A theory of change evaluation of doctoral admission methods: A case study of a Chinese university.

In response to China's incentive for "connotative development" in doctoral education, universities are actively fostering creative and innovative PhD candidates with enhanced research productivity and superior educational quality. A Chinese university, aligning with this objective, has initiated significant reforms in its doctoral admission methods, introducing a new type of student and altering the proportion of existing ones. Recognizing the complexity and uncertainty inherent in the doctoral admission process, this theory-based study employs a Theory of Change framework to systematically evaluate the immediate, intermediate, and long-term outcomes of this university's interventions. It assesses the transformative impact of these changes by integrating secondary data with qualitative insights, including focus group discussions with twelve students and semi-structured interviews with three supervisors. The study reveals that while this university has made substantial progress in achieving short-term goals, these reforms have not uniformly benefited all student categories, presenting distinct challenges and opportunities for stakeholders. Consequently, it advocates for diversifying the student composition and emphasizes inclusive pedagogical strategies to facilitate high-quality doctoral education. Importantly, this research extends beyond this university, promoting a balanced mix of student profiles and a holistic approach to shaping effective policies and practices within doctoral admission, essential for navigating global competition.

A systematic mapping of public health master's and structured doctoral programs in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Well-trained public health professionals are key to addressing both global and local public health challenges of the twenty-first century. Though availability of programs has increased, the population health science (PHS) and public health (PH) higher education landscape in Germany remains scattered. To date, no comprehensive overview of programs exists. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to map PHS and PH master's and structured doctoral programs in Germany, including selected program characteristics, curricula and target competencies. METHODS: We conducted a systematic mapping of PHS and PH programs in Germany following a prospectively registered protocol ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KTCBA ). Relevant master's and doctoral programs were identified by two study authors independently searching a comprehensive higher education database, which was, for doctoral programs, supplemented with a google search. For PHS programs, general characteristics were mapped and for the subset of PH programs, in-depth characteristics were extracted. RESULTS: Overall, 75 master's and 18 structured doctoral PHS programs were included. Of these, 23 master's and 8 doctoral programs focused specifically on PH. The majority of PHS master's programs awarded a Master of Science degree (55 out of 75 programs). The PH master's program curricula offered various courses, allowing for different specializations. Courses on topics like public health, epidemiology, health systems (research) and research methods were common for the majority of the master's programs, while courses on physical activity, behavioral science, nutrition, and mental health were offered less frequently. Structured PH doctoral programs were mainly offered by medical faculties (6 out of 8 programs) and awarded a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) (6 out of 8 programs). PH doctoral programs were very heterogeneous regarding curricula, entry, and publication requirements. There was a broad geographical distribution of programs across Germany, with educational clusters in Munich, Berlin, Bielefeld and Düsseldorf. CONCLUSION: Germany offers a diverse landscape of PHS and PH master's programs, but only few structured doctoral programs. The variety of mandatory courses and competencies in these programs reflect Germany's higher education system's answer to the evolving demands of the PH sector. This review may aid in advancing PH education both in Germany and globally.

The future of public health doctoral education in Africa: transforming higher education institutions to enhance research and practice.

The African Union and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Call to Action in 2022 for Africa's New Public Health Order that underscored the need for increased capacity in the public health workforce. Additional domestic and global investments in public health workforce development are central to achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063 of the African Union, which aims to build and accelerate the implementation of continental frameworks for equitable, people-centred growth and development. Recognising the crucial role of higher education and research, we assessed the capabilities of public health doctoral training in schools and programmes of public health in Africa across three conceptual components: instructional, institutional, and external. Six inter-related and actionable recommendations were derived to advance doctoral training, research, and practice capacity within and between universities. These can be achieved through equitable partnerships between universities, research centres, and national, regional, and global public health institutions.

Case study in using value stream mapping in online graduate education.

Given the rise in demand for online, graduate degree programs there is a need to guide program planning and evaluation professionals within institutions of higher education to utilize continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies. Using principles of design thinking and CQI, the purpose of this case study was to describe a CQI project that sought to develop a better understanding of adult students' experience progressing through their plan of study in an online doctoral program. As part of the CQI project, value stream mapping (VSM) was used to gain visibility and perspective on the actions required by faculty and staff to guide students through their plan of study. The VSM process provided information that led to conversations that furthered the CQI efforts and led to changes in the adult education program that would benefit all students. Improvement processes that lead to better quality and more positive experiences for users are valuable. This case study demonstrates the processes, challenges, lessons, and future directions in the use of VSM to better understand online graduate programs designed for adult learners.

