The Case for Advocacy Curricula and Opportunities in Medical Education: Past Examples to Inform Future Instruction.

ABSTRACT: With recent advances in understanding racial, socioeconomic, and mental health issues in medicine and their relation to policy and legislation, medical professionals are increasingly involved in local and national advocacy efforts. At the frontlines of these initiatives are medical students who, in addition to completing required coursework and clinical training, devote themselves to serving patients through civic participation. The burgeoning evidence concerning health care disparities and inequity, along with greater awareness of racial and socioeconomic discrimination, have made advocacy an essential aspect of many students' medical training. Every year, thousands of medical students join national medical advocacy organizations, in addition to regional, state, and local groups. Despite the rich history of medical student involvement in advocacy, there remains much speculation and skepticism about the practice as an essential component of the medical profession. From early initiatives pushing for national health insurance after World War II to encouraging antidiscrimination policies and practices, medical students have been collectively working to create change for themselves and their patients. Through efforts such as banning smoking on airplanes, creating safe syringe programs, and protesting against police brutality, many medical students work tirelessly in advocacy despite minimal educational support or guidance about the advocacy process. Given that medical student advocacy continues to grow and has shown measurable successes in the past, the authors believe that these efforts should be rewarded and expanded upon. The authors examine historical examples of medical student advocacy to suggest ways in which advocacy can be integrated into core medical school curricula and activities. They call attention to opportunities to support students' development of knowledge and skills to facilitate legislative change, expansion of interprofessional collaborations and credit, and curricular updates to promote social and health equity.

A Systematic Review of Ophthalmology Education in Medical Schools: The Global Decline.

TOPIC: This systematic review examined geographical and temporal trends in medical school ophthalmology education in relationship to course and student outcomes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Evidence suggesting a decline in ophthalmology teaching in medical schools is increasing, raising concern for the adequacy of eye knowledge across the rest of the medical profession. METHODS: Systematic review of Embase and SCOPUS, with inclusion of studies containing data on medical school ophthalmic course length; 1 or more outcome measures on student ophthalmology knowledge, skills, self-evaluation of knowledge or skills, or student course appraisal; or both. The systematic review was registered prospectively on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (identifier, CRD42022323865). Results were aggregated with outcome subgroup analysis and description in relationship to geographical and temporal trends. Descriptive statistics, including nonparametric correlations, were used to analyze data and trends. RESULTS: Systematic review yielded 4596 publication titles, of which 52 were included in the analysis, with data from 19 countries. Average course length ranged from 12.5 to 208.7 hours, with significant continental disparity among mean course lengths. Africa reported the longest average course length at 103.3 hours, and North America reported the shortest at 36.4 hours. On average, course lengths have been declining over the last 2 decades, from an average overall course length of 92.9 hours in the 2000s to 52.9 hours in the 2020s. Mean student self-evaluation of skills was 51.3%, and mean student self-evaluation of knowledge was 55.4%. Objective mean assessment mark of skills was 57.5% and that of knowledge was 71.7%, compared with an average pass mark of 66.7%. On average, 26.4% of students felt confident in their ophthalmology knowledge and 34.5% felt confident in their skills. DISCUSSION: Most evidence describes declining length of courses devoted to ophthalmology in the last 20 years, significant student dissatisfaction with courses and content, and suboptimal knowledge and confidence. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Factores influyentes en el desarrollo de competencias en Ortopedia y Traumatología durante el internado médico / Influential Factors in The Development of Competencies in Orthopedics and Traumatology During the Medical Internship

