Nourishing two hearts: The journey of nursing student mothers during academic studies and clinical rotations: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore and understand breastfeeding experiences and challenges among student mothers who breastfeed during their academic studies and clinical rotations in nursing school. BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is recommended for the nourishment of infants. An increasing number of students combine parenthood and higher education, including student mothers who give birth while pursuing their degrees. Nursing students confront a dual challenge. In addition to the rigorous demands of theoretical academic coursework they must also contend with clinical rotations. There is limited literature regarding the experiences of nursing students who breastfeed during their studies and even more limited literature regarding their experiences during clinical rotations. DESIGN: A qualitative design using a constructionist framework for thematic analysis. METHODS: Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted between June 2023 and September 2023 and were analyzed using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes were identified, which describe the experiences of nursing student mothers during their academic studies and clinical rotations: The importance of breastfeeding for baby's health and emotional connection; Breastfeeding and pumping during academic studies and clinical rotations requires the students to juggle between the various tasks; Dealing with privacy and modesty during breastfeeding in public on campus and in clinical settings; and Attitudes from academic educators, clinical instructors and classmates that foster, support, or impede the integration of breastfeeding during nursing studies. CONCLUSIONS: Creating a supportive atmosphere for breastfeeding students necessitates a comprehensive strategy from academic institutions and hospital nursing administration.

Impact of medical school experiences on the career choice of neurosurgery: a cross- sectional study from Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Pakistan grapples with the issue of an inadequate neurosurgery workforce but the reasons for such a disparity remain uncertain. Previous studies have highlighted how various factors including medical school experiences have an impact on career choice, but no study has delved into the impact of medical school exposure among Pakistani medical students, especially for the field of neurosurgery. This study aims to evaluate the impact of neurosurgery exposure, mentorship, and interest groups on medical students' decision to pursue neurosurgery. METHODS: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted in Pakistan, collecting data from medical students, interns, and medical officers over a one-month period. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Review Committee at Aga Khan University, Pakistan. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. RESULTS: Out of 2618 participants, 38.0% were male and 62.0% were female, with an average age of 21.82 years (± 2.65). Among them, only 358 (13.6%) were interested in pursuing neurosurgery as a career, while the remaining 2,260 (86.3%) were not. More females (58.9%) than males (41.1%) expressed interest in pursuing neurosurgery as their intended career. Most medical students interested in pursuing neurosurgery were in the early years of their medical school (1st Year: 19.6%, 2nd Year: 26.0%, 3rd Year: 20.9%). In our study, students from public sector institutions (52.2%) showed more interest in neurosurgery as a career choice compared to those from private sector institutions (44.1%). The main deterrents for choosing neurosurgery were intense training (42.2%), work-life balance (39.9%), limited residency slots (56.7%), medical knowledge (34.1%), and surgical skills (36.6%). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for increased student engagement to inculcate the decision to pursue neurosurgery among medical students in Pakistan. A significant gap is highlighted, with the majority of interested students in early years. Public sector students show higher interest than their private sector counterparts. However, barriers like intense training, limited residency slots, and work-life balance concerns influence career choice. Targeted interventions like mentorship programs are crucial for fostering future neurosurgeons and advancing patient care and research. By addressing the identified disparities in experiences and promoting a supportive educational environment, it is possible to cultivate a future generation of skilled and dedicated neurosurgeons who can contribute to advancements in patient care and research in the field.

Prioritizing ethical patient care responsibilities: A call to restructure student training practices in federally qualified health centers.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are federally funded clinics that often serve medically underserved groups. Many Colleges of Pharmacy have faculty and non-faculty pharmacist preceptors who provide clinical services such as drug therapy management to FQHCs. It is critical that Colleges of Pharmacy and pharmacist preceptors reinforce and uphold the standard of providing high quality and evidenced based care when students rotate at these sites. Learners may have implicit biases and variable levels of emotional intelligence prior to a clinical rotation at an FQHC, which can affect the quality-of-care patients receive. Colleges of Pharmacy who send learners onto rotations at FQHCs should collaborate with FQHC sites to ensure learner readiness in clinical and emotional levels and mediate for any concerns that may arise.

Effect of shift-based scheduling on student learning, satisfaction and capacity in obstetrics and gynecology rotations.

