cavities and fossae. The combination of 3D techniques is of paramount importance for neuroanatomy education. Stereoscopic projections could provide a valuable tool for neuroanatomy instruction directed at clinical trainees and could be especially useful when access to laboratory-based learning is limited.

Recent usage of virtual reality (VR) technology in surgical training has emerged because of its cost-effectiveness, time savings, and cognition-based feedback generation. However, the quantitative evaluation of its effectiveness in training is still not thoroughly studied. This article demonstrates the effectiveness of a VR-based surgical training simulator in laparoscopic surgery and investigates how stochastic modeling, represented as continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC), can be used to explicit determine the training status of the surgeon. By comparing the training in real environments and in VR-based training simulators, the authors also explore the validity of the VR simulator in laparoscopic surgery. The study further aids in establishing learning models for surgeons, supporting continuous evaluation of training processes for the derivation of real-time feedback by CTMC-based modeling.

Trunk anatomy education is critical in the training of the surgeon. Most trunk anatomy education systems use a personal or synthetic anatomical model. It remains difficult to obtain appropriate population anatomy information and create individualized anatomy customization based on a quantity of diverse data. Furthermore, the naked-eye virtual reality modality provides advantages in immersive learning and meta-information transmission. In this study, we present a novel VR torso anatomy teaching environment with naked-eye three-dimensional visualization and free-hand interaction. This article allows us for comprehensive modeling, visualization, and interaction of torso anatomy for human anatomical variation education. In particular, we derive the genuine shape of Chinese male and female torso organs based on the statistical shape model generated from 129 healthy Chinese individuals. The following visual information is given with interaction: 1) Anatomy for human torso organs from CT imaging: geometric modeling, visualization, and interaction of male and female torso organs, including skin, muscle, torso skeleton, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys; 2) morphological differences of trunk organs from meta-information: motion deformation modeling, visualization, and interaction of male and female deformable torso model; 3) instant personalized customization: real-time interaction and visualization for personalized customization with shape mode coefficients and soft body simulation.

Background: Cultivating staff's professional English has become an imperative and challenging issue in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) countries. English for medical professionals is also the common language around the world for publishing new medical knowledge or reports. Therefore, Medical English for Health Professionals (MEHP) is a crucial required professional training program in nursing education. Its purpose is to improve nursing students' professional English so that they can directly understand the clinical medical information related to patients, thereby reading the latest international medical knowledge and participating in research themselves. Objective: The MEHP program is commonly conducted in a large-scale class using the lecturing approach, which is a passive learning mode lacking opportunities for individual students to experience learning contexts and to receive advice and guidance from the teacher. To solve this problem, the present study proposed a motivation model-based professional English gaming approach. Method: To verify the effects of the proposed approach, a quasi-experiment was conducted in an MEHP program of a university to explore the effects of the approach on nursing students' learning achievements. In addition, the higher and lower achievers' behavioural patterns, as well as their perceptions of the learning approach, were investigated. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the motivation model-based digital gaming approach improved the students' professional English achievements in the "application" dimension as well as their positive perceptions of learning professional English more than the conventional learning approach. Moreover, when learning with the proposed approach, the higher achievers revealed more positive behavioural patterns than the lower achievers. The main contributions of the study are the proposal of a motivation model-based digital gaming approach, and showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach in helping trainees gain a deeper understanding of professional English and facilitating their positive learning behaviours in a course for medical English.

Small human complex systems, here called co-present groups, are found across all fields of human social life. Complexity thinking suggests why this is so: that these groups, irrespective of formal content, have a meta-function of providing maximum complexity to manage the "indeterminacy" or "uncertainty" that characterises the most complex of human social issues. This claim depends on an understanding of the functioning of these groups as being characterised by irreducibly complex intersubjective (person to person) relations, which are involved in the processing of raw human experience ('affective processing'), to produce shared meaningfulness. An example of the use of co-present groups in medical continuing professional development (CPD) is given.