RESUMEN Introducción: Actualmente la salud es concebida como un derecho fundamental y para garantizarlo se debe propender por una adecuada formación de los profesionales de la salud. El internado rotatorio es la última etapa y la más importante del pregrado en Medicina. Objetivo: Explorar los factores desde la perspectiva de estudiantes y docentes, que influyen en el desarrollo de competencias en la rotación de Ortopedia y Traumatología durante el internado médico. Métodos: Estudio cualitativo con enfoque en teoría fundamentada. Para la recolección de datos se realizó un cuestionario semiestructurado a una muestra aleatoria de 14 participantes, 7 estudiantes y 7 docentes, que cumplían los criterios de inclusión. El análisis se basó en la codificación y categorización de los datos que posteriormente fueron sometidos a un proceso de triangulación para lograr la teorización final. Resultados: Los factores que favorecen el desarrollo de competencias están relacionados con la motivación intrínseca del estudiante, la flexibilidad y disponibilidad de recursos académicos, las características del programa de la rotación y el ambiente de práctica. Se identificaron como factores limitantes aquellos asociados a una formación deficiente en ciencias básicas médicas, la priorización del componente asistencial sobre el académico, la disponibilidad limitada de espacios y recursos de aprendizaje y los métodos de enseñanza tradicionales. Conclusiones: Es de vital importancia la identificación de los factores que favorecen y limitan el desarrollo de las competencias de los estudiantes de medicina en su última etapa de formación en ortopedia.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Few areas of orthopedic surgery have had such important technical changes in recent decades as in corrective spinal surgery. Fundamental changes have come with the new spinal instrumentation systems, which have been substantially modified and improved to facilitate three-dimensional correction of the deformity and provide secure spinal fixation, correction and stability. Objective: To evaluate the results achieved with the spinal instrumentation systems used in the correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective and longitudinal study was carried out on 16 patients with thoracolumbar kyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis operated on with the pedicle subtraction osteotomy technique and instrumented with Luque-type pedicle and sublaminar systems, in the Orthopedics service at Hermanos Ameijeiras Surgical Clinical Hospital, from March 2001 to March 2021. Results: All the patients were male, white skin color and average age of 39 years. More than 80% correction was achieved in the sagittal profile and an average of 34.3° per osteotomy, without major neurological complications. Good functional results were obtained, with high degree of patient satisfaction and improvement in their quality of life. Conclusions: The use of both spinal instrumentation systems is effective in maintaining the correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis due to ankylosing spondylitis.

National Trends in Gender Diversity Among Trainees and Practicing Physicians in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery in Canada.

Importance: Monitoring the evolution of gender diversity within medicine is essential to understanding the medical workforce and anticipating its future. Objective: To evaluate gender distribution and trends among trainees and practicing physicians in the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) across Canada. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study collected demographic data on the Canadian population, medical students, resident physicians, fellows, practicing physicians, and full-time professors from the following publicly available databases: the Canadian Post-MD Education Registry, the Canadian Medical Education Statistics from the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, the Canadian Medical Association Masterfile, the Canadian Resident Matching Service archives, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information from 2000 to 2019. Information about the gender distribution in leadership positions and fellowships was obtained through publicly available websites where gender was either listed or assigned by authors. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were the proportion of women in OHNS and the evolution of gender diversity over time. Results: In 2019, 65 of 155 of OHNS trainees were female (41.9%), whereas female representation among all surgical trainees combined was 1225 of 2496 (49.1%). Female OHNS trainees and practicing physicians are underrepresented despite a 13.3% increase in female trainees and a 14.3% increase in female staff physicians from 2000 to 2019. Proportionally fewer female graduates pursued a fellowship during a 10-year period compared with their male counterparts, with otology and neurotology having the lowest female representation (6 of 27 [22.2%]). A minimal increase occurred in the number of women holding academic leadership positions (eg, 4 of 13 residency training programs had a previous or current female director). Conclusions and Relevance: Despite the overall increase in the representation of women in the field of OHNS in Canada, these findings suggest that persistent gender gaps remain with respect to academic leadership positions and fellowship training. Continuous monitoring of the surgical workforce is important to highlight and address gender disparities within OHNS.

Attracting the Best Students to a Surgical Career.

The predicted shortage of surgeons in the future workforce is already occurring in rural areas and is expected to worsen. US allopathic medical school graduates have been losing interest in surgery for the past 40 years. The residency match remains unaffected because of foreign and osteopathic applicants. Negative myths regarding surgeon training, lifestyle, and personality persist among medical students, proving to be a powerful deterrent to students who might consider a surgical career. Proven strategies for making surgery more attractive to students are not always used and can be as simple as getting early exposure to students before clinical rotations.