Objectives: Determine how a shift- based schedule to accommodate more students affects learning, performance, and satisfaction with the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBG) rotation. Methods: The study was conducted among third year OBG medical students with a triangular convergent cross-sectional approach. A new shift-based schedule was implemented. After each rotation, an online survey was conducted using a convenience sampling. Student scores on the National Board of Medical Examiner (NBME) OBG subject exam were analyzed using paired t test. Survey data was analyzed using two sample t test. The relationship between survey responses and exam score findings were described. Data from shift-schedule students was compared to traditional schedule students from the prior academic year. Results: A statistically significant improvement was seen for average NBME score for shift-schedule students during the beginning portion (groups 1-3) of the academic year (M=80, SD=6.9) compared to traditional (M=75.7, SD=7.3) [t (145) =3.69, p =.001]. A similar pattern was not seen in subsequent groups (groups 4-6). Shift-schedule students also showed a statistically significant improvement in their perception of learning (t (183) =-2.54, p =.012). Parallel results were seen for belonging, manageable workload, time to study, and engaging meaningfully. Using this model, we increased rotation capacity from 24 to 30 students per group (20%). Conclusions: Shift based scheduling allows 20% increase in capacity. Exam scores and student learning outcomes were similar or better than traditional schedule controls.

How do peer group reflection meetings support medical students' learning and personal development during clinical rotations?

BACKGROUND: Medical schools look to support students in coping with challenges and stressors related to clinical rotations. One potential approach is implementing Intervision Meetings (IM): a peer group reflection method during which students address challenging situations and personal development issues with peers, guided by a coach. Its implementation and perceived effectiveness in undergraduate medical education has however not yet been widely studied and described. This study evaluates how students perceive the effect of a three-year IM-programme during their clinical rotations, and explores which processes and specific factors support students' personal development and learning during clinical rotations. METHODS: Using an explanatory Mixed Methodology, medical students participating in IM were asked to evaluate their experiences through a questionnaire at three time points. Questionnaire results were further explored through three focus groups. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three hundred fifty seven questionnaires were filled out by students across the three time points. Students perceived IM to contribute to their ability to cope with challenging situations during clinical rotations. Participants in the focus groups described how IM created an increase in self-awareness by active self-reflection supported by peers and the coach. Sharing and recognizing each other's' situations, stories or problems; as well as hearing alternative ways of coping, helped students to put things into perspective and try out alternative ways of thinking or behaving. CONCLUSIONS: IM can help students to better deal with stressors during clinical rotations and approach challenges as learning opportunities under the right circumstances. It is a potential method medical schools can use to aid their students on their journey of personal and professional development.

The power of rotation schedules on the career selection decisions of medical students.

Choosing a career pathway in medicine is a high stakes decision for both medical students and the field of medicine as a whole. While past research has examined how characteristics of the medical student or specialties influence this decision, we introduce temporal elements as novel variables influencing career selection decisions in medicine. Specifically, we investigate how timing and duration of residency options, based on a rotation schedule that medical students have limited control over, influence their career selection decisions. An archival study investigating 5 years of medical student rotation schedules (N = 115) reveals that clinical rotation options appearing earlier and more often in the schedule were more likely to be selected. Moreover, timing and duration of exposure interacted such that residency options appearing later in the schedules were more likely to be selected if they also appeared more often. Conditional logistic regressions using student fixed-effects to control for idiosyncratic medical student differences (i.e., gender, & debt, etc.), and residency fixed-effects to control for idiosyncratic residency differences (income, and lifestyle, etc.), revealed the rotation schedule had a significant impact on residency selection decisions even when controlling for factors typically influencing this decision. Medical students' career decisions are influenced by when and how long different choice options appear in their rotation schedule, especially when they have limited influence over this schedule. The results have implications for healthcare policy by highlighting a tool for adjusting physician workforce composition by broadening exposure to a greater array of career options.

Preceptors' preparedness to teach about substance and opioid use disorder: a qualitative study.

