Medical students and clinical placements - a qualitative study of the continuum of professional identity formation.

Background: To explore graduates' perceptions of significant factors affecting professional identity formation (PIF) throughout their graduate medical school education journey and early practice years.Methods: A qualitative study with medical graduates using non-probability sampling. Data collected with graduates via face to face and telephone interviews. Interviews (n = 9) completed with medical graduates of the School of Medicine, University of Limerick.Results: Graduates described their experiences in general practice, during the early patient contact programme and the longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) as highly influential. The lasting impact of positive role models was highlighted. The importance of socialisation and entering a community of practice were identified as drivers of professional development. Role modelling and mentorship between students and GP tutors were pivotal as part of early clinical years and clinical LIC. This seemed to have a positive influence on graduate's consideration of general practice as a future career pathway.Conclusion: Professional identity formation occurs for medical students who participate in early patient contact programmes and longitudinal integrated clerkships in GP. Factors such as positive role modelling, good mentorship, communities of practice and a positive learning environment appear to be the main contributors to this process. Experiences as part of longitudinal integrated clerkships are meaningful for graduates, regardless of postgraduate specialisation choices. Educators should acknowledge this when designing medical curricula to ensure that students' professional identity formation is optimally facilitated. Training should be available to support the educators involved in longitudinal integrated clerkships, as they become role models and mentors to students.

Internet skills of medical faculty and students: is there a difference?

BACKGROUND: The shift from a more didactic to student-centred pedagogical approach has led to the implementation of new information communication technology (ICT) innovations and curricula. Consequently, analysis of the digital competency of both faculty and students is of increasing importance. The aim of this research is to measure and compare the internet skills of medical school faculty and students and to investigate any potential skills gap between the two groups. METHODS: A survey of medical school faculty and students across three universities in Ireland was carried out using a validated instrument (Internet Skills Scale) measuring five internet skills (Operational, Information Navigation, Social, Creative and Mobile). Three focus groups comprising a total of fifteen students and four semi-structured interviews with faculty across three institutions were carried out to explore further findings and perceptions towards digital literacy, give further insight and add context to the findings. RESULTS: Seventy-eight medical faculty (response rate 45%) and 401 students (response rate 15%) responded to the survey. Mean scores for each internet skill were high (above 4 out of 5) for all skills apart from Creative (mean of 3.08 for students and 3.10 for faculty). There were no large differences between student and faculty scores across the five skills. Qualitative results supported survey findings with a deeper investigation into topics such as online professionalism, use of licencing and mobile application development. Needs based skills training and support were highlighted as areas for faculty development. CONCLUSION: Both medical educators and students tend to have similar competencies with respect to internet skills. When implementing online and distance learning methodologies however, medical schools need to ensure appropriate skills training and support for faculty as well as providing targeted training to improve the creative skills of both their educators and students.

Barriers and solutions to online learning in medical education - an integrative review.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to review the literature on known barriers and solutions that face educators when developing and implementing online learning programs for medical students and postgraduate trainees. METHODS: An integrative review was conducted over a three-month period by an inter-institutional research team. The search included ScienceDirect, Scopus, BioMedical, PubMed, Medline (EBSCO & Ovid), ERIC, LISA, EBSCO, Google Scholar, ProQuest A&I, ProQuest UK & Ireland, UL Institutional Repository (IR), UCDIR and the All Aboard Report. Search terms included online learning, medical educators, development, barriers, solutions and digital literacy. The search was carried out by two reviewers. Titles and abstracts were screened independently and reviewed with inclusion/exclusion criteria. A consensus was drawn on which articles were included. Data appraisal was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Qualitative Research Checklist and NHMRC Appraisal Evidence Matrix. Data extraction was completed using the Cochrane Data Extraction Form and a modified extraction tool. RESULTS: Of the 3101 abstracts identified from the search, ten full-text papers met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction was completed on seven papers of high methodological quality and on three lower quality papers. Findings suggest that the key barriers which affect the development and implementation of online learning in medical education include time constraints, poor technical skills, inadequate infrastructure, absence of institutional strategies and support and negative attitudes of all involved. Solutions to these include improved educator skills, incentives and reward for the time involved with development and delivery of online content, improved institutional strategies and support and positive attitude amongst all those involved in the development and delivery of online content. CONCLUSION: This review has identified barriers and solutions amongst medical educators to the implementation of online learning in medical education. Results can be used to inform institutional and educator practice in the development of further online learning.

