Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to undergraduate medical education globally, with worldwide implementation of social distancing and lock-down measures. This systematic review aims to identify challenges in undergraduate medical education during the pandemic and report creative approaches that have been employed to ensure continuity of education.

Methods: A MEDLINE (PubMed) search was performed for articles published between 1 February 2020 and 1 September 2020, corresponding to the pandemic’s global upsurge. Studies, commentaries, perspectives, and correspondence reporting challenges, adaptations and innovations in undergraduate medical education were screened. Data was grouped in accordance with the research questions it sought to address and analysed qualitatively.

Results: 43 studies were included. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lost opportunities for clinical exposure, reduced motivation, and heightened anxiety among medical students. Traditional teaching and assessment methods have transitioned to virtual platforms, harnessing video conferencing, social media, and virtual or augmented reality technologies. The long-term effectiveness of these solutions is uncertain, but immediate benefits conferred include increased access, improved time management, and cultivation of self-directed learning. The lack of authentic clinical experiences and patient interaction remains a major concern. Technical challenges and digital fatigue were also highlighted as pertinent challenges.

Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has provided unexpected, yet invaluable opportunities to explore new pedagogies that may be instrumental in shaping medical education in the new norm. As future members of the healthcare workforce, medical students should be integrated into current healthcare systems to equip them with knowledge and skills to manage future pandemics.

Keywords:           COVID-19, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Medical Student, Telemedicine

Abstract

Introduction: As young healthcare professionals (HCPs) enter the workforce, they find challenges adapting as academic training and workplace settings often do not mirror each other. Mentorship is a possible solution to help bridge this transition. The aim of this study was to gather information from HCPs with regards to their views towards mentorship as a strategy to help in the transition of newly qualified HCPs from study to work.

Methods: Two 3-hour interactive workshops entitled “Bridging the Study-Work Chasm” were organised, and participants were invited to complete a survey voluntarily after the workshop. The survey comprised questions regarding the benefits of mentorship, qualification of mentors, time commitment for mentoring, elements of an effective mentorship programme, and barriers to its effectiveness. The anonymised responses were analysed descriptively.

Results: Fifty-two out of 62 participants from various healthcare backgrounds completed the survey. 96.2% of respondents felt a study-work chasm exists in the healthcare workplace with 90.4% indicating that a mentorship programme would help to bridge the chasm. More than 70% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that mentoring would boost confidence, reduce anxiety, and aid in study-work transition. It was identified that to produce a more effective mentorship programme, time commitment, training, and proper organisation of the programme would be necessary.

Conclusion: It was perceived that a mentorship programme can help to bridge the study-work chasm in the healthcare landscape in Singapore, and will best serve mentors and mentees by committing the proper time and training to ensure its effectiveness.

Keywords:           Training-Work Transition, Graduate, Healthcare Professionals, Mentorship

Abstract

Introduction:  With the evolution of healthcare needs for the community and the changing trends in medical education in the 21^st century, medical educators need to be prepared for their tasks in the coming decades. Medical educator training is crucial but other factors can also affect the development of their competency. This study aims to measure the impact of the medical educators’ training course and find out the key challenges encountered by the medical educators in Myanmar.

Methods: A retrospective quantitative design was conducted on 45 respondents by four levels of Kirkpatrick’s model assessment consisting of 39 statements and 9 items of key challenges, using five-point Likert scale. The item scores were analysed as mean and standard deviation, ‘t’ test and ANOVA were used for relationship between impact of training and demographic background.

Results: There was significant association between the impact of training and the educational background (p=0.03), job position (p=0.02), and academic year attended (p=0.03). The respondents distinctly agreed that the training increased their knowledge and attitudes and that they could apply the learnt lessons practically in their workplace (minimum 3.75±0.60 and maximum 4.28±0.50). Regarding the key challenges, respondents viewed that their institution needed to support more scholarship opportunities and academic recognition; encourage networking and strengthen ICT-based medical education system (minimum 2.55±0.84 – maximum 4.17±0.71).

Conclusion: This study indicates that enhancing the competency of medical educators with medical educator training programs is effective and useful; but inadequacy of institutional support for faculty development and internet facilities posed challenges in the overall faculty development.

Keywords:           Medical Education, Faculty Development, Impact of Medical Educator’s Training, Kirkpatrick’s Model, Key Challenges

Abstract

Introduction: In paediatric practice, healthcare professionals are required to connect with the child and interact at his/her level. However, it can be very difficult for medical students to put themselves in the shoes of the young child, to empathize and understand how a child actually feels while being treated. The Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) can serve as a platform for medical students to learn how to communicate and empathise with children. Additionally, virtual reality (VR) can be used to portray a child’s viewpoint. This study aims to assess how TBH and VR can improve learning outcomes for medical students.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted on 20 first-year medical students taking part in TBH sessions. The medical students did a Pre-, Post- and 1-year Post-intervention Jefferson Scale of Empathy to assess their empathy levels. They also completed a 1-year Post-intervention quantitative and qualitative survey on their experience.

Results: There was a significant increase in Jefferson score compared to Pre-intervention (116.95 ± 8.19) for both Post-intervention (121.65 ± 11.03) and 1-year Post-intervention (123.31 ± 8.86). More than 80% believed that participating in TBH improved their confidence and ability to interact with children, while 50% felt that VR scenarios helped prepare them for the TBH. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses described (1) Personal development, (2) Insights into interacting with children, and (3) Structure and curriculum.