STUDY AIM: Little is known about preceptors' comfort and readiness to teach clinical students about the care of patients with substance and opioid use disorder (SUD/OUD). This study explores preceptors' views about caring for such patients, and their preparedness to teach about SUD/OUD management, to improve graduate competencies. METHODS: Participants were recruited by convenience and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner preceptors who taught medical and physician assistant students. Interviews were conducted via Zoom® videoconferencing. Transcripts were generated and independently analyzed for themes by 4 experienced coders using constant comparison and a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Fifteen interviews were conducted to theme saturation. We identified 3 major themes and 10 subthemes supported by exemplar quotes. The major themes were: education about SUD/OUD in primary care (subthemes include need for longitudinal curriculum, redefining 'success' in treatment, and precepting challenges), treatment of SUD/OUD in primary care (need for systemic support and care continuity), and medication-assisted therapy (MAT) training as a tool for teaching (preceptors' own training, and need for clinical students to be trained). CONCLUSIONS: Preceptors agreed that treatment of SUD/OUD belongs in primary care and students should learn about SUD/OUD from the start of their medical education. Data analysis enabled the construction of an emerging conceptual framework reflecting a diversity of experiences and opinions of preceptor comfort and preparedness to teach about SUD/OUD, associated with various barriers and motivators. This framework can guide future strategies to address facilitators and obstacles to advance and promote preceptor preparedness to teach students about the care and management of patients with SUD/OUD.

A Review of Virtual Medical Student Rotations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Their Role, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Future Prospects.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the pause of medical clinical rotations. As a result, virtual rotations were implemented. These are a form of remote learning that seeks to mimic the clinical learning environment that students were already accustomed to. This article seeks to review the published literature to explore which specialties adapted this format, what are the advantages and disadvantages observed, determine what were the responsibilities and involvements of students participating in these rotations, how well these rotations substituted for in-person rotations, and to evaluate if there is a continued role for them after, outside of COVID-19. Virtual rotations have been developed in almost every specialty. These rotations have been developed from small centers to large universities, and are widespread throughout the United States, and in other countries as well. These rotations are targeted toward medical students, medical residents, and physician assistants and range in length from one to four weeks. Responsibilities and scope of interaction varied according to rotation; some rotations allowed patient interaction, and observation of procedures and surgeries, whereas some were purely didactic. A mixture of inpatient and outpatient involvements was seen. Advantages included saving money and time, more flexibility, increased diversity, and participation of international medical graduates. Virtual rotations participants have been invited for interviews at the participating institution's residency programs and have matched there. Disadvantages included lack of assessment of practical skills, inability to receive credit, and inability to obtain a letter of recommendation. Virtual rotations have proven to be a good substitute for in-person rotations, with most medical students seeing a need for the rotations in the future. Due to widespread development and acceptance of these rotations, it is likely that these rotations will continue.

Using Learning Theories to Develop a Veterinary Student Preparedness Toolkit for Workplace Clinical Training.

Learning theories are abstract descriptions which help us make sense of educational practice. Multiple theories can inform our understanding of a single concept, in this case: veterinary workplace clinical training (WCT), which occurs just prior to students' graduation as competent veterinary surgeons. The competency movement has strongly influenced reforms in veterinary education and is considered important. In reflection of this, the term "preparedness" is operationalised here as a measure of the likelihood that the veterinary student is going to be a competent learner and participant during WCT. Preparedness itself is therefore important because it directly impacts performance. Workplace clinical training is explored through the lenses of cognitivist, social constructivist and socio-culturalist learning theories and used to inform student preparedness characteristics ("tools") in terms of their behaviours, personal attributes, knowledge and skills, and awarenesses to optimise learning and participation. These form a new conceptual framework-the "Preparedness Toolkit."

Virtual VM4 Clinical Rotations: A COVID-19 Pandemic Response at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Policy changes in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine (ISU-CVM) included the administrative directive that fourth-year (VM4) clinical rotations immediately transition from in-person to virtual format. This article summarizes the efforts, successes, and challenges experienced by ISU-CVM clinical faculty during this transition. Numerous data sources were reviewed, including college records and announcements, faculty survey results, and student rotation evaluations. Data were explored using quantitative and qualitative methods. Between March and July 2020, 36 faculty from 15 different clinical services invested approximately 5,000 hours in delivering virtual content to 165 VM4 students from ISU-CVM and Caribbean veterinary schools. With departmental, college, and university assistance, faculty effectively used educational technologies (Zoom, Canvas, Echo360) and developed adaptive and innovative methods for virtual content delivery. Virtual VM4 rotations were collectively well received and appreciated by students, and student evaluation scores for virtual rotations were statistically equivalent to or higher than those for the corresponding in-person rotations in the preceding year. Although certain hands-on skills could not be adequately acquired in a virtual environment, students gained theoretical knowledge and case-based problem-solving skills in the online format. Faculty reported satisfaction with their adaptability and resilience in these challenging circumstances. These findings demonstrate that ISU-CVM clinical faculty invested substantial time and effort to transition in-person clinical rotations to virtual format during the early COVID-19 pandemic. This is particularly noteworthy given that many of these same faculty simultaneously served as essential personnel managing clinical cases in the university's teaching hospital.

