Coercion Authorship: Ubiquitous and Preventable.

Coercion authorship (CA), typically enforced by principal investigators, has detrimental effects on graduate students, young researchers, and the entire scientific endeavor. Although CA is ubiquitous, its occurrence and major determinants have been mainly explored among graduate students and junior scientists in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark where the ratio of CA ranged from 13 to 40%. In addition to lacking comparable figures, developing countries usually lack institutional plans for promoting integrity and effective deterrents against CA and other malpractices. Hence, universities and research centers therein must publish their authorship policies and implement specific strategies to instruct graduate students, junior scientists, and experienced researchers on integrity, publishing ethics, and responsible authorship. Finally, I remark that the primary responsibility of principal researchers to promote fair authorship practices and discourage unfair ones is even greater when it comes to CA due to the asymmetrical power relationship between senior authors and novice scientists.

Internal Consistency and Application of a Mentee Survey to Assess Mentor Competencies in an Academic Medical Center across Demographic Groups.

The National Academies of Science stresses the importance of research mentoring. We assessed the internal consistency and application of a novel 33 item mentor evaluation survey and explored differences across subgroups. The survey was administered annually to mentees. The response rate was 17.8% for a sample of 710 respondents. The survey exhibited strong internal validity with Cronbach Alpha > 0.89 for each subscale. Overall scores across the three domains were high. Basic Science trainees scored their mentor significantly lower than those in Translational or Clinical Science across domains (0.11-0.25 points). Underrepresented Racial Ethnic Groups (UREG) trainee scores were significantly lower in academic guidance and personal communication. Women had lower scores in 4 out of 5 domains. The survey is a modified instrument to assess mentee experience, although further validation against mentee outcomes is needed.

Supervisor's neuroticism and problematic Internet use among graduate students: the mediating role of supervisor-student relationship quality and the moderating role of fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Graduate students exhibit vulnerability to problematic Internet use, which can result in adverse physical, psychological, and social consequences. However, limited studies have addressed this issue among graduate students, and even fewer have explored the unique factors contributing to their problematic Internet use. Therefore, to address this gap, the current study aims to probe the relationship between supervisor's neuroticism and problematic Internet use among graduate students, the mediating effect of the supervisor-student relationship quality, as well as the moderating effect of fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 at three universities in Beijing, China. Anonymous data from 448 graduate students were collected regarding problematic Internet use, supervisor's neuroticism, supervisor-student relationship quality, and the fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. A moderated mediation analysis was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 14). RESULTS: Supervisor's neuroticism was positively linked to graduate students' problematic Internet use, supervisor-student relationship quality mediated the linkage, and fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation played a moderating role in the second stage. Specifically, for students lower in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation, supervisor-student relationship quality negatively predicted students' problematic Internet use. While for the graduate students higher in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation, supervisor-student relationship quality could not significantly predict students' problematic Internet use. The mediating effect was only significant for graduate students lower in fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: This study established a theoretical model linking supervisor's neuroticism to graduate students' problematic Internet use, highlighting the potential roles of supervisor-student relationship quality and fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation. Reducing the neuroticism level of the supervisor, enhancing the quality of the supervisor-student relationship, and mitigating students' fear of the supervisor's negative evaluation will contribute to the reduction of problematic Internet use among graduate students.

20 years of choices: a fight for increased funding for graduate students.

After 20 years of stagnation, federal scholarships have finally been increased within the new budget of the Canadian government. Tuition fees, inflation, and costs of living kept rising, which has resulted a rising number of graduate students in the life sciences living below poverty line, despite working far more than 40 h a week on science research in Canada. This does not only negatively affect the students research projects and thus science and innovation in Canada, but also their downstream decisions on whether to continue a research career in Canada and what jobs and economic endeavors to pursue. Graduate students are not just a line item in the budgets of universities, but integral for science and innovation, as well as the future high-quality personnel of the country. This importance should be reflected in all stipends and salaries of graduate students, not just the ones with a government scholarship.

Perception of Plagiarism Among Medical Postgraduate Students: An Observational Study.