From Listening to Action: Academic Surgical Departmental Response to Social Injustice Through Curricular Development.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the development and evaluation of a structured department wide cultural competency curriculum. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Despite numerous organizational policies and statements, social injustice and bias still exist. Our department committed to assist individuals of the entire department to develop foundational knowledge and skills to combat implicit bias and systemic racism through the creation of a cultural competency curriculum. The purpose of this manuscript is to detail our curriculum and the evaluation of its effectiveness. METHODS: Using a well-established curriculum development framework, a cultural competency curriculum was developed focusing on knowledge, skills and attitudes at the individual level, for all members of the department. The curriculum was implemented through 6-hour-long sessions over a 9-week period. Effectiveness was assessed through a post curriculum survey. RESULTS: Twenty percent of the respondents had experienced bias based on race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation in the past 12 months, whereas 30% had experienced bias based on sex. Seventy-one percent independently explored related topics. The curriculum was overall well received and generally achieved the goals and objectives. CONCLUSION: Using a standard curriculum development framework, an effective department-wide cultural competency curriculum can be developed and implemented.

Building Rapport and Earning the Surgical Patient's Trust in the Era of Social Distancing: Teaching Patient-Centered Communication During Video Conference Encounters to Medical Students.

BACKGROUND: Effective physician communication improves care, and many medical schools and residency programs have adopted communication focused curricula. The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the doctor-patient communication paradigm with the rapid adoption of video-based medical appointments by the majority of the medical community. The pandemic has also necessitated a sweeping move to online learning, including teaching and facilitating the practice of communication skills remotely. We aimed to identify effective techniques for surgeons to build relationships during a video consult, and to design and pilot a class that increased student skill in communicating during a video consult. METHODS: Fourth-year medical students matched into a surgical internship attended a 2-hour class virtually. The class provided suggestions for building rapport and earning trust with patients and families by video, role play sessions with a simulated patient, and group debriefing and feedback. A group debriefing generated lessons learned and best practices for telemedicine communication in surgery. RESULTS: Students felt the class introduced new skills and reinforced current ones; most reported higher self-confidence in target communication skills following the module. Students were particularly appreciative of opportunity for direct observation of skills and immediate faculty feedback, noting that the intimate setting was unique and valuable. Several elements of virtual communications required increased focus to communicate empathy and concern. Proper lighting and positioning relative to the camera were particularly important and body movement required "narration" to minimize misinterpretation. A patient's distress was more difficult to interpret; asking direct questions was recommended to understand the patient's emotional state. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to teach video-conference communication skills to enable surgical teams to build rapport in this distinct form of consultation. Our training plan appears effective at engaging learners and improving skills and confidence, and identifies areas of focus when teaching virtual communication skills.

Surgery Clerkship Curriculum Changes at an Academic Institution during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PROBLEM: The COVID-19 pandemic has suspended the surgery clinical clerkship for third-year medical students at numerous institutions across the world. As a result, educators and students have adapted rapidly. There is a paucity of precedents regarding urgent and brusque formal curricular changes for medical students enrolled in surgical clinical rotations. APPROACH: The University of California, San Francisco Department of Surgery created a surgically focused extended mastery learning rotation (EMLR). The surgery clerkship leadership designed a curriculum consisting of multiple learning strategies compatible with virtual learning environments. The primary aims of the newly developed EMLR were to help students consolidate their foundational science knowledge before their return to clinical medicine in an altered learning environment. The EMLR is currently underway, and further studies are necessary to evaluate its effectiveness.

Expansão de vagas e qualidade dos cursos de Medicina no Brasil: Em que pé estamos? / Expansion of vacancies and quality of medical courses in Brazil: Where do we stand?