Conclusion: TBH improved empathy and communication with children among pre-clinical medical students and the use of VR can be used to augment sessions.

Keywords:           Education, Medical Student, Simulation Training, Teddy Bear Hospital, Virtual Reality

Abstract

Introduction: Nurturing preventive-minded dental students has been a fundamental goal of dental education. However, students still struggle to regularly implement preventive concepts such as caries risk assessment into their clinical practice. The objective of this study was to identify areas in the cariology curriculum that could be revised to help address this.

Methods: A total of 10 individuals participated and were divided into two focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was conducted, and key themes were identified based on their frequency of being cited before the final report was produced.

Results: Three major themes emerged: (1) Greater need for integration between the pre-clinical and clinical components of cariology; (2) Limited time and low priority that the clinical phase allows for practising caries prevention; and (3) Differing personal beliefs about the value and effectiveness of caries risk assessment and prevention. Participants cited that while didactics were helpful in providing a foundation, they found it difficult to link the concepts taught to their clinical practice. Furthermore, participants felt that they lacked support from their clinical supervisors, and patients were not always interested in taking action to prevent caries. There was also heterogeneity amongst students with regards to their overall opinion of the effectiveness of preventive concepts.

Conclusion: Nurturing preventive-mindedness amongst dental students may be limited by the current curriculum schedule, the prioritisation of procedural competencies, the lack of buy-in from clinical supervisors, and a perceived lack of relevance of the caries risk assessment protocol and should be addressed through curriculum reviews.

Keywords:           Dental Education, Caries Risk Assessment, Cariology, Preventive Dentistry, Qualitative Study, Clinical Teaching, Cariogram

Abstract

Introduction: We aimed to find out how medical students coped with online learning at home during the COVID 19 pandemic ‘lockdown’.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from July to December 2020, using an online SurveyMonkey Questionnaire®, with four sections: biodata; learning environment; study habits; open comments; sent to 1359 students of the International Medical University, Malaysia. Responses of strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neither agree nor disagree, somewhat agree and strongly agree for the closed-ended questions on the learning environment and study habits, were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Percentages of responses were obtained for the closed ended questions.

Results: There were 323 (23.8%) responses. This included 207 (64%) students from the preclinical semesters 1 – 5 and 116 (36%) students from clinical semesters 6 – 10. Of the respondents, more than 90% had the necessary equipment, 75% had their own personal rooms to study, and 60% had satisfactory internet connections. Several demotivating factors (especially, monotony in studying) and factors that disturbed their studies (especially, tendency to watch television) were also reported.

Conclusion: Although more than 90% of those who responded had the necessary equipment for online learning, about 40% had inadequate facilities for online learning at home and only 75% had personal rooms to study. In addition, there were factors that disturbed and demotivated their online studies.

Keywords:            Online Learning, Self-directed Learning, Self-regulated Learning, Learning Environment, Malaysian Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, clinical attachments for medical and nursing students were temporarily suspended and replaced with online learning. It is unclear how the lack of clinical exposure and the switch to online learning has affected them. This study aims to explore their perceptions of online learning and their preparedness to COVID-19 as clinical postings resumed.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate and graduate medical and nursing students from three local universities, using an online self-administered survey evaluating the following: (1) demographics; (2) attitudes towards online learning; (3) anxieties; (4) coping strategies; (5) perceived pandemic preparedness; and (6) knowledge about COVID-19.

Results: A total of 316 responses were analysed. 81% agreed with the transition to online learning, most citing the need to finish academic requirements and the perceived safety of studying at home. More nursing students than medical students (75.2% vs 67.5% p=0.019) perceived they had received sufficient infection control training. Both groups had good knowledge and coping mechanisms towards COVID-19.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that medical and nursing students were generally receptive to this unprecedented shift to online learning. They appear pandemic ready and can be trained to play an active part in future outbreaks.

Keywords:           Medical Students, Nursing Students, COVID-19, Pandemic, Online Learning, Survey

From exams based on short answer questions and multiple-choice questions with a definite answer keys, to project-based, independent, and problem-oriented studies offered in university, the rapid dive transitioning from pedagogical learning into the world of andragogy within the university, truly is one of the highlights of a scholar’s long journey. A 6 year-long habit of having information spoon-fed into our mind, meticulously studying every Cambridge GCE A-Levels past marking scheme and question papers available on the internet had led me to believe that there always had to be the correct, if not perfect, way of finishing an assignment.

I. INTRODUCTION

After the “To err is human” report in 1999, health care systems have become aware of the serious consequences of failures in health care and have sought to reduce them by enhancing patient safety education. The current medical educators consider that errors are inevitable in clinical practice and think of learning from these errors to improve the quality of the practice and maintain the safety of health care services. This effort on quality improvement and patient safety is now regarded as part of patient safety education. One example is the Morbidity and Mortality conference, a continuous professional development opportunity that had sprung from the efforts of learners to improve practice through the examination of medical errors and unfavourable outcomes. Openness to discussion and study of errors, with a realisation that “errors must not be accepted as a person’s fault”, is central to their message.

I read with great interest the article titled ‘Humanism in Asian medical education – A scoping review’ (Zhu et al., 2021). The article provides an overview of the teaching of humanism in medical schools in Asia. Teaching humanistic values is still not common among Asian medical schools and the published literature is predominantly from a few countries.