In 2019-2021, we engaged in a project aimed at developing, implementing, and evaluating an educational intervention actively involving patient-teachers in undergraduate medical education at Université Laval, Quebec, Canada. Patient-teachers were invited to participate in small group discussion workshops during which medical students deliberate on legal, ethical, and moral issues arising from medical practice. Patients were expected to bring other perspectives, based on their experience with illness and the healthcare system. Little is still known about patients' perspectives on their participation experience in such context. Informed by critical theory, our qualitative study aims to document,: (i) the motivating factors for patients' participation in our intervention; and (ii) what patients gained from the experience. Data collection was based on 10 semi-structured interviews with patient-teachers. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software. Motivators for participation arose from: (i) perceived consistency between patients' individual characteristics and those of the project, and (ii) conceiving the project as a means to reach individual and social goals. What patients gained mainly refers to (1) the appreciation of a positive, enriching, motivating yet uncomfortable and destabilizing experience; (2) a deconstruction of biases against the medical field and critical thinking about their own experience; (3) new knowledge, with a potential impact on their future interactions with the healthcare system. Results reveal patients as non-neutral thinking and knowing subjects, engaged in the participation experience as active teachers and learners. They also highlight the empowering and emancipatory nature of the learning gained through patients' participation experience. These conclusions prompt us to promote transformative interventional approaches that question the pervasive power issues in medical teaching and value patients' specific knowledge in teaching and learning the Art of Medicine.

When uncertain, medical trainees often seek to co-regulate their learning with supervisors and peers. Evidence suggests they may enact self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies differently when engaged in self- versus co-regulated learning (Co-RL). We compared the impacts of SRL and Co-RL on trainees' acquisition, retention, and preparation for future learning (PFL) of cardiac auscultation skills during simulation-based training. In our two-arm, prospective, non-inferiority trial, we randomly assigned first- and second-year medical students to the SRL (N = 16) or Co-RL conditions (N = 16). Across two learning sessions separated by two-weeks, participants practiced and were assessed in diagnosing simulated cardiac murmurs. We examined diagnostic accuracy and learning trace data across sessions, and conducted semi-structured interviews to explore participants' understandings of their underlying choices and learning strategies. SRL participants' outcomes were non-inferior to Co-RL participants on the immediate post-test and retention test, but not on the PFL assessment (i.e., inconclusive). Analyzing interview transcripts (N = 31) generated three themes: perceived utility of initial learning supports for future learning; SRL strategies and sequencing of murmurs; and perceived control over learning across sessions. Co-RL participants regularly described relinquishing control of learning to supervisors and regaining it when on their own. For some trainees, Co-RL seemed to interfere with their situated and future SRL. We posit that transient clinical training sessions, typical in simulation-based and workplace-based settings, may not allow the ideal processes of Co-RL to unfold between supervisor and trainee. Future research must examine how supervisors and trainees can share accountability to develop the shared mental models that underlie effective Co-RL.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare and shows considerable promise for the delivery of medical education. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of the global situation, effects, and challenges associated with applying AI at the different stages of medical education. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines, and retrieved studies published on Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore, from 1990 to 2022. After duplicates were removed (n = 1407) from the 6371 identified records, the full text of 179 records were screened. In total, 42 records were eligible. It revealed three teaching stages where AI can be applied in medical education (n = 39), including teaching implementation (n = 24), teaching evaluation (n = 10), and teaching feedback (n = 5). Many studies explored the effectiveness of AI adoption with questionnaire survey and control experiment. The challenges are performance improvement, effectiveness verification, AI training data sample and AI algorithms. AI provides real-time feedback and accurate evaluation, and can be used to monitor teaching quality. A possible reason why AI has not yet been applied widely to practical teaching may be the disciplinary gap between developers and end-user, it is necessary to strengthen the theoretical guidance of medical education that synchronizes with the rapid development of AI. Medical educators are expected to maintain a balance between AI and teacher-led teaching, and medical students need to think independently and critically. It is also highly demanded for research teams with a wide range of disciplines to ensure the applicability of AI in medical education.

This study investigated the following research question: What is the landscape of medical Spanish offerings in undergraduate, 4-year universities in US states with large Spanish-speaking populations? Forty-four percent of institutions responded to the survey, which explored institutional characteristics, medical Spanish programs and individual courses, and instructors. Nonrespondent institutions' web sites were manually searched. The findings revealed that 43% of institutions offer medical Spanish programming. Based on results from the study, recommendations for undergraduate medical Spanish programming include starting with learners who have at least an intermediate level of Spanish language proficiency, recruiting students studying health professions, focusing on linguistic and intercultural competence, incorporating topics that impact health, developing a series of medical Spanish courses, expanding medical Spanish teaching and research positions, and collaborating across disciplines. The results emphasize the importance of continued research on medical Spanish and development to better prepare healthcare professionals to provide linguistically appropriate and culturally relevant healthcare to the growing Spanish-speaking population.

