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This quantitative study assessed infographics' perceptions, preferences, and effectiveness as a learning tool among Pakistani undergraduate medical students. The research focused on understanding the impact of infographics on knowledge acquisition, comprehension of complex medical concepts, and bridging the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. The study utilised a self-evaluated questionnaire developed through a meticulous literature review, self-evaluation, and expert input. The questionnaire covered demographics, perceptions, preferences, effectiveness in knowledge acquisition, impact on understanding complex medical concepts, and linking theoretical learning to clinical practice. The research was conducted at Shahida Islam Medical College, Lodhran, Punjab, Pakistan, and involved undergraduate medical students across various academic years. Data collection occurred between November 10 and November 30, 2023, with 229 participants. Quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS, involving one-sample t-test, paired samples t-test, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis to address specific hypotheses. Findings indicate a strong positive perception and preference for infographics among undergraduate medical students. Infographics were perceived as effective in enhancing knowledge acquisition, positively impacting the understanding of complex medical concepts, and bridging the gap between theoretical learning and clinical practice. Statistical analyses supported these perceptions, demonstrating significant relationships and explaining variance in students' perceptions and knowledge acquisition. This study highlights the substantial role of infographics as valuable tools in medical education, emphasising their positive impact on undergraduate medical students' learning experiences. The findings support the integration of infographics into medical curricula to enhance knowledge acquisition, comprehension, and application in real-life clinical settings.

Honors programs typically enroll many students interested in the healthcare field, and honors administrators and faculty do their best to ensure that those students' dreams are fulfilled. With Medical Doctor (MD) program acceptance rates averaging just 6.1%, students need a standout application. Experience has shown that getting accepted into a medical school is more than earning a great GPA and excelling on the MCAT exam; it also requires convincing a committee of professionals that an applicant has the right personal qualities and work ethic to succeed in the field of medicine, and applicants need to highlight their clinical experience as a method of standing out from the crowd. The authors describe an honors program internship for undergraduate students to participate in a unique experience that emulates the third-year curriculum of medical college, referred to as clinical rotations. The full-time, semester-long medical internship becomes an extraordinary and unusual asset on any student's medical school application. Of particular interest is that this program can be adopted by other higher education institutions for a relatively low cost to the college/university, contingent on a committed partnership with an appropriate medical facility.

While program-level learning objectives are required for medical school accreditation, session-level learning objectives are not, although many institutions use them. Most pre-clerkship basic science medical educators (PCBSMEs) do not have formal pedagogy training, so it is unknown when PCBSMEs learn about learning objectives or how they communicate them to students. A questionnaire was designed to phenomenologically explore these aspects during PCBSMEs' time as a student and as an educator. Qualitative data underwent inductive thematic analysis and generated two descriptive themes. Theme Educator Experiences describes how respondents learned about and used learning objectives as a student and as an educator. Theme Educator Communications describes how PCBMSEs communicate with students about using learning objectives. The relationship between themes suggest learning occurs following Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. Findings indicate potential obstacles preventing implementation or communication about learning objectives, regardless of training. Strategies to proactively expose PCBSMEs to pedagogical concepts regarding learning objectives are recommended.

The 21st century has seen a rapid increase in the use of various innovative technologies in pedagogy. The attitude of the clinical teachers affects the use of these innovative technologies in teaching and learning. The aim of this research is to find out the attitude of clinical teachers using "The Tripartite Theory of Attitude" consisting of affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains, to the use of innovative technology. A descriptive survey research design with correlational studies was done with a purposive sampling method used. A 24 item Likert questionnaire was used and distributed using Google Form. The population of the study was made up of clinical teachers in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences University of Port Harcourt. A total of 90 clinical teachers took part in the study comprising of 48 males and 42 females. 23 were professors while 51 were senior lecturers. Analysis showed the overall attitude of clinical teachers to the use of innovative technology in teaching and learning was positive. No significant correlation was seen between gender, cadre, and years of service of the clinical teacher to the use of innovative technology. Thus, incorporation of innovative technology into the classroom should be encouraged as this would aid the clinical teachers in improving learning in the classroom.

With the extensive development of various tennis events, tennis is gradually gaining popularity among the masses in China. Many colleges and universities have also introduced specialized tennis courses. However, as the education system undergoes deepening reforms, the traditional teaching methods are no longer able to meet the demands of education. In light of this, we propose implementing the Two-Phase Teaching Method of "short tennis + standard tennis" in colleges and universities to cultivate students' interest in tennis, enhance the overall teaching quality of tennis, and promote its development in the academic setting.

Voluntary donation is the ethically acceptable method for whole-body acquisition for anatomy education worldwide. In Africa, educational institutions struggle with this since many people remain unwilling to donate their bodies due to the strong influence of cultural and religious beliefs in decision-making. As part of wider efforts to improve the ethical sourcing of bodies in Zimbabwean medical schools, which are heavily reliant on unclaimed bodies, this study sought to determine the influences traditional and religious beliefs have on such decisions. We ascertained traditional and religious leaders' knowledge of whole-body donation, explored cultural and religious views toward death, dying and whole-body donation as well as their underlying reasons. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with traditional chiefs and Christian leaders who are considered the custodians of Zimbabwean traditional cultural and Christian values, respectively. Thematic analysis of traditional chiefs' interviews revealed that none of the chiefs had accurate knowledge regarding whole-body donation or the processes involved. Due to set traditional practices around death, most traditional chiefs viewed the practice as foreign with possible negative repercussions to the dissectors. Most of the Christian leaders had knowledge of whole-body donation. Their views were split between support for whole-body donation and regard as a religious and cultural misfit. Overall, both traditional chiefs and Christian leaders understood the importance of whole-body donation and requested further societal sensitization and education if the practice is to become socially acceptable.

