Medical Science Educator

Jong, Peter

doi: 10.1007/BF03341704pmid: N/A

Mookherjee, Somnath; Mourad, Michelle; Milic, Michelle; Chou, Calvin

doi: 10.1007/BF03341705pmid: N/A

Borges, Nicole; Parmelee, Dean

doi: 10.1007/BF03341706pmid: N/A

Sixty-five students (62% response rate) completed the Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience Personality Inventory-Revised and Grasha-Reichmann Student Learning Styles Scale at the beginning and end of their first year of medical school. Paired t-tests showed significant differences for 2 of 5 personality scales and 5 of 6 learning styles scales.

Danielson, Aaron; Stevenson, Frazier

doi: 10.1007/BF03341707pmid: N/A

We piloted an online PBL case method. Two student groups shared a common online facilitator and contributed to an online document. Students reported improved group interaction and participation vs. conventional PBL. Peer feedback was more accurate and specific. The method is promising for training students in virtual communication strategies.

Shutter, Jamie; Stevenson, Frazier

doi: 10.1007/BF03341708pmid: N/A

Virtual microscopy is becoming a more accepted method of teaching microscopic anatomy and pathology to medical students in the first two years of their undergraduate medical education. We demonstrate a practical approach to converting an image-based pathology lecture with still images to a virtual microscopic laboratory tutorial designed for a smaller group setting and present student feedback obtained for two academic years. A virtual slide was selected to match each pre-existing case, which included the clinical history, physical exam findings and ancillary studies. After a short introduction to the particular case and a low-power still image “tease” of the virtual slide, groups of 2–4 students previewed the slides on their computer and answered questions about the microscopic findings. Afterwards, the laboratory instructors went over the low and high power findings with the students from still images taken of the virtual slides. A pre- and post-laboratory questionnaire to assess the students’ grasp of the microscopic pathology and comfort with the virtual slides was administered for academic years 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. Of the second year medical students queried (N=210), 99% had used a microscope at some point in their lifetime. Ninety-two percent of the respondents that had used a microscope before (N=205) preferred using virtual slides. Although significant work may be required, conversion of an image-based pathology lecture to a virtual microscopic laboratory tutorial can be less time consuming than creating one from scratch. It may also prove to be a cost-effective manner in which to reduce large-group contact hours.

Wen, Shi-Hao; Ma, Xiu-Qiang; Carline, Jan; Ren, Wei-Min; Yan, Xin-Wen; Wang, Yue

doi: 10.1007/BF03341709pmid: N/A

Introduction: A system of teaching evaluation was developed at the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai. The system combined student ratings of teachers with peer reviews. This study explores factors that may influence teaching evaluations, as well as the perceptions of effectiveness of the evaluation system. Methods: Teaching evaluation data from 2006 to 2009 were analyzed. A survey was conducted to collect the perceptions of students and faculty members about the system. Results: Teaching evaluation ratings were higher when the faculty knew which course session would be observed. Student ratings showed a correlation with peer ratings. Advanced students provided higher ratings. Currently employed faculty peer reviewers provided higher ratings than retired reviewers. Peer reviewers in the same department as the faculty being observed provided higher ratings than peers from other departments. Reviewers with prior experience provided ratings similar to new reviewers. All faculty members indicated they would not make their course easier in response to student evaluations. Conclusion: The year of student enrollment in the program, relationships among peer reviewers and faculty, and whether faculty are cognizant of which session would be observed have a direct impact on rating results. There is a correlation between the student evaluation and peer evaluation. Training reviewers is important to improve rating validity. Faculty members appreciate the assistance for improvement of teaching provided by the evaluations.

