Abstract

Introduction: Medical Humanities is the interface of health sciences and humanities and an emerging field of interest. Several papers have outlined the status of this field in the Asian region where a diversity of teaching and learning approaches have been used. We share developments initiated in a Sri Lankan medical school and discuss its relevance to the southern Asian region, especially in using arts in medical humanities.

Methods: Historical records, narratives, grey literature, and published resources were collated to describe the initiative in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo.  The data was collected, synthesized and described especially in the context of the region.

Results: We observe a structured development of medical humanities in the curriculum. The novelty of the curriculum is that it evolving to include wider experiences from the visual and performance arts, in order to achieve the goal of promoting humaneness. The contents were locally developed, based on needs with an indigenous cultural bias giving rise to a unique southern Asian perspective of medical humanities.

Conclusion: There are diverse experiences and initiatives in medical humanities in Asian, and some are not captured in published literature. It is challenging to follow these diverse trends in different locations, share experiences and learn from each other, and place medical humanities in the regional and global maps of health professional education.

Abstract

Introduction: A deep understanding of physiology, physiopathology, pharmacology, and the management of pain is crucial for nurse anaesthetists to ensure the well-being of their patients. Thus, the teaching strategies should enhance the transition from acquiring the fundamental pain phenomena, to developing translational and critical thinking. The aim of the study is to determine if the flipped classroom that is considered an active learning approach is most effective compared to the traditional method in teaching pain management and if it improves students’ academic performance.

Methods: This study was quasi experimental, at a higher institute of nursing professions, among third-year anaesthesia resuscitation nursing students. participants were randomly allocated into either: the flipped classroom group where PBL was used (FG, n = 19), or the traditional lecture-based classroom group (TG, n = 19). The results and impact of the above approach were appreciated via the analysis of the summative assessment of the class group and from the questionnaire submitted to students.

Results: The present study revealed that in the midterm exam, the mean score of the flipped classroom group (14.0) which is significantly higher (p<0.01) than the traditional lecture group (11.9). Moreover, the standard deviation of this latter is slightly higher (2.41) which indicates scores far from the average. Also, a significant difference between the averages of the two approaches in favor of flipped classroom Group was revealed (p<0.01).

Conclusion: The assessment of student’s grades and their appreciation of both teaching approaches showed a preference for the PBL.

Keywords:           Flipped Classroom, Nursing Education, Pain Management, Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

Introduction: Medical students have long provided informal, structured academic support for their peers in parallel with the institution’s formal curriculum, demonstrating a high degree of motivation and engagement for peer teaching. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to examine the perspectives of participants in a pilot peer teaching programme on the effectiveness and feasibility of adapting existing student-initiated peer bedside teaching into formal bedside teaching.

Methods: Study participants were senior medical students who were already providing self-initiated peer-led bedside clinical teaching, clinicians who co-taught bedside clinical skills teaching sessions with the peer teachers and junior students allocated to the bedside teaching sessions led by peer teachers.  Qualitative data were gathered via evaluation form, peer teacher and clinician interviews, as well as the observational field notes made by the research assistant who attended the teaching sessions as an independent observer.  Additionally, a single Likert-scale question on the evaluation form was used to rate teaching effectiveness.

Results: All three peer teachers, three clinicians and 12 students completed the interviews and/or questionnaires. The main themes identified were teaching effectiveness, teaching competency and feasibility. Teaching effectiveness related to the creation of a positive learning environment and a tailored approach. Teaching competency reflected confidence or doubts about peer-teaching, and feasibility subthemes comprised barriers and facilitators.

Conclusion: Students perceived peer teaching effectiveness to be comparable to clinicians’ teaching. Clinical peer teaching in the formal curriculum may be most feasible in a hybrid curriculum that includes both peer teaching and clinician-led teaching with structured training and coordinated timetabling.

Keywords:           Peer Teaching, Undergraduate Medical Education, Bedside Teaching, Medical Students

Abstract

Introduction: Although medical research (MR) is constantly promoted, a global deficit of medical researchers has been noted. We aimed to explore the relationship among practice, perceptions, attitudes, barriers and motivation toward MR and its impacts on MR publication.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 262 senior medical students and interns. An electronic, standardised Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect the data. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the odds ratio between characteristics and MR publication. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to confirm the loading factor of each question, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the relationship between latent variables and MR publication.

Results: Cronbach’s alpha revealed a good internal reliability of 0.93. The accumulated grade point average did not differ between those who had published and those who had not. MR presentations were strongly associated with MR publication. SEM showed that attitudes (0.71, p<0.001) and perceptions (0.27, p<0.001) had a direct effect on practices. Practices (0.49, p<0.001) and attitudes (0.30, p<0.001) had a direct effect on motivation, while motivation had a total effect = 0.36, p<0.001 on MR publication through MR presentation as a mediator.

Conclusion: Positive attitudes and perceptions might lead to positivity in the intention to practice MR, which would lead to motivation and finally increase the odds of MR publication. Different approaches to promote excitement and perceptions in MR learning should be encouraged by teachers and faculty members.

Keywords:           Medical Research, Students, Perceptions, Attitudes, Barriers, Motivation

Abstract

Introduction: Global medical and healthcare education systems are increasingly adopting team-based learning (TBL). TBL is an interactive teaching programme for improving the performance, clinical knowledge, and communication skills of students. The aim of this study is to report the learning experience and satisfaction of participants with the TBL programme in the preclinical years of the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University.