Although a diversity of religions exists in South Korea, with Buddhism and Christianity (Protestantism and Catholicism) being the two main faiths, Korean beliefs are deeply rooted in Confucianism. Despite the notion that the Confucian norm of filial piety discourages body donation to medical science, there has been a mindset shift in favor of body donation, driven by a heightened awareness of the body bequest programs and the care and dignity accorded to the altruistic body donors, together with the institution of commemorative services to honor them. As spirituality and religion are known to be factors that influence body donation, how religious- and non-religious-based memorial services are held to honor the donors as exemplified by two Korean medical schools--from a public university with no religious affiliation and from a Protestant-based university--are described here. The key concept of expressing gratitude and respect for the donors and their family members has positively impacted body bequest programs in this multi-religious society. Commemorative services held to pay tribute to the altruistic body donors may play an important role in inspiring a humanistic spirit in students, regardless of religious or non-religious beliefs, as exemplified by the two Korean medical schools. The takeaway here is that the elevation of spirituality in memorial services effectively resonates with society, thereby demonstrating the impact of spiritual principles independent of religious influence.

Gross anatomy is a crucial course in medical school; it sets the foundation for future coursework and is highly valued by clinicians. While both medical students and faculty recognize the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, few medical schools require it as a prerequisite. Consequently, medical school gross anatomy courses have a diverse range of prior anatomy experience among students. Prior studies have shown mixed results regarding the impact of pre-medical school anatomy experience on medical school gross anatomy performance, often using final exam scores as the metric of analysis. In this study, we investigated the relationship between pre-medical school anatomy experience and medical school gross anatomy performance among students at New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine. We surveyed students from all four matriculated years and analyzed their individual anatomy laboratory exam scores and final anatomy laboratory course scores. We found that students with prior anatomy experience performed significantly better on the first anatomy laboratory exam, leading to an overall positive effect on their final anatomy laboratory score. However, this advantage seemed to diminish in subsequent exams, suggesting that students without prior experience rapidly adjusted to the course challenges. Students with prior anatomy experience felt more prepared for the anatomy course, reported lower stress levels, and believed they had an advantage over peers without prior experience. Our study highlights the importance of pre-medical school anatomy experience, particularly for early performance in the anatomy course.

Medical school admissions is a contentious and high stakes selection activity. Many assessment approaches are available to support selection; but how are decisions about building, monitoring, and adapting admissions systems made? What shapes the processes and practices that underpin selection decisions? We explore how these decisions are made across several Canadian medical schools, and how values shape the creation, monitoring, and adaptation of admissions systems. Using phenomenography (a qualitative method suited to examining variability), the authors analyzed interviews with 10 current or previous heads of admissions from 10 different undergraduate medical education programs in Canada. Interviews were conducted in English and French, and data was collected between 2016 and 2017 (therefore participants no longer hold these roles). Data was coded and analyzed iteratively, focusing on identifying underlying values, and exploring how these values shape admissions practices and considerations for validity. Eight different intersecting values were identified. Of these, four were shared across all participants: critically questioning the process and tools, aiming for equity, striving for better, and embracing the challenges of change. The expression of these values depended on different contextual variables (e.g., geographic location, access to expertise, resource availability), and values shaped how admissions systems were built, enacted, and monitored for quality. Ultimately, values shaped: (1) admissions practices resulting in different candidates being offered admission, and (2) how arguments supporting score interpretation are built (i.e., validity). This study documents various values that influence admissions processes, practices, and quality monitoring. The values that shape what is assessed, how it is assessed, and how fair and defensible practices are conceptualized have significant impact, ultimately determining who is selected. These values--whether implicit or explicit--result in intended and unintended consequences in selection processes. However, these values are rarely explicitly examined and questioned, leaving it uncertain as to which consequences are the intended outcomes of deliberately chosen values, and which are unintended consequences of implicitly held values of admissions systems and their actors.

Purpose: Along with other industries, healthcare is becoming increasingly digitized. Our study explores how the field of academic medicine is preparing for this digital future. Method: Active strategic plans available in English were collected from faculties of medicine in Canada (n = 14), departments in medical schools (n = 17), academic health science centres (n = 23) and associated research institutes (n = 5). In total, 59 strategic plans were subjected to a practice-oriented form of document analysis, informed by the concept of sociotechnical imaginaries. Results: On the one hand, digital health is discursively treated as a continuation of the academic medicine vision, with expansions of physician competencies and of research institutes contributions. These imaginaries do not necessarily disrupt the field of academic medicine as currently configured. On the other hand, there is a vision of digital health pursuing a robust sociotechnical future with transformative implications for how care is conducted, what forms of knowledge are prioritized, how patients and patienthood will be understood, and how data work will be distributed. This imaginary may destabilize existing distributions of knowledge and power. Conclusions: Looking through the lens of sociotechnical imaginaries, this study illuminates strategic plans as framing desirable futures, directing attention towards specific ways of understanding problems of healthcare, and mobilizing the resources to knit together social and technical systems in ways that bring these visions to fruition. There are bound to be tensions as these sociotechnical imaginaries are translated into material realities. Many of those tensions and their attempted resolutions will have direct implications for the expectations of health professional graduates, the nature of clinical learning environments, and future relationships with patients. Sociology of digital health and science and technology studies can provide useful insights to guide leaders in academic medicine shaping these digital futures.