The Value of Master's Degree Programmes in Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION: There are increasing numbers of Master's Degree Programmes in Health Professions Education (MHPE), and the value to their students and graduates is not well understood. We conducted a scoping review to explore what is known about the value of MHPE programmes to their students and graduates. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework. PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, BEI, ERIC and EThOs databases were searched in addition to cited reference searching. Original research with an evaluation and published in the English language were included. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were included. Studies were based in a variety of locations on five continents, and included in-person, distance and blended learning. Students and graduates of MHPE programmes self-reported development of their pedagogical knowledge, confidence and credibility in their role as an educator, and educational scholarship. Enhanced career opportunities and opportunities for collegial interactions and networks were also reported. Important barriers included struggling with the time and financial commitments required for studying on a MHPE programme. CONCLUSIONS: There are a variety of dimensions of value of MHPE programmes to their students and graduates. Important practical recommendations for MHPE programme providers and employers include providing opportunities for the development of networks and supporting the time and financial commitments required for studying.

Action learning and public health pedagogy: Student reflections from an experiential public health course.

Introduction: Applied practice experiences are essential components of the Masters of Public Health (MPH) curriculum. The objective of this study was to examine students' perspectives on the skills and expertise they developed in an MPH course offering applied practice opportunities. Methods: Of 236 students who took the course from 2008 to 2018, email addresses were obtained for 212 and 104 completed the consent form. Following consent, reflection essays were de-identified and analyzed using a rapid qualitative analysis approach. The essays addressed students' learning experiences and application of the competencies for MPH programs set by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH). Deductive and inductive analytical lenses were used to identify the key lessons learned by each cohort of students. Semi-structured guides and matrixes for essay analysis were created using assignment instructions and CEPH competencies. Results: Although the reflection paper assignment varied across the years, commonalities were observed in the student reflections. Key themes included turning theory into practice, navigating the complex environment of public health practice, skill building, critical self-reflection, challenges encountered, and elements that facilitated project success. Students reported developing practical skills, such as planning for independent research (e.g., preparing for institutional review board (IRB) submission, consulting with faculty and other experts), identifying realistic approaches for data extraction during chart reviews and analyses of electronic medical records, and disseminating findings for diverse stakeholders and audiences. Students also reported strengthening cross-cutting skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving that were useful for navigating power dynamics and balancing competing interests and expectations. Students explored their identity as public health professionals as they navigated the dynamics of public health practice. Conclusion: The applied practice experience served as a valuable tool for knowledge and skills acquisition. Moreover, it served as an opportunity for students to engage with the unique organizational cultures of their respective community partners and to deepen their understanding the complexities of conducting meaningful community-engaged research. Implications: This study demonstrates the utility of analyzing students' critical self-reflections as a tool for exploring learning experiences when training future public health professionals. The findings can help educators design future applied practice experiences.

Supporting mental health and productivity within labs.

Laboratories are the central workplace for academic scientists and can play a key role in supporting psychological safety, mental health, and well-being. We provide strategies to build inclusive structures within laboratories and support mental health for all members.

Challenges for graduate students' mentors during COVID-19 pandemic.

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic results in the suspension of universities' academic laboratory activities. This brought a difficult time for graduate students majored in molecular biology and their mentors, since the student's thesis progress relies on the data from wet experiments in the lab. Even facing the challenges during the pandemic, mentors could still play an active role. This COVID-19 crisis requires mentors to have more thinking, innovation, and sharing in guiding graduate students.

Adaptive strategies to conduct participant-centric structured virtual group discussions for postgraduate students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the wake of COVID-19, the postgraduate activities in physiology were shifted from live (face-to-face teaching) to virtual mode. This transition posed a challenge to postgraduate students and faculty moderators, especially for participant-centric group discussion, wherein face-to-face interaction contributes significantly to active learner engagement. To bridge the gap between live group discussion (GD) and virtual GD in the conventional format (VGD), we implemented an innovative yet feasible multistep approach of conducting structured virtual group discussion (sVGD). It involved priming of students during the preparatory phase and incorporation of the Tuckman model of group dynamics, which consists of sequential substages of forming, storming, norming, and performing into the virtual format. Unsupervised synchronous and asynchronous, as well as supervised synchronous interactions within and in between the minigroups in a structured way, led to active engagement of students with one another and the moderator, despite the constraints imposed by the virtual format. After establishing the feasibility of the approach during the first GD (sVGD-1), sVGD-2 was conducted, further refining the approach, and feedback was obtained from the postgraduate students. Pre-GD feedback revealed that the live session was preferred over virtual for the conduct of GD, whereas both live GD and sVGD were perceived to be more effective than VGD in the post-GD feedback. Such pedagogical innovations may also help to address the challenges posed in traditional teaching across the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in medical education and beyond during such unforeseeable circumstances.

