A practical guide for writing a PhD thesis.

There is an increasing number of PhD students in health sciences, but no formal reporting guideline for writing a thesis exists. This review provides a practical guide with an overview of the article-based/synopsis PhD thesis that consists of eight parts: 1) initial formalities, 2) introduction, 3) methodological considerations, 4) study presentations, 5) discussion, 6) conclusion, 7) perspectives, and 8) concluding formalities. It is elaborated with detailed information, practical advice, and a template, so the thesis complies with the demands of the Danish Graduate Schools of Health Sciences.

Inquiry in psychology.

When they discuss the Danish academic situation, Szulevicz, Lund and Lund (2021) address three questions about the academic training of psychology researchers: (a) why do Danish master's students in psychology more frequently choose the qualitative method for their research?; (b) what are psychology students working on?; and (c) what are they interested in? These three questions have led us to reflect on researcher training and the political and educational model universities adopt for psychology master's courses, not only in the Danish context, but also in other general contexts. In this commentary, we will discuss one strictly normative issue: what should the scientific ideal be for training researchers in psychology? Or more accurately: how can psychology contribute to discussions about the scientific ideal of researcher training in this knowledge area?

Reflexiones sobre el primer programa de magister en física médica en diagnóstico por imagen de Chile / Reflections on the first master's degree on physics in diagnostic imaging from Chile

El objetivo del presente artículo de actualización será dar a conocer el nuevo programa de postgrado desarrollado denominado Magíster en Física Médica en diagnóstico por imagen, describiendo sus principales características y proponiendo algunas reflexiones. Este programa tiene la particularidad de permitir el acceso a diferentes Licenciados provenientes de las áreas de la Salud, Ingenierías o Ciencias. El plan de trabajo para este programa es de dos años, contempla cuatro semestres, con 91 créditos transferibles (SCT) por concepto de cursos y 27 SCT dedicados a la tesis. Dando un total de 118 SCT. Los Físicos Médicos son profesionales con formación académica de postgrado y entrenamiento clínico, que forman parte del grupo multidisciplinario profesional responsable del diagnóstico y tratamiento de pacientes, garantizando la calidad de los aspectos técnicos que intervienen en los procesos, la efectividad y la seguridad de los mismos, reduciendo así la probabilidad de accidentes. El programa de Magíster en Física Médica en diagnóstico por imagen de la Universidad de Tarapacá abre sus puertas para profesionales que se interesen a recibir esta formación única en Chile y ayudar en la tarea de hacer cada día del diagnóstico por imagen, una actividad más segura para los pacientes, profesionales y el público en general.

The main objective of this updating article is to present the latest Post-graduated developed program named " Master in Medical Physics in image diagnosting", describing its main characteristics and proposing some reflections about it. This program is focused on different graduates from the Health, Engineering or Science field. The study plan for this program is two years, including four semesters with 91 transferable credits for courses and 27 SCT dedicated to the thesis with a total of 118 SCT. Medical Physicists are professionals with postgraduate academic and clinical training, which is part of the professional multidisciplinary group that is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of patients, guaranteeing the quality of the technical areas involved in the processes, the effectiveness and safety, and reducing the probability of accidents. This program of "Universidad de Tarapaca" is open to professionals that are interested in receiving unique training in Chile and in helping to provide accurate and safe imaging diagnosis to patients on a daily basis.

A Randomized Study to Assess the Effect of Including the Graduate Record Examinations Results on Reviewer Scores for Underrepresented Minorities.

Whether requiring Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) results for doctoral applicants affects the diversity of admitted cohorts remains uncertain. This study randomized applications to 2 population-health doctoral programs at the University of California San Francisco to assess whether masking reviewers to applicant GRE results differentially affects reviewers' scores for underrepresented minority (URM) applicants from 2018-2020. Applications with GRE results and those without were randomly assigned to reviewers to designate scores for each copy (1-10, 1 being best). URM was defined as self-identification as African American/Black, Filipino, Hmong, Vietnamese, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander. We used linear mixed models with random effects for the applicant and fixed effects for each reviewer to evaluate the effect of masking the GRE results on the overall application score and whether this effect differed by URM status. Reviewer scores did not significantly differ for unmasked versus masked applications among non-URM applicants (ß = 0.15; 95% CI: -0.03, 0.33) or URM applicants (ß = 0.02, 95% CI: -0.49, 0.54). We did not find evidence that removing GREs differentially affected URM compared with non-URM students (ß for interaction = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.55, 0.29). Within these doctoral programs, results indicate that GRE scores neither harm nor help URM applicants.