Introduction Plagiarism is appropriating another person's ideas, words, results, or processes without giving appropriate credit and usually claiming them to be one's own. Thus, plagiarism is a dishonest act of fraud or cheating. Objectives The objective of this study is to assess the perception of plagiarism among medical postgraduate (PG) students. Materials & Methods: An educational observational study was conducted among second-year PG students about the perception of plagiarism by using pre-test and post-test questionnaires after an orientation session on plagiarism and data analysis before the start of dissertation analysis. Questions included were on awareness and attitude towards plagiarism.  Results A survey involving 91 PG students assessed their understanding of plagiarism. Remarkably, the majority (97.7%) demonstrated awareness of plagiarism, yet only 18.6% had authored a published article. It was discovered that about 30% of the students had resorted to plagiarism at some point during their academic pursuits. Approximately 70.9% of the PG students were acquainted with the University's plagiarism policy. The survey highlighted a notable enhancement in plagiarism awareness among PG students, with their attitudes toward plagiarism evolving after participating in the session. Conclusion Plagiarism can be avoided by implementing rigorous guidelines, ensuring strict policy adherence, and providing comprehensive training before commencing work. Training, retraining, and strict institute policies will help increase awareness about plagiarism and reduce the percentage of plagiarism in scientific writing.

Associations Between Food Insecurity and Diet Quality Among Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees in the Health Sciences at a Private University in Boston: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Food insecurity is a pivotal determinant of health outcomes. Little evidence exists on the association between food insecurity and health behaviors and outcomes, including diet quality, among graduate students or postdoctoral trainees. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the association between food insecurity and diet quality among graduate students and postdoctoral trainees at 3 health-focused graduate schools (public health, medical, and dental medicine) within Harvard University. Methods: Between April and June 2023, 1287 graduate students and 458 postdoctoral trainees at the health-focused schools within Harvard University completed a web-based survey. The primary exposure was food security status, assessed using the United States Household Food Security Survey Module. The primary outcome was diet quality, measured using the 30-day Prime Diet Quality Score screener (ranges from 0 to 126, with higher scores indicating healthier diets). The associations between food insecurity and diet quality were examined using multivariable regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. Results: Among graduate students, compared with those with high food security, diet quality was significantly lower among those experiencing marginal food security [ß: -4.7; 95% confidence interval (CI): -6.5, -2.9], low food security (ß: -5.4; 95% CI: -7.6, -3.3), and very low food security (ß: -4.4; 95% CI: -7.4, -1.4). Poor diet quality included lower intake frequencies of vegetables, fruits, beans/peas/soy products, nuts/seeds, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy, and liquid oils, and higher intake frequencies of refined grains/baked products, sugar-sweetened beverages, and fried foods. Among postdoctoral trainees, compared with those with high food security, diet quality was significantly lower among those experiencing low food security (ß: -5.1; 95% CI: -8.8, -1.4), and very low food security (ß: -5.2; 95% CI: -10.2, -0.2). Poor diet quality included lower intake frequencies of dark green leafy vegetables, other fruits, and whole grains. Conclusions: Graduate students and postdoctoral trainees who experienced degrees of food insecurity reported lower diet quality. These observations underscore the need for policies and interventions to simultaneously reduce food insecurity and improve diet quality.

Impact of Basic Course in Biomedical Research (BCBR) on Medical Teachers and Postgraduate Students Across India: A Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study.

Introduction Despite world-class medical facilities and clinical expertise in India, various challenges have hampered biomedical research, including limited funding, overburdened healthcare professionals, and inadequate research infrastructure. The National Medical Commission (NMC) has recognized the need to enhance research capabilities in the medical community and mandated the Basic Course in Biomedical Research (BCBR). This study evaluates the impact of BCBR on medical teachers and postgraduate students across India. Methods A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among 245 participants who completed BCBR, out of 1,187 who were sent the questionnaire. A structured questionnaire collected data on demographics, motivations for taking the course, knowledge and skills improvement, and research output. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29.0 (Released 2022; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Participants included diverse age groups, with motivations ranging from regulatory compliance to a genuine desire for research knowledge. The majority scored over 70% in the course, indicating substantial knowledge improvement. BCBR positively influenced research output with increased research proposal submissions, publications, and improved thesis mentoring. The analysis showed that participants' designations and branches of study significantly affected course performance, while gender did not. The study revealed a strong correlation between pre-course and post-course performance across various research topics. Conclusion BCBR, mandated by the NMC, not only fulfills regulatory requirements but also promotes a research culture in India's medical community.

Suicide among national university graduate students in Japan from 2002 to 2021.

