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Background: Undergraduate outdoor orientation programs facilitate students' transition into college. Research has yet to be conducted on the few programs at medical schools, which may have unique benefits given the specific challenges of transitioning to medical school and high rates of burnout among medical students. Purpose: This mixed methods study examines the impact of one medical school's outdoor orientation program on its participants. Methodology/Approach: A survey was administered immediately following the 2018 trip (N = 56 responses). Follow-up focus groups were conducted with a sample of the same participants (N = 18) in 2019. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings/Conclusions: Participants felt that the program helped ease their transition into medical school, establish a support system, and hone personal development and wellness skills. Many of these effects persisted up to one year later. Implications: These findings are of particular interest to the medical and experiential education communities because many outcomes persisted for at least one year after the original trip and aligned with factors believed to protect against medical student burnout. There is opportunity for additional research as well as expansion of similar programs to other medical schools.

Reviews the fundamental principles associated with achieving a high level of content validity when developing tests for students. Suggests that the short-term efforts necessary to develop and integrate measurement theory into practice will lead to long-term gains for students, faculty, and academic institutions. (Includes 21 references.) (Author/NB)

The Hazards of Tobacco (C) program, which focuses on smoking prevention among youth, was completed by 259 suburban sixth graders (199 controls) and 166 urban fifth through seventh graders. Participation significantly changed understanding of the role of tobacco advertising and the intention to smoke in both samples. (Contains 49 references.) (SK)

Objective: Medical students' satisfaction with the psychiatry clerkship, sense of preparedness for an institutional Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE), expressed likelihood of choosing psychiatry as a specialty, and National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) psychiatry shelf-examination scores were compared after a curriculum based on Active Learning (AL) techniques was introduced. Method: In consecutive academic years, two groups of students were compared after completing a 1-month psychiatry clerkship. The first group (N=108) received traditional lectures, and the second (N=102) was taught via AL. Participants were surveyed regarding satisfaction, sense of preparedness for an institutional OSCE, and expressed likelihood of choosing psychiatry as a specialty. NBME psychiatry shelf-examination scores were analyzed; independent-samples "t"-tests were used to evaluate the data. Results: Satisfaction and sense of preparedness for the institutional OSCE increased with AL techniques. NBME scores were not significantly different between groups. Professed likelihood of choosing psychiatry as a specialty did not increase with the interventional curriculum. Conclusion: We confirmed findings from previous studies that student satisfaction improves with active learning (AL). Sense of preparedness for the OSCE examination improved with AL, as well. NBME psychiatry exam scores and professed interest in psychiatry as a specialty were not different from those taught in a traditional format. (Contains 1 table.)

Background. Evidence suggests there is bias toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons by social workers; unfortunately, little research has been conducted to examine Master of Social Work (MSW) students' views toward these populations. The purpose of this study was to develop an assessment scale to evaluate the attitudes, phobias, and cultural competence of MSW students toward the LGBT populations. Methods. An assessment scale was developed and administered to MSW students (n = 173) at a Midwestern American university. Results. The majority of MSW students reported low phobia and a positive attitude toward the LGBT populations, yet participants reported having a low level of cultural competence in serving LGBT clients. Conclusion. More education and training is needed for MSW students to effectively serve the LGBT populations. KEYWORDS. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, attitudes, phobias, social workers, cultural competence

In comparison with the Student t test, the test on the ranks of scores has been shown to be slightly less powerful than the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test conducted on the original scores for real smooth and symmetric data sets because it does not provide a correction for ties or continuity. Here it is demonstrated that the t test on ranks is nonetheless superior to the usual t test for real data that are skewed or otherwise severely nonnormally distributed.

Background: Recent consensus guidelines have recommended uniformity in procedural training in family medicine residency programs. The consensus documentation suggestions are based on expectations of procedural training prior to residency. Few studies have evaluated the perceived baseline level of procedural competency prior to residency training., Methods: Twenty incoming PGY-1 residents completed a "procedural experience survey," asking respondents to identify their prior experience and current comfort levels with 19 "basic" procedures., Results: For seven procedures, no prior experience was the most common response. For 15 of the 19 procedures, at least one respondent reported no prior experience. The residents' self-reported comfort levels varied widely for each procedure., Conclusions: The survey results showed that experience and comfort with procedures often performed in family medicine varies widely among incoming residents. This raises the question of whether documentation of resident competence in these procedures should be recommended as a baseline and monitored throughout residency training.

Background and Objectives: Failing Step 1 of the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or a delay in taking the exam can negatively affect a medical student's ability to match into a residency program. Unfortunately, identifying students at risk for failing Step 1 is challenging, but it is necessary to provide proactive educational support. The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy to identify students at risk for failing Step 1., Methods: Using a retrospective study design, 256 students from the class of 2008 were eligible for the study. Independent variables included Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores and cumulative grades from years 1--2 of medical school. The dependent variable was their score on the USMLE Step 1. Variables with a significant univariate relationship were loaded into a series of binary logistic regression models. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve examined the significant variables., Results: Both year-2 standard score and the MCAT biological sciences score were significant as predictors of failure. The ROC curve provided a range of values for establishing a cutoff value for each significant variable., Conclusion: Using internal and external predictors, it is possible to identify students at risk for failing Step 1 of the USMLE.

Background and Objectives: The 18 medical schools involved in the UME-21 initiative developed innovative curricula and evaluation strategies. While there was significant variation in how schools approached the evaluation process, there were common methodological issues and challenges affecting the reliability of scores and validity of interpretations regarding outcomes. This paper explores these issues and challenges, using experiences from selected UME-21 schools., Methods: Four evaluation issues and strategies are discussed: instrument development, study design, process evaluation using formative evaluation methods, and qualitative strategies. Within each discussion, examples from a UME-21 school are presented., Results: The four evaluation strategies offered the flexibility to match local evaluation needs with an effective approach to evaluations., Conclusions/implications: The school-level evaluation requirements by the UME-21 initiative provided schools the flexibility to design individualized evaluation strategies, yet also encouraged collaboration among evaluators. While this strategy resulted in many successes at the school level, it also served to identify common methodological challenges that can be used as a guide for other schools in implementing and evaluating curricula.