This paper reports the findings of a Canada based multi-institutional study designed to investigate the relationships between admissions criteria, in-program assessments, and performance on licensing exams. The study's objective is to provide valuable insights for improving educational practices across different institutions. Data were gathered from six medical schools: McMaster University, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University, Queen's University, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, and Western University. The dataset includes graduates who undertook the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part 1 (MCCQE1) between 2015 and 2017. The data were categorized into five distinct sections: demographic information as well as four matrices: admissions, course performance, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and clerkship performance. Common and unique variables were identified through an extensive consensus-building process. Hierarchical linear regression and a manual stepwise variable selection approach were used for analysis. Analyses were performed on data set encompassing graduates of all six medical schools as well as on individual data sets from each school. For the combined data set the final model estimated 32% of the variance in performance on licensing exams, highlighting variables such as Age at Admission, Sex, Biomedical Knowledge, the first post-clerkship OSCE, and a clerkship theta score. Individual school analysis explained 41-60% of the variance in MCCQE1 outcomes, with comparable variables to the analysis from of the combined data set identified as significant independent variables. Therefore, strongly emphasising the need for variety of high-quality assessment on the educational continuum. This study underscores the importance of sharing data to enable educational insights. This study also had its challenges when it came to the access and aggregation of data. As such we advocate for the establishment of a common framework for multi-institutional educational research, facilitating studies and evaluations across diverse institutions. This study demonstrates the scientific potential of collaborative data analysis in enhancing educational outcomes. It offers a deeper understanding of the factors influencing performance on licensure exams and emphasizes the need for addressing data gaps to advance multi-institutional research for educational improvements.

Given the high prevalence of multiple-choice examinations with formula scoring in medical training, several studies have tried to identify other factors in addition to the degree of knowledge of students which influence their response patterns. This study aims to measure the effect of students' attitude towards risk and ambiguity on their number of correct, wrong, and blank answers. In October 2018, 233 3rd year medical students from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, in Porto, Portugal, completed a questionnaire which assessed the student's attitudes towards risk and ambiguity, and aversion to ambiguity in medicine. Simple and multiple regression models and the respective regression coefficients were used to measure the association between the students' attitudes, and their answers in two examinations that they had taken in June 2018. Having an intermediate level of ambiguity aversion in medicine (as opposed to a very high or low level) was associated with a significant increase in the number of correct answers and decrease in the number of blank answers in the first examination. In the second examination, high levels of ambiguity aversion in medicine were associated with a decrease in the number of wrong answers. Attitude towards risk, tolerance for ambiguity, and gender did not show significant association with the number of correct, wrong, and blank answers for either examination. Students' ambiguity aversion in medicine is correlated with their performance in multiple-choice examinations with negative marking. Therefore, it is suggested the planning and implementation of counselling sessions with medical students regarding the possible impact of ambiguity aversion on their performance in multiple-choice questions with negative marking.

Embedding clinically relevant learning experience in basic science subjects is desired for the preclinical phase of undergraduate medical education. The present study aimed to modify case-based learning (CBL) with a role-playing situational teaching method and assess the student feedback and learning effect. One hundred seventy-six sophomore students majoring in clinical medicine from Harbin Medical University were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n = 90), who received traditional hybrid teaching, and the experimental group (n = 86), who received the role-playing situational teaching. Students in the experimental group were given a 1-wk preclass preparation to dramatize a hyperthyroidism scenario through online autonomous learning of thyroid physiology and performed the patient's consultation process in class, followed by a student presentation about key points of lecture content and a question-driven discussion. A posttest and questionnaire survey were conducted after class. The test scores of the two groups had no statistical differences, whereas the rate of excellence (high scores) of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, the record of online self-directed learning engagements was significantly improved in the experimental group. In the questionnaire, >70% of the students showed positive attitudes toward the role-playing situational teaching method and were willing to participate in other chapters of the physiology course. Such results show that CBL supported by a role-playing situational teaching method encourages active learning and improves the application of basic knowledge of physiology, which can be incorporated in the preclinical curricula to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

COVID-19 pandemic has brought drastic and unprecedented challenges to the medical education and medical students, affecting them physically, mentally and emotionally. While progressing through the post-pandemic recovery phase, it is crucial to comprehensively evaluate the pandemic's consequences and tackle the underlying problems. To investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on medical students' mental health, social well-being, and academic progression. A cross-sectional study was carried out with voluntary sampling of students from both government and private medical schools in Malaysia. A self-administered online survey form containing three validated psychological tools was distributed (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, NIH Toolbox Social Relationship Scales). There were also questions regarding the challenges faced by medical students and their academic performance during COVID-19 pandemic. Scores of each questionnaire were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted according to their specific cut-points. Two hundred and thirteen responses were received. 89.2% (n = 190) were domestic students while 10.8% (n = 23) were international students. Out of 32 medical universities in Malaysia, the participants were from 19 of them (9 public and 10 private universities). About half of the participants had contracted COVID-19 infection during the study period (n = 124, 58.2%). Majority had chosen "Lack of on-campus learning and training session causing incompetency" as the most relevant impact of COVID-19 on their academic progression (n = 85, 39.9%). Above 90% of participants passed their Final Academic Assessment in 2020 (91.5%) and 2021 (93.9%). About half of them (n = 86, 40.4%) were having symptoms considerable of anxiety while only 19.2% (n = 41) were having symptoms considerable of depression. Majority had normal self-esteem (n = 177, 83.1%). For social relationship, around two-third of them had great social support and companionship. However, more than half had social distress. The median for the period of time having absolute online classes, absolute physical classes and hybrid classes were 18, 4, and 9 months, respectively. Having absolute online classes of >18 months was associated significantly with higher perceived hostility (16.49 vs. 14.47, p = 0.012). In addition, being infected with COVID-19 was associated significantly with higher self-esteem (26.88 vs. 25.85, p = 0.009). Large proportion of students were affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Absolute online classes has huge impact on emotions of medical students especially from the aspect of perceived hostility. Hence, implementation of online medical education during COVID-19 era requires modifications and improvements.