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.

Toward a common understanding of competencies for health technology assessment: enhancing educational and training programs around the globe.

BACKGROUND: Depending on the health system context and the demands of relevant stakeholders in countries, the need, organizational structure, and prerequisites for enabling capacity building and development in health technology assessment (HTA) will vary. Core competencies are instrumental in this and include essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). They provide building blocks for delivering high-quality and effective practices of HTA. We aimed to systematically explore and develop an overview of the core competencies necessary for HTA. METHODS: This study was conducted during 2016-19 using different methods in a structured manner. We drew concepts of KSAs from various literature sources, surveyed universities and HTA professionals, and conducted expert workshops to arrive at a common understanding of the required competencies. RESULTS: The terminology for KSAs defining competencies in HTA programs has been clarified. In addition, a list of competencies offered through different educational and training programs has been created. The surveys provided clarity on a common understanding of KSAs among HTA stakeholders. Thereafter, a set of competencies was described and classified according to the HTA domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that there is diversity in HTA programs offered by educational institutions. The content of the programs varies due to differences between countries regarding the level of HTA development and the need for HTA, including the understanding of what HTA is. The preparation of a competency checklist or a "menu" of options mirroring the diversity of HTA will ensure that the specific needs of the HTA community will be covered.

Making it to the PhD: Gender and student performance in sub-Saharan Africa.

Women's underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) impedes progress in solving Africa's complex development problems. As in other regions, women's participation in STEM drops progressively moving up the education and career ladder, with women currently constituting 30% of Africa's STEM researchers. This study elucidates gender-based differences in PhD performance using new survey data from 227 alumni of STEM PhD programs in 17 African countries. We find that, compared to their male counterparts, sampled women had about one less paper accepted for publication during their doctoral studies and took about half a year longer to finish their PhD training. Negative binomial regression models provide insights on the observed differences in women's and men's PhD performance. Results indicate that the correlates of publication productivity and time to PhD completion are very similar for women and men, but some gender-based differences are observed. For publication output, we find that good supervision had a stronger impact for men than women; and getting married during the PhD reduced women's publication productivity but increased that of men. Becoming a parent during the PhD training was a key reason that women took longer to complete the PhD, according to our results. Findings suggest that having a female supervisor, attending an institution with gender policies in place, and pursuing the PhD in a department where sexual harassment by faculty was perceived as uncommon were enabling factors for women's timely completion of their doctoral studies. Two priority interventions emerge from this study: (1) family-friendly policies and facilities that are supportive of women's roles as wives and mothers and (2) fostering broader linkages and networks for women in STEM, including ensuring mentoring and supervisory support that is tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.

La educación de posgrado ante el nuevo escenario generado por la COVID-19 / Postgraduate education before the new circumstances created by COVID-19

Introducción: La respuesta dada por el Gobierno cubano y la ciencia a la situación epidemiológica que vivimos y al enfrentamiento de los problemas fundamentales del desarrollo del país, motiva a la reflexión y a un accionar más resuelto sobre qué se necesita hacer en el posgrado para contribuir con soluciones válidas, sostenidas, innovadoras y aplicables a esos problemas. Objetivos: Exponer algunas reflexiones y acciones ante el nuevo escenario generado por la COVID-19 y los problemas del desarrollo del país desde la perspectiva de la educación de posgrado. Posicionamiento del autor: El posgrado se enfrentará a problemas más complejos, al romperse las limitaciones disciplinares, sobre la base de sólidos fundamentos científicos y tecnológicos, lo que da lugar a soluciones innovadoras, estratégicas y comprometidas con la sociedad y su desarrollo en la construcción de un socialismo próspero y sostenible. Sin embargo, para lograr esto, la continuidad en la formación profesional del más alto nivel no es suficiente. Hay que considerar los disímiles procesos de ciencia, tecnología e innovación que tienen lugar en el posgrado, cuyos productos repercuten en el bienestar de la sociedad, en su desarrollo; de ahí su marcada y necesaria pertinencia. Conclusiones: El posgrado resulta necesaria y esencialmente innovador, por lo cual requiere de una mirada profunda y no concebirlo solo como el estudio del alto nivel, porque en este hay ciencia, tecnología, innovación y generación de conocimiento. Se requiere de acciones concretas emergentes con carácter acentuado ante el nuevo escenario creado por la COVID-19 y la necesidad de seguir desarrollando el país(AU)