Aim: Graduate students are exposed to various types of stress. Thus, they are prone to mental health problems, and the most devastating result is suicide. The aim of this paper is to reveal the status of suicide among graduate students in Japan for 20 years. Methods: We analyzed cumulative data on suicide among national university graduate students from annual surveys on causes of non-graduation in Japan for the 2002-2003 through 2021-2022 academic years. We asked all national universities with graduate schools to complete the surveys, and the participation rate was 91.1%. Results: The total number of students in the surveys was 2,383,858, and the number of deaths by suicide was 347 (292 males, 55 females). Chi-squared test results showed significantly higher suicide mortality rates for the following groups: male (p < 0.001), temporary leave (p < 0.001), repeating the same year (p = 0.006), master's level (p = 0.005), and majoring in engineering (p < 0.001). Psychiatric diagnoses were detected among 44 students (12.7%). The largest distribution (27 cases) of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes among those whose diagnoses were evident was F3, mood disorders. Estimated motives for suicide were reported for only 36 students (10.4%), of which the most prevalent was job search failure. The most prevalent suicide method was hanging (151 cases, 43.5%). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that student support facilities should recognize higher-risk groups for suicide among graduate students. Our study adds suggestions for suicide prevention on campus during future pandemics.

Masters students' satisfaction with academic supervision and experiences of mental and emotional distress and wellbeing.

Objective: This paper presents a nuanced exploration of the relationship between graduate supervision and students' wellbeing. Methods: This study is a two-part mixed-methods survey study. Part 1 is a quantitative examination of the impact of satisfaction on different measures of mental and emotional distress (stress, depressive feelings, burnout) and wellbeing (satisfaction with life, intrinsic motivation) of Masters students. Part 2 is a qualitative exploration of the elements to which students attribute their degree of satisfaction with supervision, providing insight into students' experiences of this important professional relationship. Results: The results show that satisfaction with supervision is related to student experiences of stress, burnout, satisfaction with life and intrinsic motivation, but not to depression symptoms. Conclusions: Supervision is related to many facets of graduate student mental health.

Graduate and Health Professional Student Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behavior Related to Human Papillomavirus and Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection. Despite a safe and effective vaccine, uptake continues to be suboptimal. Recently, focus has moved to college campuses in an effort to increase vaccination rates. Little is known about the extent of efforts to reach graduate students on college campuses in the United States and the vaccination rates within this subpopulation. This scoping review assessed the literature on knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about HPV and HPV vaccination among graduate and post-baccalaureate professional students in the United States. This review also aims to identify areas for further research to improve institutions' abilities to create health programming to increase HPV awareness and HPV vaccination coverage on their campuses. Publications focusing on knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about HPV and HPV vaccination in post-baccalaureate students were included. The systematic review of PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase identified 2562 articles, and 56 articles met all inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review. A majority of the reviewed studies investigated some combination of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs about HPV and the HPV vaccine in students in professional programs such as medicine. Study design approaches were primarily cross-sectional, utilizing web-based survey distribution methods. HPV vaccination status and HPV screening behaviors were primarily measured through participant self-report. There is limited research investigating post-baccalaureate student knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about HPV and HPV vaccination. There is a need for researchers to further investigate the needs of graduate students to create informative and effective HPV programming.

Changes in Mental Health among Japanese University Students during the COVID-19 Era: Differences by College Department, Graduate Level, Sex, and Academic Year.

This study compared the effects of academic year, college department, and undergraduate or graduate status on Japanese students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2021-2023, an online survey was conducted using the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Systems-Japanese (CCAPS-Japanese) to evaluate students' mental health; 9395 undergraduate students (4623 female, 4772 male) and 1169 graduate students (380 female, 789 male) responded. Undergraduate students in medicine had lower levels of depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety than those in other departments. Engineering students exhibited the highest level of academic distress. First-year students had the highest levels of generalized and social anxiety but the lowest level of academic distress. Second-year students had the lowest level of depression, and third-year students had the highest level of academic distress. Among graduate students, first-year students had higher levels of depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, academic distress, and hostility than second-year students. Undergraduates had poorer mental health than graduate students. Females had higher levels of eating concerns than males among undergraduate students. This study revealed that the mental health of university students was affected by various factors. These findings demonstrate the characteristics of university students requiring early support.

Bystander intervention for problematic alcohol use among graduate and international students: opportunities and challenges.

OBJECTIVES: Bystander intervention (BI) is a prevention approach commonly used for interpersonal violence, but is less studied for problematic alcohol use (PAU). Domestic graduate and international students' life experiences bring a unique context for the potential application of BI to PAU. METHODS AND MEASURES: We conducted a mixed methods study that consisted of a needs assessment and focus groups at a southeastern university in the U.S. The aims of this study were to understand (1) differences in PAU BI opportunities for domestic graduate versus international students, (2) reasons for differences in PAU BI use, and (3) barriers/facilitators in use of PAU BI. RESULTS: Overall, participants had few opportunities to use BI. Domestic graduate students had slightly more opportunities compared to international students. Most prominent reasons for lack of opportunities included not wanting to drive, the cost of drinking, and holding a graduate student identity (e.g. not interested in heavy drinking). Trusting others to be responsible for themselves was a common barrier noted for not using BI for PAU. CONCLUSION: PAU BI programs should contextualize experiences of domestic graduate and international students to provide appropriate skill development that considers unique barriers and facilitators to intervention use.