Medical educators and programs are deeply interested in understanding and projecting the longitudinal developmental trajectories of medical students after these students are matriculated into medical schools so appropriate resources and interventions can be provided to support students' learning and progression during the process. As students have different characteristics and they do not learn and progress at the same pace, it is important to identify student subgroups and address their academic needs to create more equitable learning opportunities. Using latent class growth analysis, this study explored students' developmental trajectories and detected group differences based on their coursework performance in Anatomy within the two years of preclinical education in one medical school. Four subgroups were identified with various intercepts and slopes. There were significant group differences between these subgroups and their standardized scores in MCAT and UCMLE Step 1. The study provides evidence about the heterogeneity of the student population and points out future research directions.

Recent controversies over the mismanagement of body donors in US medical schools have raised public concerns over the ethical treatment of bodies in "anatomical gift" programs. Despite widespread moral outrage at such cases, medical students may still make seemingly inconsequential mistakes or jokes that in fact constitute acts of disrespect. This may partially be attributed to the process of desensitization in working with human remains, and indicates a further need to inculcate into medical students the ethical responsibilities of working with body donors. Donation agreement statements that lack specific information about the respectful treatment of bodies in the anatomy laboratory may serve as an additional point of concern for potential donors seeking reassurance about the future treatment of their bodies. This viewpoint draws from the anecdotal experiences of medical students to portray two scenarios of medical students' disrespectful conduct toward body donors, and constructs an account of moral respect for human remains based on respect for posthumous autonomy and respect in attitude. It then provides suggestions for US medical schools to incorporate this ethical framework into their anatomy curricula to instill respectful dispositions in its students and facilitate a more robust informed consent process for potential donors who entrust their bodies to medical students.

Purpose: China recently proposed a series of important policies intended to reform and improve the quality of medical education on the national level. This paper presents the findings of a national survey of China's medical schools conducted to review the development of undergraduate medical education over a five-year period (2013-2018). Design/Approach/Methods: The National Center for Health Professions Education Development implemented the China Medical Education College Survey. Approximately 64% of the targeted medical schools participated in the survey, constituting a representative sample of higher education institutions offering educational programs in clinical medicine in China. Findings: Following new policy orientations, medical schools showed positive developments in terms of the types of medical education programs offered, teaching and assessment methods, medical education resources, participation in accreditation, and quality of incoming students. However, the survey also revealed several worrying trends, including the coexistence of various types of education programs, significant regional differences in educational resources, dominance of traditional teaching and assessment methods, inconsistencies in quality, and an increase in graduates seeking employment in professions outside healthcare. Originality/Value: Findings of the first national survey of China's medical schools show that there is still a long way to go to ensure high quality and efficient medical education on a national level.

Purpose: This study compares doctor staffing level and the scale of medical education in China with those of other countries and proposes policy recommendations for future adjustments to the scale of China's medical education. Design/Approach/Methods: This study employs a literature review and descriptive analysis. Findings: China had 1.98 medical doctors per 1,000 people in 2018, ranking 85th out of the 193 member-states of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2017, China had 1.99 practicing doctors per 1,000 people, only ranking above Turkey (1.88) in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. China had only 10.28 medical graduates per 100,000 people--placing in the bottom third of OECD countries. China's provision of 1.4 medical schools per 10 million people was also significantly lower than the global average (3.9). However, the average number of students enrolled in medical schools (509) in China was significantly higher than the global average (160). Originality/Value: Although the scale of admission in undergraduate medical education must be expanded in China, this needs to be achieved while controlling the average number of medical students per school and reducing enrollment in low-quality medical schools. Furthermore, it is necessary to establish new medical schools while improving the operating level of existing ones.

Objectives: Little is known about how international functions of higher education, such as exchange programmes, can be resumed during recovery from a disruptive global crisis, such as COVID-19. We collected the opinions of administrators of international exchange programmes regarding their plans to resume their exchange programmes in the recovery phase and identified variations in the responses concerning institution type (public vs. private) and the presence or absence of a medical school. Method: We used multiple-choice survey questions in our study, resulting in 180 valid responses. We examined overall patterns using descriptive statistics and institutional uniqueness using Fisher's exact test. Results: Governing organisations and domestic university networks are expected to initiate the resumption of student exchange programmes. Respondents indicate that they would rely on infection prevention experts at their institutions as sources of information for their decision-making. Public universities would rely more extensively on their staff's opinions whilst private universities would consult with external experts. Universities with a medical school indicated a greater likelihood of referring to the opinions of experts at their institutions. Implication for Theory and/or Practice: Higher education systems vary across nations. However, extant studies have shown some shared features, and the findings may have implications for higher education institutions internationally. Policy incentives and support may encourage public universities to participate in the global recovery of international education. During global public health infectious crises, institutions without a medical school may require more government support. Conclusions: Institutional variations should be considered to effectively encourage universities to adapt to changing dynamics in the recovery of international education.

