Increasing dental and medical students' understanding of race as a social construct.

PURPOSE: To improve health equity, dental and medical students must have a firm grasp of the proper use of race as a social construct. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which an innovative learning event affected students' understanding of race as a social construct. It also sought to examine the effects that personally experienced and/or witnessed racism and previous education had on students' responses to the learning event. METHODS: In 2022, all incoming first-year dental (N = 48) and medical (N = 114) students completed an online pre-matriculation assignment about the use of race in healthcare. Students initially completed an anonymous 14-item pre-survey and then read assigned publications, followed by answering questions about a real-life vignette concerning the topic of race as a social construct. Students finished the assignment by completing an anonymous seven-item post-survey. Data from the pre- and post-surveys were collected and analyzed to assess if differences existed among students and between the two surveys. RESULTS: Dental and medical students were significantly more likely to endorse race as a social construct after the learning experience (p < 0.001). Students who had experienced discrimination or obtained training were more likely to define race as a social construct before and after the learning event. CONCLUSION: Dental and medical schools can increase students' understanding of race as a social construct, rather than a biological construct, with educational interventions.

Factors Associated With the Acceptance of Military Applicants to a U.S. Allopathic Medical School.

INTRODUCTION: Service members and veterans applying to medical schools can be a challenging experience. Often, the applicants have difficulty providing descriptions of their experiences. Additionally, their pathway to medical school is significantly different compared to traditional applicants. We sought to determine if there were statistically significant factors within a cohort of U.S. military medical school applications to a U.S.-based allopathic medical school to provide recommendations on how to best advise military applicants. METHODS: Data about social, academic, and military factors were collected and analyzed from the American College Application Service (AMCAS) applications to the West Virginia University School of Medicine (WVU SoM) from the 2017 to 2021 cycles. Eligibility criteria included the applications that indicated that the applicant listed any type of military experience. RESULTS: In the 5-year study period, there were 25,514 applicants to the WVU SoM, and 1.6% (n = 414) self-identified as military applicants. Of the military applicants, 28 (7%) were accepted to the WVU SoM. Statistically significant differences were found in several factors, including but not limited to academic performance, number of total experiences (14.5 vs. 12, P = .01), and number of military experiences (4 vs. 2, P = .003) listed on the AMCAS applications. In the accepted group, 88% of the applications included information about military experiences, which was understandable to the nonmilitary researchers compared to 79% in the nonaccepted group (P = .24). CONCLUSIONS: Premedical advisors can share statistically significant findings with military applicants, so they are informed about the academic and experiential factors associated with medical school acceptance. Applicants should also be advised to provide clear explanations of any military lexicon used in their applications. Although not statistically significant, there were a higher percentage of applications that contained descriptions of military language that was understandable to the civilian researchers in the accepted group vs. the nonaccepted group.

Identifying Gender-Related Differences in Graduate Medical Education with the Use of a Web-Based Professionalism Monitoring Tool.

OBJECTIVES: Medical education is required to ensure a healthy training and learning environment for resident physicians. Trainees are expected to demonstrate professionalism with patients, faculty, and staff. West Virginia University Graduate Medical Education (GME) initiated a Web-based professionalism and mistreatment form ("button") on our Web site for reporting professionalism breaches, mistreatment, and exemplary behavior events. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics in resident trainees who had a "button push" activation about their behavior to better understand ways to improve professionalism in GME. METHODS: This West Virginia University institutional review board-approved quality improvement study is a descriptive analysis of GME button push activations from July 2013 through June 2021. We compared characteristics of all of those trainees who had specific button activation(s) about their behavior. Data are reported as frequency and percentage. Nominal data and interval data were analyzed using the χ2 and the t test, respectively. P < 0.05 was significant. Logistic regression was used to analyze those differences that were significant. RESULTS: In the 8-year study period, there were 598 button activations, and 54% (n = 324) of the activations were anonymous. Nearly all of the button reports (n = 586, 98%) were constructively resolved within 14 days. Of the 598 button activations, 95% (n = 569) were identified as involving one sex, with 66.3% (n = 377) identified as men and 33.7% (n = 192) as women. Of the 598 activations, 83.7% (n = 500) involved residents and 16.3% (n = 98) involved attendings. One-time offenders comprised 90% (n = 538), and 10% (n = 60) involved individuals who had previous button pushes about their behavior. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a professionalism-monitoring tool, such as our Web-based button push, identified gender differences in the reporting of professionalism breaches, because twice as many men as women were identified as the instigator of a professionalism breech. The tool also facilitated timely interventions and exemplary behavior recognition.