Developing a mentoring program to support the next generation of immunologists.

Mentorship refers to the guidance given by a mentor to a less experienced individual to enhance their professional and personal development. For graduate research students, seeking independent mentors external to their institution offers the rewarding opportunity to obtain objective guidance on a variety of work, study and life matters. This article outlines the steps taken to develop a professional society-based, international mentoring program of over 70 participants. This 6-month program aimed to connect graduate research students with more senior academic scientists in response to the limited networking opportunities imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Australia. Outlined here are the resources used to maximize the potential of this successful program, which include (1) an 'Introduction to Mentoring' workshop, (2) the use of a mentoring software or communication strategy to maintain program momentum and (3) the integration of in-person networking events. Overall, the program was a great success, with a high satisfaction rating (8.7/10) and a large number of participants reported that they would maintain their mentoring relationship. All participants stated that they would recommend the program to a peer, and thus reiterations of the program would likely be similarly well-received and beneficial to the Australasian immunology community.

Can't stop won't stop: problematic phone use, sleep quality, and mental health in U.S. Graduate students.

OBJECTIVE: Prior work has suggested the impact of problematic phone use on the mental health of graduate students. This research explores the mediating effect of sleep quality on this link. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 186 graduate students from the United States were collected using an online data acquisition platform. Graduate study areas represented a wide range of subjects. METHODS: Participants completed questionnaires about problematic phone use, sleep quality, and both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Phone use was further broken down into time spent on specific phone applications. RESULTS: Analyses revealed significant indirect effects from problematic phone use to both depression and anxiety through diminished sleep quality. Effects were stronger for individuals who spent higher amounts of time on social media applications. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that U.S. graduate students are particularly prone to the negative effects of problematic phone use. Implications for interventions in graduate programs are discussed.

AI Chatbots in Chinese higher education: adoption, perception, and influence among graduate students-an integrated analysis utilizing UTAUT and ECM models.

This study is centered on investigating the acceptance and utilization of AI Chatbot technology among graduate students in China and its implications for higher education. Employing a fusion of the UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) model and the ECM (Expectation-Confirmation Model), the research seeks to pinpoint the pivotal factors influencing students' attitudes, satisfaction, and behavioral intentions regarding AI Chatbots. The study constructs a model comprising seven substantial predictors aimed at precisely foreseeing users' intentions and behavior with AI Chatbots. Collected from 373 students enrolled in various universities across China, the self-reported data is subject to analysis using the partial-least squares method of structural equation modeling to confirm the model's reliability and validity. The findings validate seven out of the eleven proposed hypotheses, underscoring the influential role of ECM constructs, particularly "Confirmation" and "Satisfaction," outweighing the impact of UTAUT constructs on users' behavior. Specifically, users' perceived confirmation significantly influences their satisfaction and subsequent intention to continue using AI Chatbots. Additionally, "Personal innovativeness" emerges as a critical determinant shaping users' behavioral intention. This research emphasizes the need for further exploration of AI tool adoption in educational settings and encourages continued investigation of their potential in teaching and learning environments.

Using reflective practice to support PhD students in the biosciences.

Postgraduate study can be mentally, physically and emotionally challenging. The levels of anxiety and depression in postgraduate students are much higher than those in the general population, and isolation can also be a problem, especially for students who are marginalised due to gender, race, sexuality, disability or being a first-generation and/or international student. These challenges are not new, but awareness of them has increased over the past decade, as have efforts by institutions to make students feel supported. Under the umbrella of a Doctoral Training Partnership, we developed a programme in which reflective practice is employed to help postgraduate students navigate work environments, deal with difficult supervisory or professional relationships, and improve their work-life balance. Additionally, this reflective practice is allowing the training partnership to tailor support to its students, enabling them to effectively nurture our next generation of bioscientists.

A roadmap to address stress in graduate students: How to develop and disseminate a student-led single-session evidence based intervention.