This study aims to investigate the impact of integrating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Organ System-Based Curriculum (OSBC) on medical students' academic achievement and career maturity within the context of medical education. An experimental design was employed, involving students from a medical school in China. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control group with a traditional curriculum or an experimental group receiving an integrated PBL and OSBC curriculum focused on cardiovascular system diseases. The intervention spanned four weeks. The results indicate that the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher academic achievement immediately after the intervention compared to the control group. This improvement persisted in a follow-up test conducted one month later. Career maturity also improved in the experimental group, albeit with a less sustained effect. The study underscores the potential of integrated teaching strategies in medical education for enhancing critical thinking and practical skills. However, long-term improvements in career maturity may necessitate further refinement of teaching methods. These findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on effective medical education strategies and emphasize the importance of a comprehensive approach to prepare students for academic excellence and clinical competence. Future research with larger sample sizes and consideration of additional influencing factors is recommended to gain deeper insights into the dynamics of medical education.

Medical schools have a duty of care to support student wellbeing but there is little guidance on how to translate this mandate into practice. Often schools focus on implementing and reporting individual-level interventions which typically only address one aspect of wellbeing. Conversely, less attention has been paid to holistic school-wide approaches towards student wellbeing that address multiple wellbeing dimensions. Thus, this review sought to improve our understanding of how support is mediated within such school-wide wellbeing programmes. This critical narrative review was conducted in two stages. First, the authors searched several key databases for papers published up to 25th May 2021, using a systematic search strategy and TREND checklist to guide our data extraction process. We later expanded our search to include literature published from the original date to 20th May 2023. Second, the identified articles were critically analysed using activity theory as a theoretical lens to aid explanation. We found school-wide wellbeing programmes emphasize social connectivity and building a sense of community. Tutors take a key role in the activity of supporting students' wellbeing. We mapped out the activity system components to describe the complexity of this tutor role. This analysis illustrated: tensions and contradictions in the system which may open up opportunities for change; the importance of context for influencing how system components interact; and that students' trust underpins the whole activity system. Our review shines a light into the black-box of holistic school-wide wellbeing programmes. We identified that tutors play a key role in wellbeing systems but confidentiality is a recurring tension which may jeopardise a wellbeing system. The time has come to investigate these systems in more detail, embracing and exploring the role of context at the same time as looking for common threads.

Recent statistics found the prevalence of dyslexia in UK medical schools to be 7%, sitting below the national prevalence of 10%. The factors contributing to this discrepancy are currently unknown, but may result from an interplay of individual and systemic barriers to entering medicine. This collaborative, analytic autoethnography aimed to use the experiences of 'Meg', a fourth-year medical student who was diagnosed as dyslexic whilst at medical school, to explore how the lack of a diagnosis during the admissions process may have impacted her journey into medicine. The data were collected using reflective writing and an interview before conducting a thematic analysis. Our analysis resulted in the construction of two meta-themes, relating to the negative emotional impact of not having a diagnosis and feelings of inferiority. Seven themes were also constructed. Some explored how Meg's personal experience of undiagnosed dyslexia acted as a barrier to entering medicine. Others explored the impact of external factors, such as socio-economic background and the provision of support, on an individual's chance of successfully applying to medical school. Finally, we explored the inadvertent impact undiagnosed (and unrecognised) dyslexia had on Meg's life course, including how medicine-specific aptitude tests, such as the BMAT and UKCAT, may have contributed to this. These results provide a unique window into the culture of applying to medical school as an undiagnosed dyslexic person, whilst discussing the need for medical schools to consider how their admissions processes may inadvertently disadvantage undiagnosed dyslexic applicants.

Underrepresented students in medicine (URM) have more negative perceptions of the medical school learning environment (LE), a phenomenon that can contribute to higher rates of burnout and attrition in these populations. The hidden curriculum (HC) - defined as a set of values informally conveyed to learners through clinical role-modeling - is a LE socialization construct that has been critically examined for its role in shaping students' professional identities. Yet differences in how URMs and non-URMs experience the HC remain underexplored. The study used a pragmatic approach that drew on elements of grounded theory and employed both deductive and inductive reasoning. Investigators conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 13 URM and 21 non-URM participants at a Bronx, NY medical school. Interviews examined student experiences and reactions to the HC. Both cohorts witnessed patient disparagement and mistreatment. However, from these encounters, URM participants expressed more "moral injury" -the adverse emotional consequence of feeling pressured to accept ideologically incongruent values. URMs were also more likely to describe resisting the HC. Differences in group reactions appeared to arise from URMs' identity resonance with patients' lived experiences. Participants across cohorts emphasized increasing URM recruitment as one step toward mitigating these circumstances. URM participants experienced more distress and offered more resistance to the HC relative to non-URMs. The etiology of these differential reactions may stem from relative barriers in negotiating personal and professional identities. As such, URMs' perceptions of the LE may be adversely impacted given their more negative interactions with the HC.

The maldistribution of family physicians challenges equitable primary care access in Canada. The "Theory of Social Attachment" suggests that preferential selection and distributed training interventions have potential in influencing physician disposition. However, evaluations of these approaches have focused predominantly on rural underservedness, with little research considering physician disposition in other underserved communities. Accordingly, this study investigated the association between the locations from which medical graduates apply to medical school, their undergraduate preclerkship, clerkship, residency experiences, and practice as indexed across an array of markers of underservedness. We built association models concerning the practice location of 347 family physicians who graduated from McMaster University's MD Program between 2010 and 2015. Postal code data of medical graduates' residence during secondary school, pre-clerkship, clerkship, residency and eventual practice locations were coded according to five Statistics Canada indices related to primary care underservedness: relative rurality, employment rate, proportion of visible minorities, proportion of Indigenous peoples, and neighbourhood socioeconomic status. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were then developed for each dependent variable (i.e., practice location expressed in terms of each index). Residency training locations were significantly associated with practice locations across all indices. The place of secondary school education also yielded significant relationships to practice location when indexed by employment rate and relative rurality. Education interventions that leverage residency training locations may be particularly influential in promoting family physician practice location. The findings are interpreted with respect to how investment in education policies can promote physician practice in underserved communities.