Resumo: Introdução: A educação médica no Brasil vem enfrentando um importante processo de expansão. Essa realidade foi fortemente influenciada por programas e políticas educacionais implementados principalmente nas últimas décadas. Objetivo: O estudo teve como objetivo traçar um panorama da formação e da avaliação dos cursos de graduação em Medicina no contexto nacional. Método: Foi realizada uma pesquisa documental e descritiva, de abordagem quantitativa. O levantamento de dados ocorreu por meio de dados provenientes da Sistemática de Avaliação Nacional da Educação Superior do Ministério da Educação disponibilizado pelo Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira, órgão que coordena e gerencia dados relativos aos processos de regulação, avaliação e supervisão da educação superior no sistema federal de educação. Foram analisados 20 anos de oferta de cursos de Medicina no Brasil (2000-2019). Resultados: No período em estudo, o número de escolas médicas apresentou um crescimento de 214,9%. No total, analisaram-se 337 cursos de graduação em Medicina em atividade vinculados a instituições de ensino superior públicas (35%) e privadas (65%), perfazendo 34.585 vagas anuais ofertadas. Os cursos estão distribuídos nas 27 unidades federativas brasileiras, com maior e menor concentração de vagas e escolas médicas nas Regiões Sudeste e Norte, respectivamente. A média nacional do número de vagas/ano foi de 1.280,9 vagas/ano e da razão vagas/habitantes foi de 16,5 vagas/100 mil habitantes. A maioria dos cursos obteve conceito três nos indicadores de qualidade propostos pelo Ministério da Educação. Conclusão: O ensino da Medicina no Brasil vem passando por importante processo de expansão, e este é fundamentalmente privado e mal distribuído pelo país, e apresenta indicadores de qualidade mínimos para manutenção do seu funcionamento.

Abstract: Introduction: Medical education in Brazil is facing an important expansion process. This reality has been strongly influenced by educational programs and policies implemented mainly in the last few decades. Objective: The study aimed to provide an overview of the formation and evaluation of undergraduate medical courses in the national context. Method: A documentary and descriptive study was conducted, with a quantitative approach. Data was collected from the National Higher Education Assessment System of the Ministry of Education, made available by the Anísio Teixeira National Institute of Educational Studies and Research, the body that coordinates and manages data related to the regulation, evaluation and supervision processes of higher education in the federal education system. Twenty years of medical courses offered in Brazil (2000-2019) were analyzed. Results: In the period under study, the number of Medical Schools grew by 214.9%. In total, 337 active undergraduate medicine courses linked to public (35%) and private (65%) higher education institutions were analyzed, totaling 34,585 annual vacancies offered. The courses are distributed in the 27 Brazilian federative units, with a higher and lower concentration of places and Medical Schools in the Southeast and North regions, respectively. The national average number of vacancies/year was 1280.9 vacancies/year and the vacancy/inhabitants ratio was 16.5 vacancies/100 thousand inhabitants. Most of the courses obtained a grade three in the quality indicators proposed by the Ministry of Education. Conclusion: It was concluded that: i) the teaching of Medicine in Brazil has been going through an important expansion process, ii) that it is fundamentally private, iii) poorly distributed throughout the country, and iv) it presents minimum quality indicators for maintaining its operation.

Encontros e desencontros entre projetos pedagógicos de cursos de Medicina e Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais: percepções de professores / Convergence and gaps between medical courses educational projects and the National Curriculum Guidelines: university professors' perceptions / Encuentros y desencuentros entre proyectos pedagógicos de cursos de Medicina y Directrices Curriculares Nacionales: percepciones de profesores

Compreender a consolidação das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN) demanda contextualizar a realidade de cada instituição. Sua implantação pressupõe (re) orientação do processo de formação na Saúde, com integração entre Projeto Pedagógico do Curso (PPC), Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e envolvimento docente. Para captar a percepção docente sobre o alinhamento entre PPC e DCN, realizou-se estudo exploratório com metodologia qualitativa e os docentes respondendo a um questionário. Utilizou-se análise de conteúdo para construção de categorias temáticas. Os docentes de uma escola reconhecem que o PPC não está alinhado às DCN. Revelam trabalho docente determinado por perfil profissional e pessoal. Em outra escola, cuja reforma curricular já adota metodologia de ensino-aprendizagem ativa, os docentes se sentem apropriados às DCN. Concluímos, portanto, que as mudanças no PPC são processos que demandam tempo, dedicação e comunicação, ou seja, maior mudança na instituição de ensino. (AU)