Workplace violence directed at nursing and medical students - What can students tell us about it?

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence (WPV) directed at healthcare teams is a widespread growing phenomenon that affects students as well. The negative consequences of WPV may impede patient care and future retention rates. PURPOSE: To explore (a) the incidence and type of WPV experienced by nursing and medical students during their clinical rotations; (b) the associations between the emotional consequences of WPV events for students and their perceived professional performance; (c) students' preparedness and current training on WPV. METHOD: One hundred and fifty-one Israeli nursing and medical students completed an online questionnaire that included closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative data and qualitative data were analyzed separately, before their integration. RESULTS: More than half the students reported having experienced verbal violence during their clinical rotations. Experiencing WPV caused some students (14.6%) to consider leaving the profession and about one third (27.8%) reported that it had affected patients' care. The vast majority of students did not report experiencing incidents of physical violence. CONCLUSIONS: There is an essential need to promote and implement multidisciplinary programs aimed at eliminating WPV, beginning at the students' level. Students need preparation and practical tools for coping with WPV. At the same time, health organizations must act to examine how cases of WPV against students are handled.

Nursing student experiences in turmoil: A year of the pandemic and social strife during final clinical rotations.

BACKGROUND: The duration and magnitude of the coronavirus (COVID-19) posed unique challenges for nursing students, whose education was altered because of the pandemic. PURPOSE: To explore the perceptions and experiences of nursing students whose clinical rotations were abruptly interrupted by COVID-19's initial surge in the United States. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted at a midwestern, academic medical center to elicit senior nursing students' experiences. An online survey was administered with eight open-ended questions asking about: initial impressions of the pandemic; experiences of being a senior nursing student; sources of stress and coping mechanisms; preparing to work as a registered nurse; and views on the nursing profession. RESULTS: Among the 26 students who completed the survey, the majority were female (92%), aged 28 ∓ 4.1 years. A total of 18 subcategories emerged with four main themes identified as: a) breakdown of normal systems, b) feeling alone and the inability to escape, c) protective factors/adaptability, and d) role identify and formation. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate students implemented a variety of strategies while adapting to the abrupt interruption of in-person clinical rotations, mandated restrictions, and social unrest. The cascading themes illustrate the enormity of sudden changes and their significant impact on daily life.

The Relationship Between Surgeon Faculty Emotional Intelligence and Medical Student Evaluations.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to measure the emotional intelligence (EI) of surgical faculty and the relationship between faculty EI and medical student (MS) evaluations of faculty. DESIGN: Faculty completed the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal. Aggregate, anonymous MS evaluations were collected from the Program Director's office. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used for analysis. SETTING: This study was first performed in a single surgical division at 1 center which informed an expanded study including the entire General Surgery Department at a single academic institution. PARTICIPANTS: A pilot study was conducted in 1 surgical division which was then expanded to all clinical faculty in the Department of Surgery. All clinical faculty in the Department of Surgery were eligible for enrollment. RESULTS: Pilot study faculty EI scores were positively correlated with MS evaluations (r = 0.92, p < 0.001). The follow-up study enrolled 41 surgeons with a median age of 48 (inter-quartile range 12). The sample was mostly white (70.7%). Mean EI for the group was 76 (standard deviation ± 7.8). Total faculty EI scores were not significantly correlated with MS evaluations (r = 0.30, p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: MS evaluations of surgeon faculty were not related to EI in the larger sample. However, EI did correlate to MS evaluations in 2 surgical specialties. Further exploration into the utility of EI training in surgical departments should be conducted to determine the true value of such endeavors.