Epidemiological transition, population ageing, and pandemics posed new challenges to the health system. Current global situation demands many new competencies within the scope of teaching public health in medical schools. The aims of this study were to identify the needs of public health competencies for medical doctors in Thailand and to assess the level of integration for technical collaboration in teaching public health. The national survey of all Thai medical schools applied the list of public health competencies framework recommended by the World Health Organization, Southeast Asia Regional Office (WHO-SEARO). Qualitatively, community representatives from 11 sample villages were interviewed in the focus groups and representatives from stakeholder organizations, particularly employers in the in-depth interviews. Data integration applied recursive mixed-method approach. While the survey identified that health economics, disaster management, leadership, and teamwork are not well addressed in curriculum, employers, and national health authority uttered the need to strengthen the health system sciences and leadership in new generation medical doctors. Almost two third of medical schools could not apply interdisciplinary integration to teach such public health subjects. Furthermore, experiential learning and role play are recommended, in addition to the usual teaching method and multiple-choice questions. Thai communities expect doctors to serve the community, lead the primary healthcare team and train the health professionals and community health volunteers. Therefore, future medical doctors require interdisciplinary competencies. The findings of this study may provide evidence to step forward to a national framework of public health core competencies and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (Project ECHO) is a telementoring program for health professionals that uses adult learning techniques and interactive video technology to connect distal community providers with specialist and multidisciplinary teams in real-time collaborative sessions. We examine the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of ECHO programs at four academic medical centers through case studies based on structured interviews. The study and its analysis are informed by the Diffusion of Innovation theory and the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework. We found that early adopters became aware of ECHO by chance and were persuaded through observations to adopt ECHO. Finding a home for ECHO was an important initial adoption decision. Five context factors influence the implementation of ECHO: Funding, networks, staffing processes, leadership, and individual characteristics of staff. Sustainability requires ongoing funding, which itself may rely on evidence of outcomes. Findings from this study can inform the implementation of Project ECHO at other academic medical centers and extend to decisions to adopt, implement, and sustain similar telementoring programs designed to close the research-practice care gap between communities and academic medical centers.

Academic health centers (AHC) both contribute to and are influenced by the communities they serve. As part of a central commitment to improving human health, there is a need for AHCs to acknowledge their history related to race and racism, the resulting impact on current health disparities, and the disparate treatment of racial and minoritized communities. As AHC's care for Black and Brown communities, they have a unique responsibility to redress their respective legacies of bias, discriminatory practices, and experimentation without consent. One way to achieve this is to provide learning opportunities for in-depth engagement with students, faculty, staff, health care providers, and community members in conversations regarding racial equity, which are essential to shaping and impacting change at an individual and institutional level. Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, launched a new initiative, "History, and Health; Racial Equity," designed to (a) increase awareness of our institution's history, impact, identity, and culture, and (b) support meaningful conversations around history, health equity, structural racism, and health sciences education. Urban and metropolitan universities may learn from and replicate this program and encourage such conversations in their communities.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the health disparities plaguing our communities are highlighted more than ever. Community-based learning (CBL) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) provide a highly relevant framework in addressing health problems, especially those related to the Social Determinants of Health (AHRQ, 2020). Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at the Community Health Division (CHD) within the Family Medicine Department of Georgetown University School of Medicine (GUSOM) maintained and deepened relationships with community partners through engagement activities, which not only actively addressed community needs but also acted as an educational tool for a growing number of interdisciplinary students. This paper explores the effectiveness of CBL and CBPR as a framework, even when presented with challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It further underscores how students at Georgetown University have become more intimately involved in community health engagement during the pandemic. This serves as an encouraging model for establishing a student-based research learning community.

Medical student demographics have shifted over time, requiring medical schools to engage prospective students from diverse backgrounds. Understanding career motivators may help schools improve recruitment, create inclusive teaching and learning environments, and engage students underrepresented in medicine (UiM).We distributed a cross-sectional survey to two cohorts of first-year students (n = 337) attending a private U.S. medical school. The survey assessed experiences prior to and within the first two years of medical school, motivating factors related to career choice, and demographic characteristics.257 students responded (76% response rate). The responders were 56% male, 40% female, and 4% non-binary or preferred not to report gender. 37% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, 36% as White, and 21% as UiM. 16% were first-generation to attend college. 45% plan to enter surgical fields, 33% primary care fields, and 22% other fields/subspecialties. Most respondents endorsed the following as extremely or very important for their choice of a career in medicine: intellectual stimulation (96%), helping others (95%), advocating for underprivileged people (78%), and creating new knowledge (74%). UiM responders were statistically significantly more likely than their non-UiM classmates to indicate interest in advocacy for underprivileged populations (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4, 12.9).Most students indicated that intellectual stimulation, helping others, and creating new knowledge were motivators for entering medical school. However, UiM students are more likely to also cite advocacy as a key motivator. Medical schools should provide curricular and para-curricular offerings that address advocacy and social determinants of health to engage a diverse student body.