To understand the National Curriculum Guidelines (NCG) it is necessary to contextualize the reality of each educational institution. The effective implementation of the guidelines requires the (re)orientation of the health education process; promoting integration between the course educational project (CEP); Brazilian National Health System (SUS) and professor engagement. We conducted a qualitative exploratory study using questionnaires to capture professors' perceptions of the alignment between medicine CEPs and the NCG. Content analysis was performed to develop thematic categories. The professors at one school acknowledged that the CEP and NCG were not aligned and their responses revealed that teaching is determined by each professor's professional and personal background. In another school whose curriculum reform adopted active teaching-learning methodologies, the professors felt a sense of ownership in relation to the NCG. We therefore conclude that the CEP change process requires time, dedication and effective communication or, in other words, greater change within the education institution. (AU)

Comprender la consolidación de las Directrices Curriculares Nacionales demanda poner en contexto la realidad de cada institución. Su implantación presupone una (re)orientación del proceso de formación en la salud, con integración entre Proyecto Pedagógico del Curso, Sistema Brasileño de Salud (SUS) y envolvimiento docente. Para captar la percepción docente sobre el alineamiento entre PPC y DCN, se realizó un estudio exploratorio, con metodología cualitativa, en el que los docentes respondieron a un cuestionario. Se utilizó un análisis de contenido para la construcción de categorías temáticas. Los docentes de una escuela reconocen que el PPC no está alineado a las DCN. Revelan un trabajo docente determinado por perfil profesional y personal. En otra escuela, cuya reforma curricular ya adopta la metodología de enseñanza-aprendizaje activa, los docentes se sienten apropiados de las DCN. Concluimos, por lo tanto, que los cambios en los PPC son procesos que demandan tiempo, dedicación y comunicación, es decir, un mayor cambio en la institución de enseñanza. (AU)

Surgeons' participation in the development of collaboration and management competencies in undergraduate medical education.

The teaching of professional roles in medical education is an interdisciplinary concern. However, surgeons require specific standards of professionalism for certain context-based situations. In addition to communication, studies require collaboration, leadership, error-/conflict-management, patient-safety and decision-making as essential competencies for surgeons. Standards for corresponding competencies are defined in special chapters of the German National Competency-based Learning Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education (NKLM; chapter 8, 10). The current study asks whether these chapters are adequately taught in surgical curricula. Eight German faculties contributed to analysing mapping data considering surgical courses of undergraduate programs. All faculties used the MERlin mapping platform and agreed on procedures for data collection and processing. Sub-competency and objective coverage, as well as the achievement of the competency level were mapped. Overall counts of explicit citations were used for analysis. Collaboration within the medical team is a strongly represented topic. In contrast, interprofessional cooperation, particularly in healthcare sector issues is less represented. Patient safety and dealing with errors and complications is most emphasized for the Manager/Leader, while time management, career planning and leadership are not addressed. Overall, the involvement of surgery in teaching the competencies of the Collaborator and Manager/Leader is currently low. However, there are indications of a curricular development towards explicit teaching of these roles in surgery. Moreover, implicitly taught roles are numerous, which indicates a beginning awareness of professional roles.

Coalition for medical education-A call to action: A proposition to adapt clinical medical education to meet the needs of students and other healthcare learners during COVID-19.

With the ongoing coronavirus, journals and the media have extensively covered the impacts on doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare workers. However, one group that has rarely been mentioned despite being significantly impacted is medical students and medical education overall. This piece, prepared by both a medical student and a cardiothoracic surgeon with a long career in academic medicine, discusses the recent history of medical education and how it has led to issues now with distance-based learning due to COVID-19. It concludes with a call to action for the medical education system to adapt so it can meet the needs of healthcare learners during COVID-19 and even beyond.

