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A case study using mixed methods that critically appraises the implementation of a mental health policy in higher education in the absence of evidence to inform the policy using an exemplar case from one mid-sized post-secondary institution was the motivation for this research. Explanation building was used to iteratively analyse data on rival explanations of the implementation of the fall break policy. Analyses from the surveys revealed that overall, only 36.9 per cent of students perceived an increase in workload before the break and only 29.6 per cent of students perceived an increase in workload after the break. However, the focus groups and professor interviews revealed that the timing of the fall break had an impact on how students and professors experienced the break and their perceptions on its impact on student mental health. If baseline data regarding the implementation of the fall break would have been collected prior to its implementation, we could have possibly avoided the implementation issues that arose. While this research provides an exemplar case of a fall break policy at one post-secondary institution, the policy learning is universal.

Attempting to support student mental health, many Canadian universities have implemented a fall break with the assumption it would be helpful in alleviating students' stress and anxiety. However, there is no baseline data regarding stress level or mental illness burden of students to understand its effectiveness. Using case study methodology with mixed methods, this research sought to appraise, given a lack of baseline data, the impact of a fall break on student mental health. While the surveys revealed that students overwhelmingly liked the break and perceived it to reduce their school related stress, the focus groups revealed key insights into understanding stress and coping among university students about how students like to de-stress that have practical implications for any policy aimed at promoting students' mental wellness. This research offers practical policy suggestions to help post-secondary institutions determine whether a fall break week can be effective in addressing students' stress and anxiety.

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an expanding practice in Canadian non-clinical health-related undergraduate programs. WIL participants frequently encounter failure experiences, yet there is limited literature exploring how students overcome failure and how instructors can support this process. This study aimed to understand how students overcome and learn from failure experiences in a non-clinical undergraduate health-related WIL program. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 previous students from an established WIL program. Iterative cycles of data analysis and constant comparison generated a theoretical explanation highlighting how students overcome failure by renegotiating their expectations through 1) experiencing and managing the wave of emotion, 2) modifying expectations of self and others, 3) redefining success and moving forward, and 4) building flexibility of expectations. This research presents failure as a tool for learning and a steppingstone toward success. Findings inform a pedagogical framework to optimize student learning from failure.

The mental wellness of university students can be critical for their success. In an attempt to minimize stress for students, many universities have implemented a policy for a fall break with limited evidence to support its intended outcomes. This case study offers a critical appraisal of the formation of the fall break policy at one medium sized comprehensive university using qualitative and quantitative forms of evidence triangulated from (1) University Student Union survey, (2) document analysis and; (3) informant interview. The lack of uniformity on how the fall break is labelled, the timing of the break and its evaluation emerged as design flaws in the creation stage that perhaps, could have been mitigated if faculty and student voices were included in policy creation decisions.

Introduction: Few studies have examined the effect of clinical teaching on patient satisfaction in rural and community-based settings. We sought to examine whether patient satisfaction differed when patients were seen by a physician alone or by a physician and medical student in these settings. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in rural and community-based settings in southern Ontario (3 obstetrician-gynecologist offices and 4 family medicine clinics). Patients seen by a physician with or without a medical student present completed satisfaction and attitudes questionnaires about their experience. Results: Patient satisfaction was high across both groups and did not differ when segregated by patient age, sex or employment status. Satisfaction scores were similar for patients seen by a physician with or without a student present. Satisfaction scores did not differ based on practice location. Patients' reasons for agreeing to be seen by a medical student included helping to teach students about medical concerns and helping to train future doctors. Conclusion: Patients in rural and community-based outpatient settings were satisfied with their care when a medical student was involved. Introduction : Peu d'etudes ont analyse l'effet de l'enseignement clinique sur la satisfaction des patients en milieux rural et communautaire. Nous avons cherche a determiner si la satisfaction des patients differait lorsqu'ils etaient accueillis par un medecin seul ou par un medecin et un etudiant en medecine dans ces contextes. Methodes : Nous avons realise une etude transversale en milieux rural et communautaire du sud de l'Ontario (3 bureaux d'obstetriciens-gynecologues et 4 cliniques de medecine familiale). Les patients recus par un medecin accompagne ou non d'un etudiant en medecine ont rempli des questionnaires sur la satisfaction et les attitudes au sujet de leur experience. Resultats : La satisfaction des patients etait elevee dans les deux groupes et ne differait pas lorsqu'elle etait distinguee selon l'age et le sexe du patient ou le statut d'emploi. Les scores de satisfaction etaient semblables pour les patients recus par un medecin accompagne ou non d'un etudiant. Les scores de satisfaction n'ont pas differe en fonction du lieu de pratique. Les raisons pour lesquelles les patients ont accepte d'etre vus par un etudiant en medecine comprenaient le fait d'aider a donner aux etudiants de la formation au sujet de problemes medicaux et d'aider a former de futurs medecins. Conclusion : Les patients recus en clinique externe dans les milieux rural et communautaire etaient satisfaits des soins recus lorsqu'un etudiant en medecine etait present., INTRODUCTION The provision of medical education is increasingly being distributed away from large urban centres toward rural and community-based settings. (1) However, there are limited data on the effect of [...]

The mental wellness of university students can be critical for their success. In an attempt to minimize stress for students, many universities have implemented a policy for a fall break with limited evidence to support its intended outcomes. This case study offers a critical appraisal of the formation of the fall break policy at one medium sized comprehensive university using qualitative and quantitative forms of evidence triangulated from (1) University Student Union survey, (2) document analysis and; (3) informant interview. The lack of uniformity on how the fall break is labelled, the timing of the break and its evaluation emerged as design flaws in the creation stage that perhaps, could have been mitigated if faculty and student voices were included in policy creation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an expanding practice in Canadian non-clinical health-related undergraduate programs. WIL participants frequently encounter failure experiences, yet there is limited literature exploring how students overcome failure and how instructors can support this process. This study aimed to understand how students overcome and learn from failure experiences in a non-clinical undergraduate health-related WIL program. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 previous students from an established WIL program. Iterative cycles of data analysis and constant comparison generated a theoretical explanation highlighting how students overcome failure by renegotiating their expectations through 1) experiencing and managing the wave of emotion, 2) modifying expectations of self and others, 3) redefining success and moving forward, and 4) building flexibility of expectations. This research presents failure as a tool for learning and a steppingstone toward success. Findings inform a pedagogical framework to optimize student learning from failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]