Concordant nephrotic syndrome in twins with PAX2 and MYO1E mutations.

INTRODUCTION: The medical literature is scant with reports of twins diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome associated with genetic mutations. Mutations in the protein coding paired box gene 2 (PAX2) and in the non-muscle class I myosin, myosin 1E, (MYO1E) have been implicated in the development of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. We describe the first case, to our knowledge, of the concordant presentation of nephrotic syndrome in twins with simultaneous mutations in PAX2 and MYO1E. CASE REPORT: At 32 months and 33 months of age, monochorionic, diamniotic twin girls presented with nephrotic syndrome. Each twin experienced three relapses during or after completion of corticosteroid treatment. Sustained remission was achieved with tacrolimus. Genetic testing of each twin revealed two heterozygous mutations of MYO1E and one homozygous mutation of PAX2. Renal biopsy results of one twin revealed pathologic findings consistent with minimal change nephropathy. The twins' phenotypes have been essentially identical. CONCLUSION: Our cases add to the scant medical literature addressing nephrotic syndrome in twins with genetic mutations. Close monitoring of our unique patients will provide novel information about the clinical significance of combined mutations in PAX2 and MYO1E.

Virtual interviewing in the COVID-19 era: A survey of graduate program directors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, virtual interviews became a mainstay of graduate dental and medical education selection processes. To gain a handle on how to navigate lingering uncertainties about how interviews should be conducted in the future, this study examined the benefits and pitfalls of the virtual interview process (VIP) and assessed program plans to implement in the next interview cycle. METHODS: An anonymous online survey, for completion by one program representative (director or associate director), was sent to graduate medical education (GME) and advanced dental education programs at West Virginia University (N = 74). RESULTS: Fifty-two (52) of the programs (70%) completed the survey. Zoom was the most frequently used interview platform (78.8%). Approximately two thirds (65.4%) of the interviewers thought VIP allowed the program to promote the university, the school, and their program and also reported experiencing video-conferencing fatigue. About six in 10 perceive VIP can introduce bias in selecting applicants (59.6%) and potentially disadvantage some applicants (67.3%). Compared to the previous in-person cycle, 67.4% of programs invited more applicants, and 73.1% interviewed more applicants. Regarding the 2021-2022 interview cycle, 55.8% of programs plan to offer either an in-person or VIP, while 7.7% plan to keep their process completely virtual. CONCLUSION: Graduate programs in this study demonstrated the indispensability of technology in transitioning from in-person to virtual interviews during COVID-19 pandemic. VIP has several advantages and disadvantages; this style of interview is forecasted to have a presence in applicant selection in the future.

Factors Associated with Acceptance of Repeat MCAT Test Takers into a West Virginian Allopathic Medical School.

OBJECTIVES: A paucity of information exists to advise medical school applicants who have had to retake the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to achieve a competitive score. To better advise repeat test takers from West Virginia and other Appalachian and southern areas, MCAT data from West Virginia applicants were analyzed and compared with national data. METHODS: In the application cycles of 2017-2020, the following factors were analyzed in relation to medical school acceptance in West Virginia applicants: MCAT scores, the number of test-taking attempts, biology-chemistry-physics-math grade point average, time between test-taking attempts, and academic major. MCAT data from medical school applicants from West Virginia who took the test more than once also were compared with national data. RESULTS: Of the total repeat test takers from West Virginia (N = 285) in the study timeframe, 57 (20%) were ultimately accepted into medical school. Factors associated with medical school acceptance were as follows: first MCAT test score (odds ratio [OR] 1.3, 95% confidence level [CL] 1.2-1.4, P < 0.001), change in MCAT test score (OR 1.2, 95% CL 1.1-1.3, P = 0.0015), and biology-chemistry-physics-math grade point average (OR 15.1, 95% CL 4.2-54.8, P < 0.0001). The highest benefit for improved scores occurred between the first and second attempts. The highest point gain occurred when the first MCAT score was in the range of 477 to 487 (<1st-12th percentile); this finding was not found in the national data. CONCLUSIONS: Although the study was limited to West Virginia medical school applicants, this information could prove useful in advising premedical applicants from other Appalachian and southern US areas.