Impact of the New McGill Undergraduate Medical Curriculum on Medical Students' Diagnostic Accuracy of Common Dermatoses Encountered in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: The McGill Faculty of Medicine implemented a new undergraduate medical curriculum in 2013 with additional preclinical lectures in dermatology. At the time of writing, no Canadian prospective study has been published on undergraduate dermatology training in the context of a complete curricular renewal. OBJECTIVES: Our study was designed to determine the impact of increasing preclinical teaching in dermatology on medical students' diagnostic accuracy and learning retention of common dermatoses encountered in primary care. METHODS: A standardized questionnaire was administered to the Classes of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 in 6 versions for a total of 6 times over their 4 years of training. Each version featured 10 photographs of common dermatoses encountered in primary care. Students were invited to participate anonymously and on a voluntary basis. RESULTS: A small absolute, but statistically significant difference, of 3% was detected in the fourth and final year of training between the old curriculum (average score = 70%, standard deviation = 15%) and the new curriculum (average score = 73%, standard deviation = 15%), P = .03. Furthermore, the Class of 2018's performance improved year by year over the entire 4 years of the new curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Additional preclinical lectures in dermatology do improve medical students' diagnostic accuracy of common dermatoses encountered in primary care. Furthermore, they do retain their learning throughout the preclinical and clerkship years.

Oncology and Radiation Oncology Awareness in Final Year Medical Students in Australia and New Zealand.

This study aimed to determine final year students' core oncology and radiation oncology knowledge and attitudes about the quality of teaching in medical programmes delivered in Australia and New Zealand. Does the modern medical programme provide core oncology skills in this leading global cause of mortality and morbidity? An online survey was distributed between April and June 2018 and completed by 316 final year students across all 21 medical schools with final year cohorts in Australia and New Zealand. The survey examined teaching and clinical exposure, attitudes and core knowledge for oncology and radiation oncology. Several questions from a survey done of graduates in 2001 were repeated for comparison. We found that clinical exposure to oncology and its disciplines is low. Students rated oncology and haematology the worst taught medical specialties at medical school. Students reported the most confidence identifying when surgical management of cancer may be indicated and much lower levels of confidence identifying when systemic therapy and radiation therapy may be helpful. The majority of students had no formal course content on radiation therapy and more than one third of final year students erroneously believed that external beam radiation therapy turned patients radioactive. Exposure to oncology practice and the teaching of core oncology knowledge remains low for medical students in Australia and New Zealand. Many areas of oncology teaching and knowledge have worsened for medical students in Australia and New Zealand over the past 20 years. Well-established gaps in the core oncology knowledge of medical graduates must be urgently addressed given the increasing incidence of cancer and ongoing underutilisation of radiation therapy in particular.

The developing and evaluation of an electronic tool to assess the effect of undergraduate training in palliative care: the electronic international medical education in palliative care (IMEP-e) assessment tool.

BACKGROUND: With increased demand for palliative care (PC), the World Health Organisation (WHO) have called for PC teaching to be made routine. However, medical students report feeling unprepared in dealing with end-of-life care. Necessary benchmarking of the preparedness of clinicians to provide PC is required to identify where current training is sub-optimal and ensure future doctors are equipped to meet the needs of their patients. The aim of this study is to assess the utility of an electronic International Medical Education in Palliative Care (IMEP-e) assessment tool that examines the preparedness of clinicians to provide PC. METHODS: A multi-phase pilot study. Phase 1: To transpose the Self-Efficacy Palliative Care Scale (SEPCs) and the Thanatophobia Scale (TS) to an electronic format and evaluate its utility. Phase 2: To assess the effects of PC teaching by comparing data from year three (Y3) and year five (Y5 - who have participated in PC placement) medical students. Scales: The 23 item SEPC and 7 item TS assess attitudes towards caring for dying patients. RESULTS: Total questionnaires sent =360 (280 Y3, 80 Y5). Total response rate = 46.39%, n = 167 (127 Y3, 40 Y5). Completed data: n = 125 (95 Y3, 30 Y5). Analysis identified statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) between year groups across all subscales of the SEPC; communication skills (t = - 13.52), Pain and Treatment management (t = - 14.25) and multidisciplinary management (t = - 7.89). The TS shows a statistically significant increased positive attitudes (z = - 2.85 p < 0.005). From the focus group, three themes were identified from the qualitative feedback including university based teaching, hospice based teaching and utility of IMEP-e tool. CONCLUSION: The IMEP-e tool is a viable and comparable method for collecting data on the preparedness to practice PC. A larger scale study is needed to determine and evaluate if, and how, preparing clinicians to work in PC has been adapted in to routine training.