Methods: Following the implementation of TBL in the academic year 2022, we asked 387 preclinical medical students, consisting of 222 Year 2 and 165 Year 3 medical students who attended the TBL class to voluntarily complete a self-assessment survey.

Results: Overall, 95.35% of the students were satisfied with the structure of the TBL course and agreed to attend the next TBL class. The overall satisfaction score was also high (4.44 ± 0.627). In addition, the students strongly agreed that the TBL programme improved their communication skills (4.50 ± 0.796), learning improvement (4.41 ± 0.781), and enthusiasm for learning (4.46 ± 0.795).

Conclusion: The survey findings indicated that students valued TBL-based learning since it enabled them to collaborate and embrace learning while perhaps enhancing their study abilities. However, since this is a pilot study, further investigations are warranted.

Keywords:           Team-based Learning, Small Group Interaction, Medical Education, Implementation

Abstract

Introduction: The global COVID-19 pandemic had greatly affected the delivery of medical education, where institutions had to convert to remote learning almost immediately. This study aimed to measure undergraduate medical students’ readiness and factors associated with readiness for remote learning.

Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted amongst undergraduate medical students using the Blended Learning Readiness Engagement Questionnaire, during the pandemic where lessons had to be delivered fully online in 2020. 

Results: 329 students participated in the study. Mean scores for remote learning readiness were 3.61/4.00 (technology availability), 3.60 (technology skills), 3.50 (technology usage), 3.35 (computer and internet efficacy), and 3.03 (self-directed learning). Male students appeared more ready for remote learning than females, in the dimensions of self-directed learning and computer and internet efficacy. Students in the pre-clinical years showed a lower level of readiness in the technology availability domain compared to clinical students. The lowest score however was in the self-directed learning dimension regardless of the students’ year of studies.

Conclusion: The pandemic had created a paradigm shift in the delivery of the medical program which is likely to remain despite resumption of daily activities post-pandemic. Support for student readiness in transition from instructor-driven learning models to self-directed learning models is crucial and requires attention by institutions of higher learning. Exploring methods to improve self-directed learning and increase availability of technology and conducting sessions to improve computer and internet efficacy can be considered in the early stages of pre-clinical years to ensure equitable access for all students.

Keywords:            Remote Learning, Student’s Readiness, Medical Education

Portfolio has been used since the early 15^th century to showcase designs, and folders of work for architectural, artistic and financial purposes. Though the method of delivering a portfolio has shifted over the years from a “folder of loose papers” to “electronic portfolios” with the advent of technology; the crux of portfolios has remained the same. The purpose of portfolio to allow for a personalised approach for each individual to showcase their knowledge, professional values and skills has remained constant over the past hundreds of years. (Buckley et al., 2009) The usage of portfolio in medical education has been thought to give students more responsibilities for their own learning and development and aid in stimulating the reflective thought process (Driessen et al., 2003). Moreover, portfolio has been considered being a more holistic approach to assessing students in medicine, which allows a broader method in assessment rather than a ‘snap-shot’ examination (Van Tartwijk & Driessen, 2009).

Health Professional Education has considerably evolved over the years. Traditional classroom teaching has shifted to blended learning modalities, and clinical teaching has embraced virtual reality and simulation-based learning.

Education is poised for another major change with the development of artificial intelligence (AI) models that can emulate human-like intelligent behaviour, particularly in the field of large language models (LLM) that are capable of generating text in response to user input. There has been remarkable progress in the development of these models, with each iteration having an increasing ability to generate human-like responses to user input.

I. INTRODUCTION

International medical electives are a central component of the academic curriculum in many medical schools and universities worldwide (Storz, 2022). As short-term clinical immersion experiences, abroad electives are essential in connecting medical faculties and academic hospitals around the globe. They foster cross-cultural exchange, medical skill training, as well as professional identity formation (Imafuku et al., 2021; Storz, 2022). From a global health perspective, abroad electives provide medical students with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of healthcare and medical education in an international context.

It was found that the excess mortality rate for U.S. physicians was considerably lower during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the general population, but more physicians died than expected when compared to pre-pandemic levels. These results suggest that appropriate infection control measures can reduce mortality; however, additional measures are needed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been many reports of burnout among healthcare professionals (HCPs). Although no causal relationship has been established, it is acknowledged that it would be difficult to pay attention to mental health issues and the creation of a healthy work environment during a pandemic.

Dear Editor,

We read the article titled ‘Involving stakeholders in re-imagining a medical curriculum’ (Foster, 2022) with great interest. We would like to share our experiences and extend the importance of stakeholder involvement in postgraduate health professions education programmes (PGHPE). These programmes are utilised by educators for skills development, career progressions and advancement of health professions education across various health professions. Our institution started accredited PGHPE programmes in 2018 to equip health professional educators within and outside our institution with competencies to deliver evidence-based education and impact graduate outcomes positively. Our curriculum review conducted in early 2023, began with a stakeholder engagement meeting involving students, facilitators, alumni, employers, and ‘institutional partners’ (national and international HPE experts). Focus group discussions were held on four areas: (1) HPE ‘Industry’ institutional Needs and Graduate Competencies, (2) Student Experience, (3) Scholarship in HPE, and (4) Inter-Institutional Partnership and Collaboration.