Peer-assisted learning: filling the gaps in basic science education for preclinical medical students.

In contrast to peer-assisted learning (PAL) in clinical training, there is scant literature on the efficacy of PAL during basic medical sciences teaching for preclinical students. A group of senior medical students aimed to design and deliver clinically oriented small-group tutorials after every module in the preclinical curriculum at a United Kingdom medical school. Twenty tutorials were delivered by senior students throughout the year to first- and second-year students. A baseline questionnaire was delivered to inform the development of the program followed by an end-point questionnaire the next year (n = 122). Quizzes were administered before and after five separate tutorials to assess changes in mean student scores. Additionally, each tutorial was evaluated via a questionnaire for participants (n = 949). All five posttutorial quizzes showed a significant improvement in mean student score (P < 0.05). Questionnaires showed students found the program to be relevant and useful for revision purposes and appreciated how tutorials contextualized basic science to clinical medicine. Students appreciated the interactive nature of the sessions and found receiving personalized feedback about their learning and consolidating information with someone familiar with the material to be useful. With the inclusion of the program, students felt there were now an adequate number of tutorials during the year. In conclusion, this study shows that senior medical students can design and deliver a program that adds value to the mostly lecture-based formal preclinical curriculum. We hope that our study can prompt further work to explore the effect of PAL on the teaching of basic sciences during preclinical studies.

KidzMed e-learning to upskill student pharmacists to teach pill swallowing to children.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate medication use is essential in ensuring optimal pharmacotherapeutic outcomes. It is mistakenly assumed that adults can swallow solid oral dosage forms (SODFs, e.g. tablets/capsules colloquially referred to as 'pills'), without difficulty and that children cannot. KidzMed is a 'pill swallowing' training programme designed to teach effective SODF use in patients of all ages. It may be utilised by healthcare professionals to assist patients taking SODFs. E-learning was essential for training during COVID pandemic to reduce viral transmission. The aim of this study was to explore UK student pharmacists views of e-learning to support swallowing solid oral dosage forms. METHODS: This study used pre- and post-intervention online surveys on Microsoft Forms to evaluate self-directed eLearning about pill swallowing on MPharm programmes at three UK Universities using a 13-item survey. A combination of five-point Likert Scales and free-text items were used. The eLearning was available via the virtual learning environment at the University and embedded within existing curriculum. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to explore responses. RESULTS: In total, 113 of 340 (33%) students completed the survey. Seventy-eight percent (n = 65) reported the eLearning would enable them to teach adults and children to swallow SODFs successfully. Learners either agreed or strongly agreed that they felt comfortable to teach patients (95%, n = 62/113) and parents or carers (94%, n = 60) to swallow medications having completed the e-learning. Student pharmacists generally found eLearning as an acceptable way to reflect on their own experiences of 'pill' swallowing and how to support patients to swallow SODFs. CONCLUSION: The KidzMed eLearning was well received by student pharmacists. Further work is needed to explore whether skills translates into real life application in the clinical settings.

"How to Recognize if Your Child Is Seriously Ill" During COVID-19 Lockdown: An Evaluation of Parents' Confidence and Health-Seeking Behaviors.

Background: Parents' health-seeking behaviors has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing parents with guidance in decision making might improve their confidence to seek timely advice when a child becomes ill. The aim of this study was to evaluate the "How to recognize if your child is seriously ill" leaflet on parents' confidence, health-seeking behaviors, and usefulness during the COVID-19 lockdown. Method: A nine-item survey, codesigned with parent advisors, was used to measure confidence and health-seeking behavior. Social media was used for data collection in a 6-week period (April-June 2020) during COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom. Categorical data were analyzed as frequencies, and inductive content analysis was performed with the qualitative data. Results: In total, 171 parents responded. Most parents (n = 160, 93.6%) found the leaflet helpful. The leaflet increased the confidence among 116 parents (67.8%) to recognize if their child is ill, and 156 (91.2%) parents had a better understanding of when and where to seek help. Thirty-three (19.2%) parents used the leaflet, while their child was unwell during COVID-19 lockdown, and in 14 (42%) cases, the leaflet resulted in changing health-seeking behavior for that episode. Twelve of these parents decided to seek medical consultation when they had not planned to before. Content analysis revealed three categories. (1) Knowledge-parents found the leaflet an objective source to validate their concerns. (2) Usability-parents reported that the leaflet was clearly designed. (3) Decision aid-parents commented that the leaflet provided clarification around recognition of serious symptoms and when and where to seek appropriate care. Conclusions: Our leaflet provided parents with guidance on decision making and risk assessment of ill children during COVID-19 lockdown. Parents found it helpful; it increased their confidence and positively changed their health-seeking behaviors. Providing parents with targeted information to recognize serious illness in children at home could potentially foster self-care and safely maintain a reduction in pediatric emergency attendances for self-limiting illnesses.