Digital Affinity in Medical Students Influences Learning Outcome: A Cluster Analytical Design Comparing Vodcast With Traditional Lecture.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Undergraduate medical education still relies on lectures as the core teaching activity. However, e-learning and new media have begun to augment learning and information gathering over the last few years. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 2 teaching formats in surgical education, a classic lecture and a video podcast (vodcast), on knowledge gain, in particular with respect to the participants' characteristics and preferences. DESIGN: A prospective study was conducted over 2 consecutive semesters. A traditional lecture on goitre was given to the first of the 2 semesters and replaced by a matching vodcast made available to the second. An untaught subject (cholelithiasis) served as control. Knowledge gain was calculated as the difference in point scores between entry and mid-module examinations. Furthermore, participants completed a postintervention survey, in which they specifically rated their digital affinity and learning preferences. A cluster analysis was conducted pooling both semesters to evaluate differences between individuals affecting their performance. RESULTS: Both teaching formats resulted in a significant knowledge gain. Two clusters could be identified across both semesters: Cluster 2 (Digital natives) proved to be significantly different from Cluster 1 (Traditional) with respect to the 4 variables: "technically interested," the "use of smartphones," "activity in social networks," and "reading in digital formats." The knowledge gain differences between formats for students in the "Traditional" cluster were statistically insignificant. However, students in the cluster "Digital natives" performed significantly worse when exposed to the lecture format. CONCLUSIONS: Cluster analysis revealed that the students with an obvious affinity to information communication technology were found to be at a significant disadvantage in the lecture. In future, we recommend offering some form of pretest to determine an individual's profile and empower students to plan their learning activities accordingly.

Reflections on the National Curricular Guidelines of undergraduate medical courses based on the National Health Promotion Policy / Reflexões em torno das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do curso de graduação em Medicina a partir da Política Nacional de Promoção da Saúde / Reflexiones en torno a las Directrices Curriculares Nacionales del curso de Graduación en Medicina a partir de la Política Nacional de Promoción de la Salud

Abstract The objective of this article is to analyze the National Curricular Guidelines of medical courses based on Foucauldian discourse analysis. This analysis goes even deeper under the scope of health promotion presented by the National Health Promotion Policy (PNPS), since it is closely related to a comprehensive care proposal. The new National Curricular Guidelines are in accordance with PNPS, since it aims at a general, human, critical, reflective and ethical education that is able to prepare medical students to work with social responsibility and commitment to advocate for citizenship and human dignity in different levels of care in the health-disease process. On the other hand, the analysis reveals that, although there is an attempt to place graduates as active subjects in their educational process, there is no sign of inclusion of these social agents in the creation of their educational practices.(AU)

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é realizar uma análise foucaultiana das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais (DCN) do curso de Medicina. Aprofunda-se essa análise no âmbito da promoção da saúde presente na Política Nacional de Promoção da Saúde (PNPS), por esta estar estreitamente relacionada à proposta de integralidade. As novas DCN estão em uníssono com o que se preconiza na PNPS, uma vez que se almeja uma formação geral, humanista, crítica, reflexiva, ética e capaz de atuar com responsabilidade social e compromisso com a defesa da cidadania e dignidade humana nos diferentes níveis da atenção do processo saúde-doença. Por outro lado, a análise revela que, embora exista a tentativa de situar o graduando como sujeito ativo no seu processo formativo, não há indicação de inclusão desse ator social na formulação de suas práticas formativas.(AU)

Resumen El objetivo de este artículo es realizar un análisis foucaultiano de las DCN para el curso de medicina. Se profundiza este análisis en el ámbito de la promoción de la salud presente en la Política Nacional de Promoción de la Salud (PNPS), por estar estrechamente relacionada a la propuesta de integralidad. Las DCN están en consenso con lo que se preconiza en la PNPS, una vez que se anhela una formación general, humanista, crítica, reflexiva y ética, capaz de actuar con responsabilidad social y compromiso con la defensa de la ciudadanía y la dignidad humana en los diferentes niveles de la atención. Por otro lado, el análisis revela que, aunque existe el intento de situar al graduado como sujeto activo en su proceso formativo, no hay indicación de inclusión de ese actor social en la formulación de sus prácticas formativas.(AU)