Postgraduate Employment Outcomes of Undergraduate and Graduate Public Health Students : A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVES: A key goal of schools and programs of public health is to prepare graduates for careers in the public health workforce after graduation, but are they achieving this goal? We assessed how the employment outcomes of students earning public health degrees are collected and described in the literature. METHODS: Using the Kirkpatrick model of training evaluation as a framework, we conducted a 6-step scoping review: (1) formulating the research question, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting studies, (4) charting the data, (5) collating and summarizing the results, and (6) consulting stakeholders. We included articles published from January 1, 1993, through July 4, 2020, that provided data on employment status, employment sector/industry, job function, or salary of public health graduates. We excluded articles that were not written in English and were about dual-degree (ie, doctor of medicine-master of public health) students. We found and reviewed 630 articles. RESULTS: We found 33 relevant articles. Most articles focused on a single school and combined multiple graduating classes, focused on subspecializations of public health, or focused on graduates' satisfaction with their curriculum but not employment outcomes. Data were inconsistently categorized, and studies were difficult to compare. CONCLUSIONS: Research on public health graduates' employment outcomes is scarce and does not follow consistent protocols. New standards should be adopted to systematize the collection of data on employment outcomes of public health graduates.

Establishing a postgraduate programme in nutritional epidemiology to strengthen resource capacity, academic leadership and research in the democratic republic of Congo.

BACKGROUND: Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC) face considerable health and nutrition challenges, many of which can be addressed through strong academic leadership and robust research translated into evidence-based practice. A North-South-South partnership between three universities was established to implement a master's programme in nutritional epidemiology at the Kinshasa School of Public Health (KSPH), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The partnership aimed to develop academic leadership and research capacity in the field of nutrition in the DRC. In this article we describe the educational approach and processes used, and discuss successes, challenges, and lessons learned. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires, which included both open and closed questions, were sent to all graduates and students on the master's programme to explore students' experiences and perceptions of all aspects of the educational programme. Quantitative data was analysed using frequencies, and a thematic approach was used to analyse responses to open-ended questions. RESULTS: A two-year master's programme in Nutritional Epidemiology was established in 2014, and 40 students had graduated by 2020. Key elements included using principles of authentic learning, deployment of students for an internship at a rural residential research site, and support of selected students with bursaries. Academic staff from all partner universities participated in teaching and research supervision. The curriculum and teaching approach were well received by most students, although a number of challenges were identified. Most students reported benefits from the rural internship experience but were challenged by the isolation of the rural site, and felt unsupported by their supervisors, undermining students' experiences and potentially the quality of the research. Financial barriers were also reported as challenges by students, even among those who received bursaries. CONCLUSION: The partnership was successful in establishing a Master Programme in Nutritional Epidemiology increasing the number of nutrition researchers in the DRC. This approach could be used in other LMIC settings to address health and nutrition challenges.

Characterizing standardized patients and genetic counseling graduate education.

Standardized patients (SPs) are laypersons trained to portray patients, family members, and others in a consistent, measurable manner to teach and assess healthcare students, and to provide practice for emotionally and medically challenging cases. SP methodology has been studied with practicing genetic counselors; however, there is minimal empirical evidence characterizing its use in genetic counseling (GC) education. The Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) Standards of Accreditation for Graduate Programs in Genetic Counseling include SP sessions as one way to achieve up to 20% of the 50 participatory cases required for graduation. The purpose of the current project was to determine the scope, frequency, and timing of SP methodology in ACGC-accredited programs to establish baseline usage, which happened prior to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A 40-item investigator-created survey was developed to document the scope and frequency of SP use among programs. The survey was distributed through the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors' (AGCPD) listserv to 43 accredited and 6 programs under development. Surveys were analyzed from 25 accredited programs (response rate = 58%). Seventeen of these programs report inclusion of SP methodology in the curricula (68%), of which 13 report working with an established SP program. SPs are used predominantly for role-plays (70.6%), individualized instruction and remediation (29.4%), and for other reasons such as lecture demonstration, final examinations, practicing skills, and assessing students' goals. Sixteen of the participating programs use SPs to give GC students experience disclosing positive test results. Other details vary among the GC programs including the use of trained SPs, volunteer or paid SPs, actors with and without SP training, or GC students acting as patients. This study demonstrates that GC program SP experiences differ, but are largely viewed as valuable by the programs. Many GC programs report using SP encounters to create multiple opportunities for students to practice and refine clinical skills similar to SPs in medical school.

Understanding Student Preferences in the Selection of a Graduate Allied Health Program: A Conjoint Analysis Study.

ISSUE: As the healthcare landscape rapidly changes, graduate allied health programs must position themselves to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals in a highly competitive landscape. No studies have directly measured the relative importance of attributes in program selection by prospective healthcare students. METHODS: We surveyed graduate healthcare management program applicants in the 2018 admissions cycle (n=512) to determine which attributes were most important in program choice. We utilized conjoint analysis to estimate utilities and importance scores of six attributes: program ranking, cost, work experience, geography, distance to home, and salary. We then conducted a market simulation to predict relative market share of academic programs. OUTCOMES: The most important attribute to prospective students was the projected starting salary, with US News and World Report ranking and tuition cost the second and third most important attributes, respectively. Each attribute was relatively inelastic respective to tuition cost. CONCLUSION: While future leaders placed the most value on earnings when selecting a program, they also valued rankings and cost. By focusing on these factors, programs can target their marketing efforts to recruit the best potential future healthcare leaders, while this method can be replicated to gauge the most important relative attributes for a variety of healthcare professions.