Progress tests (PT) are a popular type of longitudinal assessment used for evaluating clinical knowledge retention and long-life learning in health professions education. Most PTs consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) whose development is costly and time-consuming. Automatic Item Generation (AIG) generates test items through algorithms, promising to ease this burden. However, it remains unclear how AIG-items behave in formative assessment (FA) modalities such as PTs compared to manually written items. The purpose of this study was to compare the quality and validity of AIG-items versus manually written items. Responses to 126 (23 automatically generated) dichotomously scored single best-answer five-option MCQs retrieved from the 2021 University of Minho PT of medicine were analyzed. Procedures based on item response theory (IRT), dimensionality testing, item fit, reliability, differential item functioning (DIF) and distractor analysis were used. Qualitative assessment was conducted through expert review. Validity evidence of AIG-items was assessed by using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). The PT proved to be a viable tool for assessing medical students cognitive competencies. AIG-items were parallel to manually written-items, presenting similar indices of difficulty and information. The proportion of functional distractors for both AIG and manually written items was similar. Evidence of validity for AIG-items was found while showing higher levels of item quality. AIG-items functioned as intended and were appropriate for evaluating medical students at various levels of the knowledge spectrum.

Patients and families experiencing developmental disabilities (DDs) may lack trust in physicians due to negative experiences in healthcare. DDs include conditions impairing physical, learning, language, or behavior areas, beginning during the developmental period and impacting daily functioning ('Developmental Disabilities'). Medical students generally do not receive standard training to effectively communicate with and diagnose patients with DDs. ARIE is a program for medical students to meet and learn from these patients and their families. Students learn about these families' experiences during home visits, guided by standardized interview questions and surveys about families' trust in physicians. Families did not appear to strongly trust physicians, with no significant changes after the program. Families shared they experienced physicians' lack of empathy and knowledge when caring for patients with DDs. Families wanted future physicians to be empathetic and informed when treating children with disabilities. Students reported increased comfort and confidence in interacting with patients with DDs as well as their families after completing the training program. Implementing a service-learning model focused on DDs at other medical schools, incorporating training with communication techniques and home visits, can increase students' confidence and experiences when engaging with patients with DDs and their families.

Background: The shadowing house officer is an experiential learning activity that usually takes place within the final year clinical rotations of medical undergraduates. An exposure to a surgical intern is especially useful as the work extends to more practical aspects of ward work. Objective: We assessed the impact of the shadowing house officer experience during medical student clinical rotation on the surgical internship and to evaluate the challenges of the shadowing period. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among 108 surgical intern doctors in Sri Lanka via electronic media in 2023. Results: Our study population consisted of 108 interns, with a response rate of 43.2%. This study demonstrates that on average a final year medical student undergoes a 4-day shadowing period in surgery which was considered by a majority to help in smooth transition to internship. 56% had a clear understanding about learning outcomes and less than half has had an induction session prior to commencement of shadowing. Official documentation, routine ward work, team work and communication skills were meaningfully experienced during shadowing. The main criticisms were inadequate breaks leading to exhaustion and missing out on important teaching activities. Another major concern was shadowing close to the final examination. Conclusions: Surgical shadowing house officer is an authentic work experience that intern doctors consider as important component in orientating the role of an intern. Introduction of shadowing at an earlier stage would be more beneficial and provide a broader view about the clinical set up to undergraduates.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to medical education, particularly for procedural and surgical skills, which inherently require face-to-face education. The utility of adding an instructional video remains uncertain. To guide future curricula, our aim was to assess whether the addition of an optional instructional video improves the acquisition and retention of one-handed surgical knot-tying. Methods: Naïve year one medical students were randomised to video before face-to-face instruction versus face-to-face instruction only. Blinded surgeons assessed their performance at the end of a workshop and 4 weeks later by counting the number of knots tied in 1 min and a global Likert score assessing knot quality. The students also completed surveys for qualitative assessment and feedback. Results: Students with access to the video tied significantly more knots in 1 min than the control group (median ± IQR: 15 ± 4 N = 14, vs 12.5 ± 10 N = 15, p = 0.012). After 4 weeks, the intervention group showed a non-significant trend towards being able to tie more knots (16.5 ± 6 N = 6, vs 3.5 ± 16 N = 8, p = 0.069), and the knots tied were of significantly better quality (global score: 3 ± 1.4 vs 1 ± 1.8, p = 0.027). Compared to the control group, the intervention group expressed greater confidence in their ability to retain their skills after the workshop and at follow-up (p = 0.04). Additionally, they experienced significantly less stress during the workshop (p = 0.028). Conclusion: A non-interactive video can improve learning and retention of single-handed knot tying. As medical education continues to evolve, supplementary videos should be considered an important part of new surgical skill curricula.