Introduction: The response given by the Cuban Government and by science before the epidemiological situation we are going through, and before the confrontation of the fundamental concerns of the country's development, motivates reflection and more resolute action on what needs to be done in postgraduate studies to contribute to valid, sustained, innovative and applicable solutions to these problems. Objective: To present, from the perspective of postgraduate education, some reflections and actions in the face of the new circumstances produced by COVID-19 and the concerns regarding the country's development. Author's position: Postgraduate education will face more complex problems, by breaking disciplinary limitations, upon the basis of solid scientific and technological foundations, which gives rise to innovative, strategic solutions committed to society and its development in the construction of prosperous and sustainable socialism. However, to achieve this, continuity in professional training at the highest level is not enough. We must consider dissimilar processes of science, technology and innovation that take place in postgraduate studies, whose products have an impact on the well-being of society, as well as on its development; hence, its marked and necessary relevance. Conclusions: Postgraduate training is necessary and essentially innovative, a reason why it requires a deep look and not to be conceived only as high-level education, because it involves science, technology, innovation and generation of knowledge. Specific emerging actions are required, with an accentuated character based on the new circumstances created by COVID-19 and the need to continue developing the country(AU)

Does Dosing of Pediatric Experiential Learning Impact the Development of Clinical Reasoning, Self-Efficacy, and Critical Thinking in DPT Students?

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to explore the changes in clinical reasoning, self-efficacy, and critical thinking of a group of Doctor of Physical (DPT) students who completed a high and low dose of pediatric experiential learning (EL) as a component of their semester-long pediatric course. METHODS: A convenience sample of students at two DPT programs in the United States were recruited. A pre-test post-test comparison group design was used to examine the change in students' clinical reasoning, self-efficacy, and critical thinking following completion of a pediatric course that contained a high or low dose of EL. Students completed the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reflection and Reasoning, Physical Therapy Self-Efficacy Scale, and Health Science Reasoning Test during the first and last weeks of the semester. Students in the high-dose group reported a significant increase (p=0.000) over time in self-perceived clinical reasoning and self-efficacy. Overall critical thinking abilities significantly improved (p=0.044) over time in both groups. CONCLUSION: A high dose of pediatric EL seems to aid students in the development of self-perceived clinical reasoning and self-efficacy. Providing students with EL opportunities prior to pediatric rotations may help to bolster these important skills, leading to improved clinical performance.

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.

Identifying Fall Prevention Content in Graduate Healthcare Curricula.

ISSUE: An interprofessional team-based approach to fall prevention is advocated to address the public health issue of fall-related injuries. The purpose of this study was to analyze fall-related curricular content across graduate physician assistant, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy healthcare programs. METHODS: The research team conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of fall risk, assessment, and intervention content in graduate program textbooks, curricular narrative, and course objectives. OUTCOME: The four curricular themes identified were universal fall risks, varied assessments, discipline-based interventions, and minimal interprofessional approaches. All curricula universally covered fall risks. Curricular coverage of fall assessment varied by discipline. The physician assistant and nursing curricula focused on assessing fall risk and safety, while the occupational and physical therapy covered standardized functional assessments. The disciplines of physical and occupational therapy provided curricular instruction in restorative or compensatory interventions. All curricula included the interventions of patient and caregiver education and environmental modifications. Curricular coverage of an interprofessional approach to fall prevention was minimal. CONCLUSION: This study identified universal fall risks, varied fall assessments, and discipline-based fall interventions across four graduate healthcare curricula. There was minimal evidence of education in an interprofessional approach to fall prevention.

Preparing Students to Serve a Refugee Population Through a Health-Focused Interprofessional Education Experience.

Refugees may arrive to their destination country with complex mental and physical health challenges. However, healthcare providers often are unprepared to manage refugees' health-related challenges. An interprofessional team of faculty developed an interprofessional education (IPE) training to help prepare health professions students to address refugees' health needs. This paper describes the development and assessment of the training. A three-hour case-based training was created with the following format: online pre-assessment; introduction; radio story about the experience of local refugees; pre-recorded presentation about healthcare in a detention facility; interprofessional group work in small teams; large group discussion; profession-specific group reflections; and online post-assessment. The training was implemented twice (across two successive years), and an investigation of the study participants' self-perceived learning was completed after each training. In the first training, 62 participants (representing medicine, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and social work) completed the assessments. In the second training, 151 participants (representing medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, public health, and social work) completed the assessments. In each study, a statistically significant increase in each of four outcome variables was found at post-assessment. The findings of each study suggested that perceived learning about refugees' health and health care improved after participation in a three-hour IPE training.

Actionable recommendations from trainees to improve science training.

Over the past 20 years, a series of reports written by groups of senior researchers and administrators have recommended changes to improve the training environments for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the United States. However, academic institutions and departments have largely failed to implement these recommendations, which has exacerbated the problems faced by these trainees. Here, based on input from trainees at different career stages, we outline seven practical changes that academic institutions and departments can make to improve their training environments.