Perspectives From Rising Fourth Year Medical Students Regarding Strategies to Counteract the Effects of COVID-19 on Medical Education.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put those who oversee medical education in a challenging position. Medical school administrators, students, and national governing bodies have been forced to make difficult decision as a result of public health concerns and government-enforced restrictions. We, as rising fourth-year medical students, would like to shed light upon the hard work that many of those in leadership positions have done as well as lay out some concerns that medical students who are preparing to apply to residency have. Additionally, we would like to suggest several potential approaches that attempt to address some of the problems arising from the pandemic. Continuing to balance education with the hurdles presented by COVID-19 will require a multi-faceted and coordinated approach. We believe that implementing virtual rotations, delaying the opening of the application, decentralizing clinical skills evaluations, and modifying graduation requirements are possible options among many that could aid in addressing some of the current challenges presented by COVID-19.

Clinical Exposure to Cardiothoracic Surgery for Medical Students and General Surgery Residents.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of integrated 6-year cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) residency programs has shifted recruitment efforts to encompass not only general surgery (GS) residents, but also medical students. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess medical student and GS resident clinical exposure to CTS. DESIGN: Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Visiting Student Application Service and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Case Log Reports were collected from 2010 to 2017 and 2010 to 2018, respectively. The data extracted included medical students who applied and received an offer for elective rotations and the cases performed as a GS resident. RESULTS: A mean of 95 ± 28.5 medical students applied for CTS rotations annually and the applicants for CTS rotations increased by an average of 11.8% per year. However, significantly less students received an offer compared to other specialties (53.4% CTS vs 74.1% GS, 79.3% plastic surgery, 86.3% urology, 85.7% otolaryngology, 88.6% neurological surgery, and 89.6% orthopedic surgery) (p < 0.001). GS residents performed a mean of 39.3 ± 0.8 CTS procedures during residency: 32.9 ± 1.0 performed as a junior resident and 6.3 ± 0.7 as a chief resident. Out of all CTS procedures, 7.3% were cardiac procedures, with rates increasing from 5.6% to 8.4% during the study period (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elective rotation opportunities in CTS are high in demand for medical students while GS residents receive limited CTS exposure, especially cardiac cases. Increasing clinical opportunities in both groups will aid in recruiting young talent to the field.

A Dedicated Education Unit and a Novel Resident Nurse Transition-to-Practice Program in an Ambulatory Oncology Setting.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize an innovative initiative in oncology nurse workforce development that addresses critical current and future gaps and encompasses use of dedicated education units for student nurse rotation and a transition-to-practice residency program. DATA SOURCES: Review of institutional data including original pilot analysis and ongoing programmatic metrics (N=8 years), consensus, professional guidelines, and published literature. CONCLUSION: The dedicated education unit serves as a conduit for recruitment into institutional oncology nurse residency positions, and retention rates in the residency program continue to exceed national averages. Subsequent mentoring of these nurses in transition to practice has manifested high rates of promotion into nurse leadership roles year over year. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Oncology nurse practice incorporates state-of-the-science approved therapies, early phase clinical trial implementation, and evidence-based complex oncology patient care management. A new model of student clinical nurse rotations in ambulatory settings, nurse resident transition to practice, and ongoing leadership mentoring is essential in creating a sustainable, highly skilled, and robust oncology nurse work force.

Evaluation of surgical educational videos available for third year medical students.

Objectives: In this study we evaluated 40, top recommended, laparoscopic appendectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos located on public domain websites using eight criteria created by a panel of third year medical students and general surgeons. We hypothesized that there is a lack of quality, thorough educational laparoscopic surgical videos appropriate for third year medical students to review in preparation for the Surgery rotation.Methods: Utilizing a panel, which included four third year medical students and two general surgeons, we created an 'ideal medical student educational video checklist.' This checklist included 8 vital criteria. We selected 40, top recommended, videos available on YouTube and Google Video search engines, using 'laparoscopic cholecystectomy' and 'laparoscopic appendectomy' as key terms. Each video was evaluated by four third year medical students individually, using a binary system 'meets' or 'does not meet' each criterion. Individual scores were averaged, producing a single score for each video.Results: 0/40 (0%) of the videos met all eight of the criteria. 26/40 (65%) of the videos did not meet half of the criteria. The top performing videos 7/40 (17%) only met 5/8 criteria. Conclusions: We identified a lack of quality and thorough educational surgical videos appropriate for third year medical students and a need for improved online video based instruction. Our checklist can be utilized as a guide for anyone creating surgical videos for medical student education in the future.