What can we learn from problem-based learning tutors at a graduate entry medical school? A mixed method approach.

Problem-based learning (PBL) has been adopted by many medical schools as an innovative method to deliver an integrated medical curriculum since its inception at McMaster University (Dornan et al., Med Educ 39(2):163-170, 2005; Finucane et al., Med Educ 35(1):56-61, 2001; Barrows, Tutorials in problem-based learning: A new direction in teaching the health professions, 1984). The student experience in PBL has been explored in detail (Merriam, New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 89: 3-13, 2001; Azer, Kaohsiung J Med Sci 25(5): 240-249, 2009; Boelens et al., BMC Med Ed 15(1): 84, 2015; Dolmans et al., Med Teach 24(2):173-180, 2002; Lee et al., Med Teach 35(2): e935-e942, 2013) but the tutors who facilitate PBL have valuable insight into how PBL functions and this aspect has not been extensively researched. The integrated curriculum for years 1 and 2 at the Graduate Entry Medical School at the University of Limerick is delivered though problem-based learning (PBL). This programme requires collaborative teamwork between students and the tutors who facilitate small-group tutorial sessions. All PBL tutors at GEMS are medically qualified, with the majority (68%) currently working in clinical practice. METHODS: A mixed-methods approach was adopted, utilising two surveys and follow-up focus groups to fully understand the tutor experience. Thirty-three tutors took part in two online surveys with a response rate of 89%. Thirteen tutors participated in two focus groups. Descriptive analysis was completed on survey data and thematic analysis on focus group discussions which highlighted five main themes. RESULTS: Tutors reported challenges with managing group dynamics, development of confidence in tutoring with experience and a willingness to learn from peers to improve practice. Findings are in keeping with previously published work. Results also identified several less commonly discussed issues impacting student engagement in PBL including the use of mobile device technology, unauthorised access to learning objectives and PBL cases, and the importance and need for professional development amongst tutors, including the impact of tutoring on clinical practice. This study revealed that experienced tutors spend considerable time preparing for PBL tutorials in the basic sciences and that this input is rewarded by the benefits it brings to their clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding PBL from the tutor's perspective reveals valuable insights which can inform ongoing tutor development and support. Limited research exists in the area of PBL tutor's experiences which may be of interest to medical educators, clinicians and the wider medical community. Findings highlight the value of shared tutor experiences as a resource that can be capitalised on to benefit both novice and experienced tutors.

Tutor Uncertainty in Dealing with Unprofessional Behaviours of Medical Students and Residents: a Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite acknowledgement of medical students' expected professional behaviours and attitudes, there remains widespread reluctance to report students that behave inappropriately. Existing literature focuses on why faculty fail to fail, overlooking the tutors who deal with students day to day. We investigated how tutors address inappropriate behaviours and attitudes in students and residents. METHODS: A mixed methods study was carried out consisting of a survey and two focus groups with tutors. Seventeen tutors from the University of Limerick School of Medicine, Ireland, took part in the survey (n = 22%) and eight tutors participated in two focus groups during the 2018-2019 academic year. RESULTS: Findings suggested that 59% of tutors would take a different approach to addressing unprofessional behaviours witnessed in medical students and residents. A total of 88% of tutors said they intervened on a professionalism issue with 52% saying 'once in a while'. In contrast to the survey, tutors in the focus groups expressed a lack of confidence in addressing some behaviours due to a lack of time, not seeing the outcome of process/remediation etc. Tutors indicated a strong preference for case-based training on assessing professional identity formation (PIF). CONCLUSIONS: We found tutors typically work closely with students on a day-to-day basis managing unprofessionalism issues. Tutors valued regular communication about policies and procedures about appropriate conduct as well as support, advice, and/or oversight from independent members of university staff. This research highlights the need for training designed for busy tutors as a distinct type of medical teacher. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01429-1.

Teeth or no teeth: exploring punitive measures for adults smoking in cars containing children in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

This viewpoint welcomes the recent announcement of the Government of Aotearoa/New Zealand to ban smoking in cars with children. However, it notes that the thorny issue of enforcement and punishment remains. Internationally there is a deficit on research on this issue. The experiences of the UK and Ireland are examined, where there was little or no enforcement of such laws, as well as a comparison with the State of Victoria in Australia, where the law was more robustly enforced. This viewpoint argues that enforcement is an important element in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of children.