In stand-up comedy, a single actor establishes an intimate relationship with the audience and discusses out loud emotional issues regarding taboo subjects. The 'stand-up design of instruction' (STUDI) uses similar techniques in a three minutes video to help learners connect emotional and cognitive experiences of mental health problems in six steps. The present article discusses a pilot experiment using the STUDI pedagogical model. The results showed that learners developed a positive appreciation of the training, a better emotional and cognitive understanding of the experience of mental health problems, the ability to exercise subjective and objective analysis through engaging in dialogue with other students, and increased motivation and memory-anchoring. In addition to other methods, such as simulated patients or peer teaching, STUDI can provide a simple and inexpensive pedagogical alternative using standing techniques to address large groups of students and short-circuit the barriers between emotions and cognitions.

Background: Mentoring involves the informal conveyance of knowledge, social capital, and support, as perceived by the recipient to be pertinent to aspects of work, career, and personal or professional development. Students pursuing health-related courses need access to mentorship and its benefits during their formative academic and career states. However, in Sub-Saharan Africa, many institutions have not fully embraced this despite the benefits of mentorship. Aim: The primary purpose of this study was to assess medical students' knowledge about mentorship and explore their attitudes and practices toward mentorship. Methodology: We held an online cross-sectional study utilizing a pre-tested self-reported questionnaire targeting health professional students in the faculty of medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The collected data were coded and summarized using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results: Two hundred eighty-three (283) students participated in this study. Of this group, 79.9% were aware of mentorship, 61% were willing to commit 1-2 h a week for mentorship, and Zoom was the preferred mode of communication; 98.2% expressed the need for a structured student-led hybrid mentorship program. Conclusion: Mentorship at Mbarara University of Science and Technology was considered beneficial by health professions students in the Faculty of Medicine. Recommendation: Future studies should explore accessibility to mentorship and the effectiveness of existing mentorship processes.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) have made substantial strides towards incorporating sustainability into their curricula. However, the methodology of education for sustainable development (ESD) needs to be more performance-oriented and grounded in practical experience in order to foster behavioral changes towards environmental protection. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a gamification-driven strategy in encouraging students of information technology (IT) to adopt sustainable practices. The data was gathered from the digital records and survey responses of 75 information technology (IT) students as a component of their English language course. The results of the study suggested that the gamified method successfully encouraged students to adopt sustainable practices in their personal lives and future workplaces. The students' viewpoints regarding the accountability of individual employers and citizens for the well-being of our planet underwent a substantial transformation in support of sustainable development. The method described is applicable to various academic fields, including the humanities, sciences, medical studies, and others.

Use of digital flashcards promotes active recall, spaced repetition, and self-assessment academic principles. This work explores the association and dose-dependent effect of this study method and locomotor (LP) and cardiovascular physiology (CP) grades. A single-faculty cohort study of medical LP and CP students was conducted, and 155 and 676 flashcards, respectively, were created through Moodle. An exploratory analysis examined three exam results (2019), and a confirmatory study used a fourth exam (2021) in another CP cohort. Of 685 students enrolled, 558 participated in the exploratory analysis: 319 (69%) for LP and 311 (84%) for CP, of which 203 LP and 267 CP students were flashcard users. Median grades were higher among flashcard users, and the number of cards reviewed was positively correlated with grades (r = 0.275 to 0.388 for LP and r = 0.239 to 0.432 for CP, P < 0.001). Multiple linear regression models confirmed a positive dose-dependent association between results and the number of flashcards studied: for every 100 LP cards reviewed, exam grades increased 0.44-0.75 on a 0-20 scale range (P < 0.001), and for every 1,000 CP flashcards, results raised 0.81-1.08 values (P < 0.05). These findings were confirmed in the 2021 CP cohort of 269 participants, of whom 67% were flashcard users. Digital flashcard revision has a consistent positive dose-dependent association on LP and CP grades.