USMLE Scores and Clinical Rotation Role in Predicting ABSITE Performance Among Surgery Interns.

BACKGROUND: The American Board of Surgery In-training Examination (ABSITE) is an important marker of medical knowledge. It is unclear what factors predict or improve these scores. We evaluated demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step 1 and 2 scores, and surgical rotations during the intern year to determine if there were any correlations with the ABSITE performance. METHODS: This was a multicenter retrospective review during a 6-y period, investigating the correlation and association of demographics, USMLE scores, and types of rotations on the ABSITE percentile score of interns. Demographics included age, gender, race/ethnicity, U.S. versus international/foreign medical graduate for stratified analyses. Descriptive analysis was performed with ANOVA, correlation was evaluated with 95% confidence interval, and significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Complete records obtained on 89 interns from six different general surgery programs over 6 y revealed that there was a significant correlation between USMLE 1 and 2 with the ABSITE. USMLE 2 correlation was the strongest (r = 0.44, 95% confidence interval = [0.25-0.60], P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in ABSITE performance (mean score difference of 17.3 percentile, P = 0.01) of interns who had an intensive care unit rotation before examination. Other surgical rotations were not associated with an ABSITE difference. Demographic factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, or medical graduate background status were not associated with ABSITE scores. CONCLUSIONS: USMLE step 2 scores had a higher correlation with intern ABSITE performance. An intensive care unit rotation before taking the ABSITE was associated with a significant difference in their percentile scores. Demographic factors were not correlated with ABSITE performance.

Dental Students' Intent to Practice in Rural Communities Before and After Community-Based Rotations in a Rural Area.

Community-based dental education (CBDE) has the potential to positively impact the educational process in a manner that both contributes to educational outcomes and shapes the learner's behavior. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between dental students' intended practice location and the size of their hometown and to assess any impact their CBDE rotation in a rural location had on practice location intention. From March 7, 2016, to August 12, 2018, fourth-year students at one U.S. dental school were invited to complete a ten-item questionnaire prior to and after their four-week clinical rotations at a rural clinic. Of the 123 dental students on rotation at the clinic during this time, 106 completed the pre-rotation survey and 112 the post-rotation survey, for response rates of 86% and 91%, respectively. Prior to the rotation, 58.6% selected one of the rural locations as an ideal practice location, and that percentage increased slightly to 61.4% after the rotation; the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.984). The results did show a significant increase from pre to post rotation for women intending to practice in rural communities (p=0.0413). This study found that students' intent to practice in a rural location was not significantly affected by a clinical rotation in a rural clinic; however, there was strong evidence that students from rural communities intended to practice in rural communities after graduation.

Dental and Nurse Practitioner Student Attitudes About Collaboration Before and After Interprofessional Clinical Experiences.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect that an interprofessional clinical experience (IPCE) had on dental and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (NP) students' attitudes towards health care collaboration. A survey study was conducted with dental and NP students before and after completing IPCE rotations in a dental clinic and a tertiary care setting in the 2016-17 academic year. All dental students (N=159) and all NP students enrolled in the adult-gerontology primary care program (N=37) participated in the IPCE. Students were asked to complete the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey anonymously prior to and immediately after the experience. All 37 NP students completed both pretest and posttest, for a 100% response rate on both. Among the dental students, 120 completed the pretest, for a 75% response rate, and 106 completed the posttest, for a 67% response rate. The results showed a significant increase in total RIPLS score for both the dental and NP students following the experience (p<0.001). Attitudes about teamwork and collaboration and about roles and responsibilities improved for both the dental and NP students (p<0.001) following the IPCE. There was a difference between dental students' and NP students' teamwork and collaboration subscale scores before IPCE (p=0.006), but it diminished after the intervention (p=0.09). These results suggest the IPCE succeeded in building positive attitudes about interprofessional collaboration between dental and NP students. Clinical rotations should be considered to enhance the scope of students' experiences with interprofessional patient care.