A South African perspective on community psychology practice competencies.

The appropriateness of the paradigm underlying competency frameworks and their specific application in the list of definitions developed by a Task Group of Society for Community Research and Action (SCRA) for US community psychologists need further consideration. This paper considers the technicist and behavioural roots of some of these concepts, illustrating tensions when applying them to community psychology. It then proposes a competency perspective from the global South. Drawing from focus group discussions with, and written reflections from, postgraduate Master's students in training as clinical and counselling psychologists, this paper builds inductively from the recorded data. Following a template analysis of the material, four integrating themes were evident. The distinctive nature of community psychology is highlighted through the themes: relational foundations, activity evolution, self-management and the awareness and influences of processes. Proposals for an alternative framework ("RASP") are based on its emergence from the applications of learning to practice, emphasising community-based principles. The importance of reflection as the basis for the learning is highlighted. The imperatives to foreground social justice and to enable reflexive thinking on action are discussed, along with concepts based on Humanist and Social Constructivist paradigms, to lead to more interactive and inclusive processes in work on competencies.

The Symbolic Meaning of HIV: Understanding Lecturers' Ambivalence over Teaching HIV to Dietetic Students.

Responding to the increasing reports of health students and professionals demonstrating stigmatized attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV), this article examined the learning process that takes place during their academic training. Using symbolic interactionism as a theoretical framework, we studied the way lecturers in dietetic schools in Indonesia make meaning of their understanding and experience of HIV in relation to their teaching conduct. We found that the current curriculum does not provide adequate opportunities for students to learn and interact with PLHIV. Participants described HIV discussion is mainly limited to the clinical aspects and essential treatment as they were uncomfortable discussing HIV with the students. The ostensible symbolic meaning of HIV among dietetic lecturers in Indonesia was compounded with limitations and restrictions affecting their teaching practices and attitudes to PLHIV. Future intervention is required to help lecturers recognize their degree of awareness and personal values about HIV.

Maintaining Core Values in Postgraduate Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted pharmacy graduate and postgraduate education. This crisis has resulted in a cosmic shift in the administration of these programs to ensure core values are sustained. Adjustments may be needed at a minimum to ensure that postgraduate trainees complete program requirements while maintaining safety. Moving forward, additional issues may arise that will need to be addressed such as admissions and program onboarding, acclimating students to new training environments, and managing inadequate resources for distance education, distance practice, and remote versus in-person research opportunities.

Mentoring for postdoctoral researchers in rheumatology: the Emerging EULAR Network (EMEUNET) post-doc mentoring programme.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to (1) assess the perceived need for a postdoctoral (post-doc) mentoring programme in rheumatology, (2) describe the characteristics and organisational aspects of a pilot mentoring programme implemented by the EMerging European League Against Rheumatism NETwork (EMEUNET) and (3) report mentors' and mentees' evaluation of the pilot programme. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among young researchers in rheumatology to evaluate the need and preferred characteristics of a post-doc mentoring initiative. Informed by the survey, a pilot programme was designed and launched. The pilot programme was evaluated with 3-month, 6-moth and 12-month surveys and interviews with mentees and a 12-month survey among mentors, after completion. RESULTS: From 275 responses (43 countries, 86% from Europe) collected, analyses were restricted to the target population (total population=158; post-docs (n=103 (65%)) and PhD students (n=55 (35%))). There was a clear need (99% positive responses) for a post-doc mentoring programme. Discussions about current and new projects, and how to lead projects were ranked as priorities in post-doc mentoring. The most desired mentor attribute was generosity and interest in helping (86%), followed by research experience (68%) and having a well-established network (66%). The pilot programme included four mentees (through competitive application) allocated to three mentors. Evaluation surveys and interviews revealed that the programme organisation and content were well appreciated by mentees and mentors. CONCLUSIONS: The EMEUNET post-doc mentoring programme addresses unmet need for mentoring, is viable and appreciated by mentors and mentees. The programme structure and content are transferable to other fields where there is need for academic career mentoring.

A Framework for Teaching Development at a Specialized Graduate Institution.

The path for faculty advancement and self-improvement is often uncertain in higher education. Even in the health professions, where we diligently prepare graduate students for clinical roles, our pathways for new faculty transitioning from clinical to teaching roles are often nebulous. This article describes the process that the MGH Institute of Health Professions undertook in developing a set of Faculty Development Domains to guide graduate health professions faculty as they progress through their teaching careers. The aim was to provide faculty with a framework for guidance and self-assessment to identify areas for improvement that align with institutional priorities and that will elevate their teaching and professional roles. This process of developing the framework, which included a review of the literature, iterative revisions, and faculty focus groups, ultimately yielded four comprehensive domains that encompass "good teaching": planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities.