Wheelchair service provision education in Canadian occupational therapy programs.

Occupational therapists in Canada play a central role in wheelchair service provision. Inadequate entry-to-practice professional education has been identified as a major concern in the delivery of wheelchair related services. The goal of this study was to describe the current education provided in Canadian occupational therapy programs and to map this content against the recommended WHO 8-step wheelchair service provision process. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional online survey design. Educators were recruited from accredited occupational therapy programs in Canada. Participants completed a short sociodemographic questionnaire and a survey with 97 closed- and open-ended questions regarding the wheelchair service provision education provided in their curriculum. Survey data was then mapped according to the WHO 8-step wheelchair service provision process. Twenty-nine educators from all Canadian occupational therapy programs (n = 14) were enrolled. Most participants (55.2%) were full-time faculty members that had been teaching in occupational therapy programs for an average time of 10.9 years. All programs covered at least 4 of the WHO recommended steps, but only 5 programs covered all steps. Assessment and Prescription steps were covered in every program while the Referral & Appointment, Funding & Ordering, Fitting and User Training steps were covered in most programs. The pedagogic approach, the amount of time dedicated to wheelchair-related content, and the type of evaluation used varied greatly between programs. This study is the first to provide a detailed description of wheelchair service provision education across all Canadian occupational therapy programs according to the WHO 8 steps and provides a foundation for collaborative efforts to promote best practice in entry-to-practice professional education.

Assessment of a multiprofessional training programme by in situ simulation in the maternity units of the Pays de Loire regional perinatal network.

INTRODUCTION: Initially dispensed in specialized simulation centers, simulation training has recently begun to take place directly in healthcare facilities, that is, in situ. The objective of this study is to assess the effect of training by in situ simulation in obstetrics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The training program, dispensed over a 2-day period, took place in maternity units of the members of the Pays de la Loire perinatal network, Réseau Sécurité Naissance (Network Safety Birth). All participants received a learner satisfaction questionnaire to complete (5-point Likert-like scales). Then, at least 6 months later, each maternity ward received a general questionnaire to assess the effect of the training, as well as a second questionnaire specific to each institution, about the areas for improvement proposed by the teaching team after debriefings. RESULTS: The 14 establishments included in our study returned 375 satisfaction questionnaires. In all, 91.1 % were very satisfied and reported that the training met their expectations, and 99.7 % thought the program would have an impact on their professional practice. More than 94 % of the learners wanted more simulation sessions. Among the 14 facilities, 9 (64.3 %) returned their evaluation questionnaires. In 44.4 % of cases, they reported improvement in team cohesion and in team communication, while the others reported these elements remained stable. All maternity units reported that the training had a positive impact on their team, and that they would be interested in new training program with in situ simulation. DISCUSSION: Most participants clearly appreciated this training. In situ simulation training also led to the identification of areas for improvements, many of them accomplished, through the drafting of protocols or material modifications aimed at improving staff practices and therefore global patient care. There are many ways by which these training programs can be made sustainable, including the development of a new training program of in situ simulation or the creation of onsite simulation sessions on demand or by the professionals at each institution. CONCLUSION: This survey demonstrated the enthusiasm of healthcare professionals about in situ simulation. Moreover, overall improvement in team communication and cohesion was reported in the medium term (evaluation at more than 6 months). The interest of continuing these training sessions appears undeniable.

Impact of Faculty and Programmatic Resources on the Proportion of Academic Doctoral Degrees in Professional Physical Therapist Education Programs.

OBJECTIVE: The Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education has introduced a requirement that 50% of core faculty members in a physical therapist education program should have an academic doctoral degree, which many programs are not currently meeting. Competition between programs for prestige and resources may explain the discrepancy of academic achievement among faculty despite accreditation standards. The purpose of this study was to identify faculty and program characteristics that are predictive of programs having a higher percentage of faculty with academic doctoral degrees. METHODS: Yearly accreditation data from 231 programs for a 10-year period were used in a fixed-effects panel analysis. RESULTS: For a 1 percentage point increase in the number of core faculty members, a program could expect a decline in academic doctoral degrees by 14% with all other variables held constant. For a 1% increase in either reported total cost or expenses per student, a program could expect a 7% decline in academic doctoral degrees with all other variables held constant. Programs that have been accredited for a longer period of time could expect to have proportionately more faculty members with academic doctoral degrees. CONCLUSIONS: Programs may be increasing their core faculty size to allow faculty with academic doctoral degrees to focus on scholarly productivity. The percentage of faculty with academic doctoral degrees declines as programs increase tuition and expenditures, but this may be due to programs' tendency to stratify individuals (including part-time core faculty) into teaching- and research-focused efforts to maximize their research prowess and status. IMPACT: This study illuminates existing relationships between physical therapist faculty staffing, time spent in research versus teaching, and program finances. The results of this study should be used to inform higher education policy initiatives aimed to lower competitive pressures and the costs of professional education.

The interprofessional VA quality scholars program: Promoting predoctoral nursing scientists and their career trajectories.

BACKGROUND: The VA Quality Scholars (VAQS) program is an interprofessional fellowship that provides a unique opportunity for predoctoral nurse scientists to embed their work in quality improvement learning "laboratories" to inform their scholarship, science, and research. PURPOSE: To describe the VAQS program in relation to promoting nursing science and predoctoral nurse scientist (PhD) career trajectories, and to propose policy implications. METHOD: Data were collected on all predoctoral (PhD, DNP) nurses who entered and completed the VAQS program nationally. FINDINGS: A total of 17 predoctoral nurses (11 PhD and 6 DNP) have completed the VAQS program. Ten predoctoral PhD nurses (91%) completed their degree while in the program. Nine predoctoral PhD nurses (82%) entered a postdoctoral fellowship, and many obtained positions as faculty at research-intensive universities postfellowship. DISCUSSION: The knowledge, skills, and experiences gained by predoctoral nurse scientists from the VAQS's program contribute to their nursing research and professional career growth.

An Evaluation of Faculty Development Programs for Clinician-Educators: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: Faculty development (FD) has become increasingly important for clinician-educators. An array of FD programs has been developed, but the impact of these programs on clinician-educators and their learners and workplace is less known. The authors conducted a scoping review to explore the status of program evaluation in FD for clinician-educators to inform future planning and research. METHOD: Five databases were searched for articles published from January 1998 to August 2018 using Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Studies that described evaluation methods and outcomes of FD programs for clinician-educators were included. Data were collected and organized according to program domain (teaching, research/scholarship, leadership, or a combination of skills). A modified version of the Kirkpatrick model was used to compare results among studies. RESULTS: From a total of 2,091 articles, 1,095 were eligible for full review, and 31 met the inclusion criteria. Seven programs targeted only teaching skills, 3 research/scholarship skills, 7 leadership skills, and 14 a combination of skills. Eighteen programs required the completion of a project; fewer offered fellowships, master's degrees, or certificates. Participant surveys were the most common evaluation method across all domains. Often used metrics included participant satisfaction and self-reported knowledge, skills, behavior changes, scholarly output, and leadership positions. Less common evaluation methods included learner and peer evaluations, interviews, and focus groups. Change at the institutional level was evaluated in 11 programs. CONCLUSIONS: Program evaluation remains an underdeveloped area in FD for clinician-educators. Developers expend significant effort on program design and implementation but approach evaluation less purposefully. Rigorous metrics that align with program goals and are used longitudinally are needed to accurately assess the impact of FD programs on participants and their learners, workplace, and institutions at large.

More Than Words: A Vision to Address Bias and Reduce Discrimination in the Health Professions Learning Environment.

Bias and discrimination are embedded within the history, norms, and practices of the health professions institution, and their negative impacts are pervasive in the health professions learning environment. These forces impair the ability to take care of patients, recruit and support diverse health care providers, and prepare the next generation of clinicians for practice. Fortunately, there are effective interventions and strategies for addressing bias and discrimination within learning environments and to both prevent and ameliorate their negative effects. This Perspective lays out a vision for health professions learning environments that are free from bias and discrimination and makes 5 recommendations, with supporting actions, that will help the leaders of health care institutions achieve this goal.

Measurement of sustainable higher education development: Evidence from China.

This paper constructs the 6E evaluation index system, a comprehensive index including the dimensions of economy, effectiveness, efficiency, equity, earnings and equality, to measure the sustainable higher education development of the 31 provincial regions of China by utilizing the information entropy weight-TOPSIS method. This paper then makes a spatial and temporal analysis of the coupling coordination relationship among the dimensions of sustainable higher education development by using the coupling coordination model. In addition, this paper proposes specific and applicable countermeasures for sustainable higher education development. The results show that the comprehensive degrees of sustainable higher education development in most regions are not high, and the coastal regions and the Central-south China regions have higher grades; in addition, for most regions, the coupling coordination degrees mainly remain stable, with mild growth in the respective classifications, and the gap between the west and other regions is declining. The improved method is applicable to measure the sustainable development of higher education and to propose detailed and appropriate suggestions for further development.

Gender differences in the pathways to higher education.

It is well known that far fewer men than women enroll in tertiary education in the United States and other Western nations. Developed nations vary in the degree to which men are underrepresented, but the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average lies around 45% male students. We use data from the OECD Education at a Glance statistical reports, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), and the World Values Survey to explain the degree to which men are underrepresented. Using a multiple regression model, we show that the combination of both the national reading proficiency levels of 15-y-old boys and girls and the social attitudes toward girls attending university can predict the enrollment in tertiary education 5 y later. The model also shows that parity in some countries is a result of boys' poor reading proficiency and negative social attitudes toward girls' education, which suppresses college enrollment in both sexes, but for different reasons. True equity will at the very least require improvement in boys' reading competencies and the liberalization of attitudes regarding women's pursuit of higher education. At this time, there is little reason to expect that the enrollment gap will decrease, given the stagnating reading competencies in most countries.

Responding to catastrophe: A case study of learning from perinatal death in midwifery practice.

PROBLEM/BACKGROUND: Perinatal death has far reaching emotional effects for all involved in this devastating event. The opportunity for learning as a result of this catastrophe, however, remains unexplored. AIM: To explore midwives' experiences of caring through, and learning from, perinatal death, to better inform the effective planning and delivery of education that optimises both midwifery and self-care. METHODS: A naturalistic interpretive multiple case study design. Seventeen midwives, located in Australia, participated in an online group activity hosted as a blog, followed by telephonic focus groups and in-depth email interviews. FINDINGS: Thematic data analysis revealed seven major themes: Grappling with the reality of perinatal death; Struggling with personal and professional heartache; Seeking the space to grieve as a professional; Being with the woman and her family; Finding a new purpose; Strengthened through support; and Developing the courage to care. DISCUSSION: The initial turmoil and impact of loss reflected the catastrophic nature of perinatal death. Midwives uncovered a journey to acceptance and learning, realising a determination to enhance expertise and discovering value in experiential knowledge. Insecurity regarding competence and confidence to manage perinatal death and bereavement care was highlighted. However, sharing their stories revealed professional fulfilment, personal strength, and solidarity amongst midwives who have endured similar experiences. CONCLUSION: A coordinated approach to support and the dissemination of experiential knowledge and learning could be developed within an online model of narrative sharing and discussion. Debriefing, support and sharing of expertise in this way may foster engagement within and beyond the workplace.

Analysis of Educational Debt and Income Among Pharmacists and Other Health Professionals.

Objective. To evaluate educational debt-to-income trends in pharmacy, dentistry, medicine, optometry, and veterinary medicine in the United States from 2010 to 2016. Methods. A retrospective analysis of educational debt and income for selected health professions was conducted. Data on student loan debt were collected from professional organizations and data on income were collected from the American Community Survey. Ratios of the mean educational debt of graduating students to the median annual income for their respective profession were calculated for 2010 through 2016. Average change per year in debt, income, and debt-to-income ratio were calculated. Results. Debt-to-income ratios for all selected health professions except medicine exceeded 100%. For physicians, debt-to-income ratios ranged from 89% to 95%. On average, physicians (-0.3 percentage point) and optometrists (-0.5 percentage point) had negative changes in their debt-to-income ratios from 2010 to 2016. Average increases per year in debt-to-income ratio of veterinarians, pharmacists, and dentists were 5.5, 5.7, and 6.0 percentage points, respectively. From 2010 to 2016, dentists had the largest average increase per year in debt ($10,525), while physicians had the largest average increase per year in income ($6667) and a minimal average debt increase per year ($5436). Pharmacists had the second largest average increase per year in debt ($8356). Conclusion. Educational debt-to-income ratios in the United States increased considerably over the past decade among pharmacists, dentists, and veterinarians and can negatively impact health professionals as well as patient care. Innovative strategies are needed to alleviate the educational debt burden.

Demographic Profile of Chiropractors Who Treat Children: A Multinational Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to survey the demographic profile and educational background of chiropractors with pediatric patients on a multinational scale. METHODS: A multinational online cross-sectional demographic survey conducted over a 15-day period in July 2010. The survey was electronically administered via chiropractic associations in 17 countries, using SurveyMonkey for data acquisition, transfer, and descriptive analysis. RESULTS: The response rate was 10.1%, and 1498 responses were received from 17 countries on 6 continents. Of these, 90.4% accepted pediatric cases. The average practitioner was male (61.1%) and 41.4 years old, had 13.6 years in practice, and saw 107 patient visits per week. Regarding educational background, 63.4% had a bachelor's degree or higher in addition to their chiropractic qualification, and 18.4% had a postgraduate certificate or higher in pediatric chiropractic. CONCLUSION: This is the first study about chiropractors who treat children from the United Arab Emirates, Peru, Japan, South Africa, and Spain. Although the response rate was low, the results of this multinational survey suggest that pediatric chiropractic care may be a common component of usual chiropractic practice on a multinational level for these respondents.

Textbooks authors, publishers, formats and costs in higher education.

OBJECTIVES: There is little empirical data reported on retail prices of college textbooks beyond self-reported surveys and no published datasets. Textbooks, as an ancillary cost, can contribute to the overall rising cost of education which can impact upon students' ability to succeed in Higher Education. This study sought to understand more about costs of college textbooks by conducting a systematic collection of several thousand textbooks from faculty readings lists in one Higher Education Institution in Ireland and a retrieval and analysis of the retail prices of a selection of those books. DATA DESCRIPTION: Queries were made of the course catalogue database of a Higher Education Institution in Ireland resulting in generation of records for required and recommended textbooks for 15,414 books from 3030 unique courses for the academic year 2017-2018. This data was cleaned and processed before being used to query Google Books API. The dataset presented here represents the combination of data from the course catalogue and the Google Books API queries and comprises 2940 records of textbooks. Details for each book including title, authors, publisher, ISBN, retail price, ebook format, pdf availability, and public domain availability.

Career and Technical Education, Inclusion, and Postsecondary Outcomes for Students With Learning Disabilities.

We used longitudinal data from Washington State to investigate the relationships among career and technical education (CTE) enrollment, inclusion in general education, and high school and postsecondary outcomes for students with learning disabilities. We replicated earlier findings that students with learning disabilities who were enrolled in a "concentration" of CTE courses had higher rates of employment after graduation than observably similar students with learning disabilities who were enrolled in fewer CTE courses. We also found that students with learning disabilities who spent more time in general education classrooms in high school had higher rates of on-time graduation, college attendance, and employment than observably similar students with learning disabilities who spent less time in general education classrooms in these grades.

Percepción sobre el desarrollo de competencias en seguridad de los pacientes de los estudiantes de la Carrera de Licenciatura en Enfermería en el período 2018 / Perception on the development of competencies in patient safety for students of the Bachelor of Nursing Degree in the period 2018

Introducción: En la Argentina de acuerdo al estudio Iberoamericano de Efectos Adversos se evidencio que, el 46% de los efectos adversos producidos por la atención sanitaria son evitables , por lo que la seguridad del paciente en la formación de los estudiantes de Licenciatura en Enfermería, debería ser uno de los ejes de fundamentales para comprender los riesgos que conllevan sus actividades, el impacto de los errores sobre los pacientes y el papel primordial que tiene la enfermería para evitar mayores daños al paciente. Objetivo: Describir la percepción sobre el desarrollo de competencias en seguridad de los pacientes de los estudiantes del segundo ciclo de la Carrera de Licenciatura en Enfermería en el período 2018. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio de tipo cuantitativo, descriptivo y transversal. La muestra fue de 61 estudiantes de 3°, 4° y 5° año de la Carrera de Licenciatura en enfermería, seleccionados por un muestro aleatorio simple. Para la recolección de los datos se utilizó un cuestionario adaptado, basándose en el cuestionario de la versión italiana validada de Educación profesional de salud en Seguridad del paciente. Resultados: En la percepción sobre el desarrollo de las competencias en seguridad del paciente la dimensión mejor valorada por los estudiantes fue la actitudinal, seguida por la cognoscitiva y la procedimental. Se observaron diferencias significativas en la valoración según sexo, no se observaron diferencias en las percepciones según edad. Conclusión: Los estudiantes de la carrera de licenciatura en Enfermería perciben el desarrollo de sus competencias en el área de seguridad del paciente como favorables acerca de los contenidos cognoscitivos, procedimentales y actitudinales. Se observaron diferencias significativas en las valoraciones según sexo en las tres dimensiones evaluadas.

Summary: Introduction: In Argentina, according to the Ibero-American study of Adverse Effects, it was evidenced that 46% of the adverse effects produced by health care are avoidable, so that the patient's safety in the training of Nursing students, it should be one of the fundamental axes to understand the risks involved in its activities, the impact of errors on patients and the primary role of nursing to avoid further damage to the patient. Objective: To describe the perception of the development of competencies in patient safety of students in the second cycle of the Bachelor of Nursing in the period 2018. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive and transversal study was carried out. The sample was of 61 students of 3rd, 4th and 5th year of the Degree in Nursing, selected by a simple random sample. To collect the data, an adapted questionnaire was used, based on the questionnaire of the validated Italian version of Health Professional Education in Patient Safety. Results: In the perception of the development of competencies in patient safety, the dimension most valued by the students was attitudinal, followed by cognitive and procedural. Significant differences were observed in the assessment according to sex, no differences were observed in the perceptions according to age. Conclusion: The students of the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing perceive the development of their competencies in the area of patient safety as favorable about the cognitive, procedural and attitudinal contents. Significant differences were observed in the evaluations according to sex in the three dimensions evaluated

Resumo: Introdução: Na Argentina, de acordo com o estudo ibero-americano de efeitos adversos, evidenciou-se que 46% dos efeitos adversos produzidos pelos cuidados de saúde são evitáveis, de modo que a segurança do paciente na formação de estudantes de Enfermagem, Deve ser um dos eixos fundamentais para entender os riscos envolvidos em suas atividades, o impacto dos erros nos pacientes e o papel primordial da enfermagem para evitar mais danos ao paciente. Objetivo: Descrever a percepção do desenvolvimento de competências em segurança do paciente de escolares do segundo ciclo do Bacharelado em Enfermagem no período de 2018. Metodologia: Foi realizado um estudo quantitativo, descritivo e transversal. A amostra foi de 61 alunos do 3º, 4º e 5º ano do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem, selecionados por amostra aleatória simples. Para coleta dos dados, utilizou-se um questionário adaptado, baseado no questionário da versão italiana validada de Educação Profissional em Saúde em Segurança do Paciente. Resultados: Na percepção do desenvolvimento de competências em segurança do paciente, a dimensão mais valorizada pelos estudantes foi a atitude, seguida pela cognitiva e processual. Diferenças significativas foram observadas na avaliação de acordo com o sexo, não foram observadas diferenças nas percepções de acordo com a idade. Conclusão: Os acadêmicos do Curso de Licenciatura em Enfermagem percebem o desenvolvimento de suas competências na área de segurança do paciente como favorável aos conteúdos cognitivo, procedimental e atitudinal. Diferenças significativas foram observadas nas avaliações de acordo com o sexo nas três dimensões avaliadas.

Interprofessional palliative care education for pediatric oncology clinicians: an evidence-based practice review.

OBJECTIVE: Clinician education and expertise in palliative care varies widely across pediatric oncology programs. The purpose of this evidence-based practice review was to identify interprofessional palliative care education models applicable to pediatric oncology settings as well as methods for evaluating their impact on clinical practice. RESULTS: Based on a literature search in PubMed, CINAHL and Embase, which identified 13 articles meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria, the following three themes emerged: (1) establishment of effective modalities and teaching strategies, (2) development of an interprofessional palliative care curriculum, and (3) program evaluation to assess impact on providers' self-perceived comfort in delivering palliative care and patient/family perceptions of care received. Remarkably, health professionals reported receiving limited palliative care training, with little evidence of systematic evaluation of practice changes following training completion. Improving palliative care delivery was linked to the development and integration of an interprofessional palliative care curriculum. Suggested evaluation strategies included: (1) eliciting patient and family feedback, (2) standardizing care delivery measures, and (3) evaluating outcomes of care.

Survey of ultrasound practice amongst podiatrists in the UK.

BACKGROUND: Ultrasound in podiatry practice encompasses musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging, vascular hand-held Doppler ultrasound and therapeutic ultrasound. Sonography practice is not regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), with no requirement to hold a formal qualification. The College of Podiatry does not currently define ultrasound training and competencies.This study aimed to determine the current use of ultrasound, training received and mentorship received and/or provided by podiatrists using ultrasound. METHODS: A quantitative study utilising a cross-sectional, on-line, single-event survey was undertaken within the UK. RESULTS: Completed surveys were received from 284 podiatrists; 173 (70%) use ultrasound as part of their general practice, 139 (49%) for musculoskeletal problems, 131 (46%) for vascular assessment and 39 (14%) to support their surgical practice. Almost a quarter (n = 62) worked for more than one organisation; 202 (71%) were employed by the NHS and/or private sector (n = 118, 41%).Nearly all (93%) respondents report using a hand-held vascular Doppler in their daily practice; 216 (82%) to support decisions regarding treatment options, 102 (39%) to provide diagnostic reports for other health professionals, and 34 (13%) to guide nerve blocks.Ultrasound imaging was used by 104 (37%) respondents primarily to aid clinical decision making (n = 81) and guide interventions (steroid injections n = 67; nerve blocks n = 39). Ninety-three percent stated they use ultrasound imaging to treat their own patients, while others scan at the request of other podiatrists (n = 28) or health professionals (n = 18). Few use ultrasound imaging for research (n = 7) or education (n = 2).Only 32 (11%) respondents (n = 20 private sector) use therapeutic ultrasound to treat patients presenting with musculoskeletal complaints, namely tendon pathologies.Few respondents (18%) had completed formal post-graduate CASE (Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education) accredited ultrasound courses.Forty (14%) respondents receive ultrasound mentorship; the majority from fellow podiatrists (n = 17) or medical colleagues (n = 15). Over half (n = 127) who do not have ultrasound mentorship indicated they would like a mentor predominantly for ultrasound imaging. Fifty-five (19%) report they currently provide ultrasound mentorship for others. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the scope of ultrasound practice, the training undertaken and the requirements for mentorship will underpin the development of competencies and recommendations defined by the College of Podiatry to support professional development and ensure safe practice.

Knowledge, Confidence, and Practice Patterns of Speech-Language Pathologists Working With Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury.

Purpose: Although speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are important members of the health care team serving adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with cognitive-communication disorders, little is known about services SLPs deliver and how they rate their own knowledge and skills. The aims of this study were to identify practice patterns, knowledge, and confidence levels of SLPs working with adults with TBI with cognitive-communication disorders. Method: We surveyed 100 SLPs from rural and urban hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient clinics in Wisconsin and analyzed data descriptively. Results: SLPs in this sample had a combination of accurate and inaccurate knowledge related to TBI. Although all participants reported working with individuals with TBI, many participants rated themselves as lacking confidence or knowledge in this practice area. SLPs reported variable use of evidence-based procedures and training related to TBI. Conclusion: Results confirmed the high prevalence of TBI-related practice among SLPs in medical settings, but there was variable knowledge, confidence, and use of current evidence in practice. SLP graduate training programs, individual providers, health care administrators, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association can use results from this study to advance and improve SLP clinical services for adults with TBI.

Influence of study approaches and course design on academic success in the undergraduate anatomy laboratory.

Many pre-health professional programs require completion of an undergraduate anatomy course with a laboratory component, yet grades in these courses are often low. Many students perceive anatomy as a more challenging subject than other coursework, and the resulting anxiety surrounding this perception may be a significant contributor to poor performance. Well-planned and deliberate guidance from instructors, as well as thoughtful course design, may be necessary to assist students in finding the best approach to studying for anatomy. This article assesses which study habits are associated with course success and whether course design influences study habits. Surveys (n = 1,274) were administered to students enrolled in three undergraduate human anatomy laboratory courses with varying levels of cooperative learning and structured guidance. The surveys collected information on potential predictors of performance, including student demographics, educational background, self-assessment ability, and study methods (e.g., flashcards, textbooks, diagrams). Compared to low performers, high performers perceive studying in laboratory, asking the instructor questions, quizzing alone, and quizzing others as more effective for learning. Additionally, students co-enrolled in a flipped, active lecture anatomy course achieve higher grades and find active learning activities (e.g., quizzing alone and in groups) more helpful for their learning in the laboratory. These results strengthen previous research suggesting that student performance is more greatly enhanced by an active classroom environment that practices successful study strategies rather than one that simply encourages students to employ such strategies inside and outside the classroom. Anat Sci Educ 11: 496-509. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

The professional status of infectious disease physicians in China: a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: The evolution of infectious diseases (IDs) poses a challenge to many ID physicians, who must either adapt or transition to another career track. This national cross-sectional study assessed the current working conditions and problems faced by ID professionals in China. METHODS: A national questionnaire survey of ID physicians and their facilities throughout China was performed in May-June 2016 using stratified random sampling. RESULTS: A total of 156/300 (52.0%) ID departments and 1071/2250 (47.6%) physicians from 21 provinces participated in the survey. Overall, 151 (96.2%) of 156 hospitals had ID wards and 141 (90.4%) provided outpatient consultations. The average number of ID physicians per department was 10.32 ± 6.57. The ratio of patient beds to doctors was 5: 1, and the ratio of patient beds to nurses was 5: 1.85. Training in IDs was available in 126 (80.8%), and ID research was performed in 108 (69.2%), of the 156 departments. The main service provided by ID physicians was the management of legally notifiable communicable diseases. The annual income of 942 (88.0%) of the 1071 physicians was below $15 000. Of these physicians, 870 (81.2%) felt high or very high pressure in their work, whereas only 514 (48.0%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs. CONCLUSIONS: The limited medical service provided by ID physicians is poorly aligned with current healthcare demands. Moreover, the heavy workloads, high stress, poor compensation and limited career prospects for ID physicians in China impede the continued development of specialists and places them in a career dilemma. ID physicians should work to develop and diversify the field and to enhance their capacities by learning new technologies and collaborating with other medical disciplines.