Bishop, Pauline; Slanetz, Priscilla; Hirsch, Ariel

doi: 10.1007/BF03341710pmid: N/A

The standard of cancer management is multidisciplinary care, yet most medical schools teach systems-based oncology. This format, while excellent for systems-based diseases, such as cardiovascular and pulmonary, can be disjointed for oncology. As part of a broader Oncology Education Initiative emphasizing horizontal integration of cancer education, a didactic lecture by an attending radiation oncologist was incorporated into the core radiology clerkship. This study presents the attitudes of students towards this didactic session. Of the 137 fourth-year students (total n=152) who completed the study, a majority expressed dissatisfaction with their exposure to cancer topics/patients in the pre-clinical years. 91% believed that radiation oncology was important in medical education, but 64% knew little about radiation oncology prior to the Initiative. Afterward, 38% of the students stated that they felt more comfortable managing patients with cancer. 90% reported a better appreciation of multidisciplinary cancer management. 96% felt that the radiology clerkship was an opportune format for this training. Horizontal integration of medical and radiation oncology and radiology was viewed favorably.

Nieder, Gary; Borges, Nicole; Pearson, John

doi: 10.1007/BF03341711pmid: N/A

Content delivery in the basic science curriculum is increasingly accomplished by lectures delivered online. The factors which draw some students to use online resources more than others are beginning to be explored. This project examined the relationship between entering medical students’ online lecture use, exam performance, learning styles, achievement motive and gender. We assessed learning style preference, using the VARK measure, and achievement motive, using the Achievement Motive Scale, then analyzed their online lecture use in our gross anatomy course. Exam scores for males were significantly higher than those of females and a gender effect was apparent (ANOVA) with male use higher than female. Students with higher scores for visual learning viewed lectures more than students with other preferences. There was an effect of Achievement Motive on lecture usage. Students highly motivated to achieve success are also more likely to use lectures. There was no difference in use between students with high or low motivation to avoid failure. Overall, there was a distinct temporal pattern of lecture use by day of the week or by time of day and differences between genders in use by days of the week. We also found a significant effect of success motivation on the temporal pattern of use. Findings of our study suggest a relationship between students’ learning style, motivation and their online lecture use.

Katz, James; Hashefi, Mandana; Hasan, Maryam; Reines, H.; McIntosh, Samantha; Abate, Laura; Halvaksz, Jennifer; Goldman, Ellen

doi: 10.1007/BF03341712pmid: N/A

Principal Objective: We implemented a rheumatology curriculum redesign for second-year medical students. Goal: Our agenda was to emphasize patient contact in the support of learning. Methodology: A testimonial-commentator format of instruction, based on three seminars concerning rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriatic arthritis, was implemented and studied using a multiple case study design. All second year medical students were included in the protocol and none were excluded. Each seminar had two distinct parts. The first half was comprised of a patient’s personal testimonial followed by a pathophysiological overview of the disease. The second half of the seminar was comprised of an expert panel answering the student’s questions as submitted to the moderator during the intervening break. The students completed a post-session structured feedback form and a Likert favorability score (on a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 reflects preference for the new method of teaching). Results: Favorability scores averaged over 3.7, and thereby consistently supported the new teaching method over traditional didactics, seminar by seminar, and year by year, for each of three years. To compare the effectiveness of the new method of instruction versus the traditional method, analysis of the multiple choice final test comparing a control group (previous class) with the intervention group (current class) demonstrated no statistical difference year by year suggesting that the new method was non-inferior to the traditional method. Conclusion: Specific challenges to the implementation of our revised curriculum centered upon creating administrative-level acceptance of the redesigned course. Nevertheless, our curriculum redesign was met with enthusiasm and suffered no loss of learning as compared to traditional didactic methods.

Fernandes, Ashley

doi: 10.1007/BF03341713pmid: N/A

In this commentary, I argue that medical education is the crucial factor that must be developed and reformed if real progress is to be made in the discipline of bioethics in the future. How should we teach bioethics in a way which makes a significant difference to our students? Do they act on what we teach—what they see as real and relevant? To address these critical questions, I first define the pedagogically important relationship between descriptive, deliberative, and prescriptive bioethics, and suggest that descriptive ethics informs the latter two, which in turn relate in a “dynamic equilibrium.” I then outline three important tasks for medical ethics educators over the coming decades: (1) rededication to teaching philosophy in a way which is both engaging and learner-centered; (2) commitment to outcomes-oriented data on the efficacy of teaching bioethics; and (3) responsibility for expanding the vision of bioethics education to encompass the institution in a culture of humanism.