Diving into the realm of game-based learning, the "CARBGAME" (CARd & Board GAmes in Medical Education) is an innovative series of games that reimagines the way medical students learn complex but essential chapters. In the pilot study, there was a highly significant improvement in the academic performance of students in the chapter "Vitamins." All the students perceived CARBGAME to be highly rewarding in terms of creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Recognizing the benefit of games in medical education, we strongly recommend the implementation of CARBGAME for essential topics in physiology education to create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment for students.

Clinical practice has benefited from new methodologies such as realistic simulation (RS). RS involves recreating lifelike scenarios to more accurately reflect real clinical practice, enhancing learners' skills and decision-making within controlled environments, and experiencing remarkable growth in medical education. However, RS requires substantial financial investments and infrastructure. Hence, it is essential to determine the effectiveness of RS in the development of skills among medical students, which will improve the allocation of resources while optimizing learning. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the simulation laboratory of a medical school, and the performance of students who underwent two different curriculum matrices (without RS and with RS, from 2021 to 2022) in the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) course was compared. This test was chosen considering that the competencies involved in cardiac life support are essential, regardless of the medical specialty, and that ACLS is a set of life-saving protocols used worldwide. We observed that the impact of RS can be different for practical abilities when compared with the theoretical ones. There was no correlation between the general academic performance and students' grades reflecting the RS impact. We conclude that RS leads to less remediation and increased competence in practical skills. RS is an important learning strategy that allows repeating, reviewing, and discussing clinical practices without exposing the patient to risks.

Academic and research libraries historically lack intentional engagement with Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. This scoping review examines how academic and research library literature address social justice issues by engaging BIPOC with science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or medicine (STEMM) disciplines in North America. The review included published and unpublished literature by all types of library workers from varying education levels and used resources found within education databases and sources known as "grey literature." Findings identified a prevalence of BIPOC engagement via health topics with off-campus communities in comparison to limited interaction with BIPOC college and university students. A variety of engagement strategies and activities are discussed as unique opportunities and avenues for libraries to address issues related to social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Inclusion, diversity, belonging, and equity (IDBE) are tenets discussed and developed in many universities and university libraries. Although there were studies on IDBE in libraries in general, the authors of this study were particularly interested in what Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) librarians were facing or not facing regarding IDBE. We were unable to locate any known study focusing on STEMM librarians' lived experiences regarding IDBE. Thus, our study aimed to explore this area further. A survey consisting of multiple-choice, Likert and short-answer questions was sent to STEMM librarians via specific listservs. In this study, we use a grounded theory approach and analyze three of the questions in the survey. This study would particularly interest librarians who would like to ascertain the climate of IDBE and the intersection with social justice in STEMM Librarianship. Also, we provide strategies to improve the climate and provide a more inclusive, diverse, equitable and belonging environment for STEMM Librarians. Our data analysis shows that STEMM librarians who identify as People of Color encounter negative behaviors, experiences, and attitudes at a much higher rate than STEMM librarians who are white. In addition, many STEMM librarians who identify as white report white privilege awareness.

Basic competency in radiological imaging is essential for physicians to identify and manage diseases. An optimal place in which to include imaging in the medical curriculum is during anatomy as students can correlate the 3D anatomy from their body donors with the 2D cross-sectional anatomy. The goal of this project was to enhance first-year medical students' knowledge of cross-sectional imaging in the gross anatomy lab and to investigate whether there are benefits to learning cross sectional imaging via scans from body donors versus living individuals. Student participant performance was evaluated on laboratory practical examinations, CT image questions and spatial anatomical knowledge in the thorax and abdomen sections of gross anatomy. Students learned the cross-sectional imaging during dissections where they accessed the images relevant to their study on Pacsbin, a web-based Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine viewer, via iPads. Results showed no statistically significant differences in practical examination scores, spatial anatomical knowledge, or identification of anatomical structures on CT image questions between participants who learned from images on body donors versus living individuals. In a questionnaire given at the end of the course, participants cited that the CT images improved their anatomical and imaging knowledge and that they felt better prepared to use imaging software and interpret diagnostic imaging results upon entering clerkships. While there were no differences in academic performance between the groups, positive outcomes regarding student perceptions of anatomical and imaging knowledge and preparedness for use of imaging software were identified in this study.