Supporting academics' initial development as university teachers is important for improving their ability to contribute to high-quality education and for reducing anxiety and stress around teaching. Focusing on tasks experienced as challenging is considered a key principle for organising effective teacher professional development. To apply this principle in practice, more knowledge is needed about the development of novice university teachers' self-efficacy in their teacher tasks. Therefore, this study aims to investigate phases in the development of novice university teachers' self-efficacy. Data were collected amongst 201 novice university teachers at a Dutch research-intensive university and associated university medical centre, using a questionnaire measuring self-efficacy in different teacher tasks. Polytomous Rasch analyses were performed on novice university teachers' self-efficacy scores, both across and within teacher tasks. Results suggested three developmental phases in novice university teachers' self-efficacy across teacher tasks: (1) development in 'teaching and supporting learning', (2) development in 'assessment and feedback' and 'educational design', (3) development in 'educational leadership and management' and 'educational scholarship and research'. Two or three phases for the development of self-efficacy were found within each of these teacher tasks. These results expand our knowledge of the development of academics' self-efficacy related to specific teacher tasks. They also provide suggestions for how pedagogic training and workplace learning may be shaped in such a way that they focus novice university teachers' learning on teacher tasks that are difficult but not overchallenging.

Across the United Kingdom, medical schools are acknowledging the need to respond to inequalities experienced by minority groups, racism within healthcare, and the need to decolonise medical curricula. Understanding the impact of structural racism is increasingly recognised as part of health professionals' training. In this paper we report the delivery of a new lecture and workshop on racism to first year medical students at Hull York Medical School, aimed to teach students about structural racism and the impact it has on health and healthcare services. Whereas comparable training programmes focus on personal values of inclusivity and diversity, these sessions encourage students to consider the reality of racism as part of health and healthcare experiences. The session includes conceptual content alongside applied examples of microaggression experienced by a healthcare professional. We report the results of student feedback attained through surveys using Likert scales and free text. We conclude by discussing the benefits of teaching medical students about racism, and its impact on patients and staff, rather than just inclusive practice.

Basic science educators play a significant role in medical and health professions curricula, particularly in the biomedical science components. Although the shift from basic scientists to educators seems promising, no study has yet explored the transition process from the perspective of basic scientists themselves, especially in the early stages of their transition. An anonymous survey with voluntary participation was administered to all basic scientists in National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. The survey aimed to identify the perceived challenges faced by basic scientists transitioning to basic science educators in medical and health professions education. This study consisted of Likert scale questions, followed by one multiple-choice question and two open-ended questions. Twenty-one basic scientists either postdoctoral fellows or instructors, completed the study. The study found that gaps in clinical content and experience, along with teaching pedagogy and training were among the major concerns for basic scientists aspiring to be basic science educators. These challenges and shortcomings could potentially be addressed by providing them with clinical shadowing opportunities, education mentorship and teaching training. Since most respondents lacked teaching experience, the results might differ if the majority had been involved in teaching within medical and health professions education. Nonetheless, it is important to understand and acknowledge the challenges and concerns experienced by basic scientists and examine how they can navigate them in the process of their transition to teaching medical and health professions. This also provides opportunities for personal reflection and development so that basic science educators will be more prepared for greater challenges and the ever-changing demands of contemporary medical and health professions education.

The paper delves into social media mining in the context of medical education programs in the information age. It explores the adaptability of Social Media Analytics (SMA) apps within the structure of online courses in medicine and proposes a conceptual framework for a learning process. This process includes practical exercises based on search and social media mining in the healthcare industry, relying on technology solutions. An online course, "Managing Digital Content for Health Professionals", was developed at I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University to expand the understanding of digital content management processes, the specific details of in-depth social media analysis, and transforming social data into valuable knowledge for health professionals. The study group consisted of 108 participants. Throughout the course, students were tasked to ascertaining the effects gained during practical training and evaluating them. Participants identified the key professional and socio-personal effects of the practical training. Following the evaluation of the online apps' feature sets, the authors concluded that social media analytics requires a comprehensive approach, the synergy of digital tools, a strategy for adapting the mining to the field of expertise, and the paradigm of data synthesis and use.

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.

Many medical school faculty view the educational changes wrought by the pandemic as an aberration and are eager to return to traditional face-to-face teaching. To encourage faculty to continue with online teaching, it is important to understand medical school faculty experiences of teaching virtually during the COVID-19 shutdowns and how that has affected their perceptions of teaching. A qualitative study was undertaken at X School of Medicine (SoM), University X, to understand the barriers and motivators to medical school faculty embracing virtual teaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical school faculty who had taught courses during the 2020-2021 academic years and continued to teach in 2022. The interviews were thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke's framework. Five themes emerged: (1) the advantages of virtual teaching, (2) the challenges of virtual teaching, (3) factors that enable virtual teaching, (4) strategies for success, and (5) the future of teaching. Faculty appreciated the flexibility provided by technology but were also challenged by the reduced interpersonal interactions in virtual teaching. Technology was also challenging in the skillsets and resources needed to use it successfully. Faculty appreciated just-in-time and personalized training, which enabled them to be more successful in virtual teaching. Faculty have come to accept that there are aspects of virtual teaching that are beneficial to learners and should be continued. There is an openness to integrating virtual teaching into the traditional format of face-to-face teaching. However, they need robust institutional support to continue online teaching in medical school.