Objective: This manuscript describes an evidence-based, student-led, single-session group intervention to support emotional wellbeing among graduate students. The present objective is to provide a roadmap for other universities. Participants: Key participants include clinical psychology graduate students (leader and workshop facilitators), faculty supervisor, representatives from receiving departments or schools, and institutional advocates. Methods: The two-hour workshop was based on four core transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral skills, including psychoeducation about emotions, mindful emotional awareness, cognitive flexibility, and behavior change. The workshop was designed and continues to be led by trained graduate students. Results: Key steps and lessons learned are presented for the exploration, preparation, implementation, and sustainment phases. Conclusions: This program has the potential to be flexibly replicated at other universities to assist with graduate student mental health. It provides unique supports for recipients and unique training opportunities for student facilitators.

The Associations Between Drinking Motives and Alcohol-Related Consequences in Graduate Students from Universities in the United States.

Many college students "mature out" of heavy drinking when they graduate. Yet, those who go onto graduate education report engaging in problematic drinking patterns. Drinking motives are one factor that uniquely predicts problematic drinking patterns in college students. Evidence suggests that these unique associations also generalize to individuals' post-college, specifically between drinking motives and specific alcohol-related consequences. However, no research to date has examined the association between drinking motives and alcohol-related consequences in graduate students. The current study aimed to examine the unique associations between drinking motives, and drinks per week and specific alcohol-related consequences. Participants included 330 graduate students from various universities in the United States, recruited through social media. The majority of participants were White (71.3%), 54.9% female identifying, with a mean age of 26. Results revealed that conformity motives were positively associated with drinks per week, self-control consequences, self-care consequences, risky consequences, academic/occupational consequences, and blackout consequences. Social motives were negatively associated with interpersonal consequences and academic/occupational consequences. Enhancement motives were negatively associated with drinks per week, and positively associated with academic/occupational consequences. However, coping motivation was not associated with any of the outcomes. These findings highlight the need to further understand how drinking motives influence specific types of alcohol-related consequences as these associations change post-college. Results can be used to better inform future prevention and interventions for this population.

The experiences of international students in a Canadian faculty of nursing: A narrative inquiry study.

BACKGROUND: In response to the global need for nursing faculty, and nurses in leadership and advanced clinical practice roles, students from different countries come to Canada for their graduate nursing education. The positive reputation and the perceived advantages of the education system are particularly compelling to applicants from the countries located in the Global South. However, these students come from different social, historical, political, cultural, and educational backgrounds that deeply influence their learning experiences in Canada. OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY: The aim of this narrative inquiry study was to understand the experiences of international graduate nursing students. The focus was to unravel two puzzles of this inquiry: What stories across social, historical, political, cultural, and educational borders shaped students' identities and ways of knowing? How did the experience in Canada impact their identities? SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants were invited from a Master of Nursing program at a research-intensive University in Western Canada. METHODS: Participants engaged in series of conversations over a period of one year. RESULTS: Multiplicity of borders and identity making, border making, and border crossing, were the threads that resonated across the narrative accounts. CONCLUSION: These narrative threads provided insights into the lived experiences of tensions, the shifting of identities, and the day-to-day challenges that international students face while learning in Canada. Being aware of these experiences and acknowledging them could be a significant stride towards addressing the issues of racism, inequity, and exclusion for international students within Canadian graduate nursing education.

Mandatory COVID Vaccination: Perspectives from Graduate Allied Health Students at a Mid-size University in the United States.

Because many students enrolled in Allied Health programs are on track to becoming health practitioners or clinicians and frontline workers who would become critical sources of information for patients it is critical to understand their perspectives about mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. Results: COVID-19 Risk Perception. A significant majority of the respondents had high or strongly high-risk perception of COVID-19, 82(56.6%) strongly agreed and 29(20%) agreed with the statement, COVID-19 is a public health issue (P-value < 0.0001), Comparing by demographic characteristics: African American/Black compared with other races (P-Value = 0.0462), Master of Public Health program, compared with all other graduate programs (P-Value = 0.0140) and fully vaccinated and fully vaccinated and boosted compared with incomplete or not-vaccinated for COVID-19 (P-value = 0.0059) had higher COVID-19 risk perceptions. strongly high-risk perception of COVID-19, 82(56.6%) strongly agreed and 29(20%) agreed with the statement, COVID-19 is a public health issue (P-value < 0.0001), Comparing by demographic characteristics: African American/Black compared with other races (P-Value = 0.0462), Master of Public Health program, compared with all other graduate programs (P-Value = 0.0140) and fully vaccinated and fully vaccinated and boosted compared with incomplete or not-vaccinated for COVID-19 (P-value = 0.0059) had higher COVID-19 risk perceptions.