Translational medicine (TM) is an interdisciplinary branch of biomedicine that bridges the gap from bench-to-bedside to improve global health. Fundamental TM skills include interdisciplinary collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving (4Cs). TM is currently limited in undergraduate biomedical education programs, with little patient contact and opportunities for collaboration between different disciplines. In this study, we developed and evaluated a novel interdisciplinary challenge-based educational concept, grounded in the theoretical framework of experimental research-based education, to implement TM in undergraduate biomedicine and medicine programs. Students were introduced to an authentic clinical problem through an interdisciplinary session with patients, medical doctors, and scientists. Next, students collaborated in groups to design unique laboratory-based research proposals addressing this problem. Stakeholders subsequently rewarded the best proposal with funding to be executed in a consecutive interdisciplinary laboratory course, in which mixed teams of biomedicine and medicine students performed the research in a fully equipped wet laboratory. Written questionnaires and focus groups revealed that students developed 4C skills and acquired a 4C mindset. Working on an authentic patient case and the interdisciplinary setting positively contributed to communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving skills. Furthermore, students were intrinsically motivated by (i) the relevance of their work that made them feel taken seriously and competent, (ii) the patient involvement that highlighted the societal relevance of their work, and (iii) the acquisition of a realistic view of what doing science in a biomedical research laboratory is. In conclusion, we showcase a widely applicable interdisciplinary challenge-based undergraduate concept fostering TM.

The mastery of vocabulary is a fundamental step when learning a language but for many learners, it seems difficult and boring. English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners find some difficulties in learning new words. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of using the hologram application in learning medical English terminology for EFL learners. The study involved 109 EFL learners studying at a medical college to determine if a holographic tool affected their learning. They were divided into three groups: a control group using traditional methods to learn new medical terms (no technology was used), and two experimental groups. One experimental group was taught using PowerPoint without the holographic application, while the other experimental group was taught using the holographic application. The data were collected using the pre-, post-, and delayed post-test design. The findings of the study indicated that learners who were taught using the holographic application outscored other groups and remembered more medical English terms after three weeks. Moreover, the learners felt the hologram application had a positive impact on learning medical terms.

The emergence of ChatGPT as one of the most advanced chatbots and its ability to generate diverse data has given room for numerous discussions worldwide regarding its utility, particularly in advancing medical education and research. This study seeks to assess the performance of ChatGPT in medical biochemistry to evaluate its potential as an effective self-learning tool for medical students. This evaluation was carried out using the university examination question papers of both parts 1 and 2 of medical biochemistry which comprised theory and multiple choice questions (MCQs) accounting for a total of 100 in each part. The questions were used to interact with ChatGPT, and three raters independently reviewed and scored the answers to prevent bias in scoring. We conducted the inter-item correlation matrix and the interclass correlation between raters 1, 2, and 3. For MCQs, symmetric measures in the form of kappa value (a measure of agreement) were performed between raters 1, 2, and 3. ChatGPT generated relevant and appropriate answers to all questions along with explanations for MCQs. ChatGPT has "passed" the medical biochemistry university examination with an average score of 117 out of 200 (58%) in both papers. In Paper 1, ChatGPT has secured 60 ± 2.29 and 57 ± 4.36 in Paper 2. The kappa value for all the cross-analysis of Rater 1, Rater 2, and Rater 3 scores in MCQ was 1.000. The evaluation of ChatGPT as a self-learning tool in medical biochemistry has yielded important insights. While it is encouraging that ChatGPT has demonstrated proficiency in this area, the overall score of 58% indicates that there is work to be done. To unlock its full potential as a self-learning tool, ChatGPT must focus on generating not only accurate but also comprehensive and contextually relevant content.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated changes in educational strategy, including modification of assessments. Students in the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) program at Duke University School of Medicine are required to take a course entitled "Organ Systems" (OS), which includes organ histology. In pre-pandemic circumstances, cumulative histology knowledge was assessed in the form of a practical exam. This year we used the UnEssay Project in lieu of the practical exam to assess student competency in organ system histology. Students worked within their team-based learning (TBL) teams and submitted unique UnEssay projects in a variety of formats. Notable examples of submitted projects include: a histological poetry slam, a histological travel guide, a TikTok histology tutorial, and histology Jeopardy. Student feedback on the project was overwhelmingly positive and each team met the main project objectives. We utilised the UnEssay Project as a means to assess student knowledge and competency in identification of histological features and organs. We applied this project format as a means for assessment, but believe that other applications within basic science education, including graduate courses, would be equally as successful. Based on positive student feedback, we plan to use the UnEssay Project again in the 2021-2022 academic year.