Accreditation standards for U.S. medical education programming require that training programs promote trainee wellness and well-being, although constructs such as psychological distress and depression commonly serve as proxies for well-being. A direct measure of subjective well-being would be invaluable to inform programming efforts to promote medical trainees' well-being and advance the study of the well-being construct itself. This study investigated the structural validity of subjective well-being as measured by the Well-Being Scale in a sample of 548 osteopathic medical students. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that subjective well-being is best represented by a bifactor model with a general subjective well-being factor and five well-being domain factors and that allowing items from two well-being domains to cross load brought significantly stronger model-data agreement. Some scale items were respecified to become pure indicators of the general well-being factor based on their patterns of factor loadings, and the final bifactor model brought an acceptable fit. To our knowledge, this study is among the initial research efforts to investigate the use of a holistic subjective well-being instrument in the medical student population. The use of a direct, multidimensional subjective well-being measure is foundational to medical education programs' efforts to promote well-being, future investigations of predictors of medical students' well-being, and longitudinal analyses of medical students' well-being over their matriculation.

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.

This study focuses on educational attainment in New Zealand's undergraduate programmes in medicine and science (N = 750 and N = 4722, respectively), by following four student cohorts over the course of their degree. This research aimed to identify the extent to which studying in competitive academic programmes (Medicine and BSc) attenuate educational disparity related to schools' socio-economic backgrounds. We found that Science students coming from the lowest Socioeconomic Status (SES) schools had lower attainment in their first tertiary year but their achievement improved throughout the programme while outperforming all other students in their third year. However, medicine students from lowest SES schools had lower attainment in their first year but from their second year, their attainment was not significantly different from their counterparts coming from higher SES schools. This study's findings, support the selection processes for these programmes, allowing students from disadvantaged secondary schools to enrol and succeed in competitive academic programmes.

Blended learning, which combines face-to-face lectures with online learning, has emerged as a suitable teaching approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a national survey of anatomy educators in Mainland China to evaluate the changes in the implementation of blended learning in anatomical pedagogy. A total of 297 responses were collected from medical schools across all provinces. Respondents included 167 males and 130 females, with an average age of 44.94 (±8.28) and average of 17.72 (±9.62) years of professional experience. The survey showed adoption of online teaching and assessment by Chinese anatomy educators increased by 32.7% and 46.8%, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels. Perceptions of blended learning outcomes varied, with 32.3% and 37% educators considering it superior and inferior to traditional teaching, respectively. Faculty training programs related to blended learning increased significantly, fostering a collaborative learning environment; however, challenges remained in achieving satisfactory online assessment outcomes. Anatomy educators' attitudes reflected a strong preference for classroom learning (4.941 ± 0.856) and recognition of the importance of relevant technology (4.483 ± 0.954), whereas online learning received lower acceptance (4.078 ± 0.734). Female anatomy teachers demonstrated effective time management in online teaching. Meanwhile, educators with over 15 years of experience encountered difficulties with relevant technology, consistent with negative attitudes toward blended learning. Overall, this survey highlights the persistent challenges in implementing blended learning in anatomy education and provides insights for enhancing the pedagogical model in the post-COVID-19 era.

Educators have recently highlighted the importance of social science courses for students entering the medical field. This has led to the inclusion of sociological theories and concepts on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a requirement for any student seeking formal medical training. Using open-ended survey data responses provided by students who recently completed the MCAT, we explore how students perceive that sociology courses prepare them for the MCAT and their lives more generally. We find that students report that their sociology courses introduced them to key concepts and laid a foundation for material assessed on the exam, but those courses could improve by aligning with the MCAT structure by prioritizing application of concepts and critically analyzing case studies. Students also reported that sociology courses helped them develop empathy and inclusivity and use their sociological imaginations, which will ultimately positively impact their careers in the medical field and lives overall.

The goal of better medical student preparation for clinical practice drives curricular initiatives worldwide. Learning theory underpins Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as a means of safe transition to independent practice. Regulators mandate senior assistantships to improve practice readiness. It is important to know whether meaningful EPAs occur in assistantships, and with what impact. Final year students at one UK medical school kept learning logs and audio-diaries for six one-week periods during a year-long assistantship. Further data were also obtained through interviewing participants when students and after three months as junior doctors. This was combined with data from new doctors from 17 other UK schools. Realist methods explored what worked for whom and why. 32 medical students and 70 junior doctors participated. All assistantship students reported engaging with EPAs but gaps in the types of EPAs undertaken exist, with level of entrustment and frequency of access depending on the context. Engagement is enhanced by integration into the team and shared understanding of what constitutes legitimate activities. Improving the shared understanding between student and supervisor of what constitutes important assistantship activity may result in an increase in the amount and/or quality of EPAs achieved.

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.

This study summarizes employment benefits from across 155 U.S. allopathic medical schools, investigates differences in employment benefits according to institutional characteristics, and explores possible connections between employment benefits and institutional wealth. Employment benefits data were extracted from institutions' websites across four categories: time-off, time-away, retirement contributions, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)/family benefits. This dataset was mixed with other publicly available datasets sourced through the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Council on Education (ACE), and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) to conduct additional analyses. Nationally, medical schools offered an average of 31 vacation/sick days and 12 paid holidays. Schools typically offered 4 out of 8 time-away benefits. Employers' retirement contributions ranged from 3.0% to 15.5%, with a mean contribution of 8.5%. A total of 43.2% (67 of 155) of medical schools offered a pension. Collectively, private medical schools offered fewer time-away benefits and more EAP/family benefits compared to public schools. Universities with larger endowments per student were associated with a higher number of EAP/family benefits offerings (r = 0.543, p < 0.001). Institutional wealth did not influence other benefits offerings. The quantity/quality of most employment benefits offered at allopathic medical schools were wide-ranging, tended not to vary by region or school control, and were not a function of institutional wealth.