Paraplegia After Basketball Play: A Case of Spinal Cord Infarction Secondary to Fibrocartilaginous Embolization.

ABSTRACT: Pediatric emergency medicine providers must be astute at generating the differential diagnosis and performing the appropriate evaluation to promptly determine the underlying cause of new onset paraplegia. Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is a potential etiology of paraplegia in children, and fibrocartilaginous embolization is a rare underlying cause of SCI. We present an illustrative case of SCI secondary to fibrocartilaginous embolization in an otherwise healthy adolescent who developed symptoms of spinal cord dysfunction after basketball play.

The influence of medical insurance on obstetrical care.

Maternal and obstetrical outcomes vary widely within the United States. The impact of insurance type on health care disparities and its influence on obstetrical care and maternal outcome is not clear. We report the impact of health care insurance on obstetrical and maternal outcomes in a tertiary care health care system. Our maternal quality care database (n = 4199) was queried comparing commercial insurance to government sponsored insurance from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. Parturients with commercial insurance were older, weighed more, presented with less gravidity and parity, had more advanced gestation, and had a higher neonatal 5-minute Apgar score than government insured parturients. Additionally, government insured parturients were less likely to be admitted for induction with oxytocin, receive labor epidural analgesia, and have a primary caesarean delivery. Similarly, government insured parturients were more likely to be of African American descent, be a current known smoker, have a positive urine drug screen, and receive a general anesthetic. We conclude obstetrical and maternal health care disparities exist based on medical insurance type.

Persistent Vomiting and Weight Loss Leading to the Diagnosis of Barrett's Esophagus in an Adolescent.

Barrett's esophagus in children with peptic strictures has not been well characterized, and its prevalence is unknown. We report a case of peptic esophageal stricture with Barrett's esophagus in an adolescent patient who presented with dysphagia with recurrent episodes of vomiting and limited medical history. A 13-year-old male with mild intellectual disability was transferred to our facility due to a two-month history of dysphagia with recurrent episodes of vomiting and intolerance to both solids and liquids. Physical examination and laboratory values were within normal limits, including complete blood count and differential, serum electrolytes, glucose, amylase, lipase, liver and kidney function tests, and thyroid-stimulating hormone level. Barium esophagram revealed persistent focal narrowing of the proximal and mid-esophagus. An esophageal endoscopy revealed a snug circumferential stricture and biopsy consistent with erosive esophagitis. The patient was started on high dose pantoprazole and underwent serial endoscopic guided balloon dilations with marked improvement in symptoms. Peptic stricture with Barrett's esophagus is rare in children. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of a child with the common symptom of vomiting in the setting of developmental delay. Vigorous treatment with endoscopic balloon dilation and proton pump inhibitors is necessary to prevent the progression into adenocarcinoma.

Enuresis Management in the Primary Care Pediatrics Clinic.

Enuresis is a frequent complaint not always volunteered by parents or patients. The pediatric clinician has to inquire about enuresis to break the secrecy surrounding this symptom that could be related to a more serious underlying renal, endocrine, or psychosocial disease. Determining the type of enuresis is crucial to offer optimal treatment. We present a review for the pediatric clinician to optimize their care of the child with monosymptomatic enuresis. [Pediatr Ann. 2018;47(10):e390-e395.].

Impromptu Response to Adverse Weather: One School's Successful Application of Digital Interviewing for Medical School Admissions.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. In-person interviewing is the norm during the medical school application process, but it is not always possible due to reasons such as exorbitant cost of travel, work or residence outside the country and adverse travel conditions. In January 2016 during Winter Storm Jonas in the eastern United States of America, officials at the West Virginia University School of Medicine (WVU SOM) mandated a closure of the campus resulting in the cancellation of twenty on-site medical school interviews. The impromptu solution to overcoming this obstacle to in-person interviewing is described here as a case study. The successful use of digital interviewing has already been described at the residency and fellowship level; we believe this is the first reported case study about the successful use of FaceTime interviewing at the medical school level, and it may encourage admissions officials to expand the use of this modality in medical student recruitment.