Animals are frequently utilized as a teaching-learning tool in multiple educational settings. It is, therefore, important to understand what students think about this topic, in particular medical and veterinary students as "life caregivers" and competent people for a dynamic and responsible social intervention. In this context, this research aims to characterize and disseminate a set of issues related to animal welfare/wellbeing in higher education in the North of Portugal, particularly as regards the teaching of students of the Integrated Master in Medicine (MIM) and Veterinary Medicine (MIMV). After ethical approval, a survey was delivered on paper to 180 undergraduate MIM (n = 100) and MIMV (n = 80) students. After collecting 139 questionnaires partially or fully completed, with varying response rates for each question, it was concluded that most of the students consider that animal experimentation is ethically acceptable when the benefits balance the harms and assuming that refinement of animal procedures is warranted; they also agree to the establishment, maintenance and performance of animal procedures solely for educational purposes as a way of ensuring optimal acquisition of theoretical knowledge, attitudes and behaviors and technical skills. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of teachers to explore and implement pedagogical methodologies thar are equally effective but more humane and compassionate towards sentient living beings.

Dissection of human body donors is a common component of anatomy curricula, as it provides opportunities for tactile and intellectual engagement unmatched otherwise. Additionally, interaction with human body donors contributes to the "hidden curriculum" of allowing students to begin to ethically practice patient care with empathy, respect, and compassion. With this, there have been various proposed guidelines for the ethical treatment of human body donors, with most focusing on student reflections and a final ceremony for honoring the donors, but there are numerous other ways throughout the course to incorporate ethical values and to guide students to consider the humanity of the donor. This article proposes that institutions consider the incorporation of five easily implemented formalized ethical themes for working with human body donations into daily practices: (1) reflect the donor as possessing human dignity; (2) recognize the donor's role of the "First Patient" or "Silent Teacher;" (3) honor the gift of human body donation; (4) recognize the decedent's family; and (5) consider inclusivity in memorialization practices. Multiple recommendations for integrating these five themes throughout the course are provided. The incorporation of these five core themes can assist in alleviating the psychological stress that some students struggle with in dissection courses, foster the feelings and attributes that comprise the hidden curriculum and are the desired characteristics of a caring medical provider, and discourage misuse and mistreatment of donors.

The medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage, threatening future medical research and development. Medical institutions can contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating students' involvement in research. In this study, a medical undergraduate teaching module to develop research skills and encourage interest in research was held in Chongqing, China. Undergraduate medical students at Chongqing Medical University completed research skills training. Before and after the training, an online, anonymous, self-reported questionnaire was administered. The self-reported questionnaire investigated students' demographic characteristics, students' perception of attitudes toward conducting research, research skills (e.g., identifying and utilizing information, critical appraisal of literature, paper writing, and understanding of research), and feedback on scientific research training. The module was implemented with 25 students from July 2019 to October 2019, and 96.0% (N = 24) of participants responded to the questionnaire both prior to and after the training. In the evaluation of research skills, results showed that use of appropriate tools for research (Z = -3.340, p < 0.01), students' ability to undertake a focused literature search (Z = -3.40, p < 0.01), identifying and utilizing information (Z = -3.34, p < 0.01), and paper-writing skills (Z = -3.49, p < 0.01) were significantly improved after the undergraduates participated in the scientific research training. A qualitative analysis of the feedback showed that students found that the training helped to enhance their knowledge, improve their study scores, and motivate them to conduct research in the future. Early scientific research ability training strengthened the research skills of medical undergraduates and motivated them to pursue research.