The Price of Productivity: Evaluating the Cost of a Research Year.

OBJECTIVE: Research years during medical school are becoming increasingly common amongst applicants to competitive residency programs. As many of these positions are unpaid, it is important to consider the financial implications of these experiences and the feasibility of participation from students of all backgrounds. This study aims to quantify the cost of a research year during medical school. DESIGN/SETTING: We identified the top 50 NIH-funded medical schools of 2022 and obtained cost-of-living information for each of their respective counties. Estimated loan interest accrual resulting from a research year was calculated using information on the cost of attendance to medical school and annual interest rates for federal education loans. Cost-of-living calculations were stratified by geographic region, and interest accrual calculations by timing of research year and attendance at public versus private medical schools. RESULTS: Top 50 NIH-funded medical schools in the West are located in counties with the highest mean and median costs of living, each approaching nearly $45,000 per year. Medical schools in the Midwest are located in counties with the lowest mean and median cost of living, at less than $36,000 annually. Estimated loan interest accrual resulting from a research year ranges from $3177 to $17,789, depending on timing of the research year and type of medical school attended. CONCLUSIONS: This study exemplifies the significant financial burden that a research year can impose on medical students. As more residency applicants pursuing competitive specialties opt for research years during medical school, it is important to consider the associated financial implications. Many research year opportunities are unpaid or underpaid, which may prevent interested individuals from participating; this is especially the case for those who are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Moving forward, it is imperative that we ensure the availability of equitable and funded research year opportunities for students of all backgrounds.

Impact of U.S. Federal Loan Repayment Programs on the Behavioral Health Workforce: Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: Federal loan repayment programs (LRPs) are one strategy to address the shortage of behavioral health providers. This scoping review aimed to identify and characterize the federal LRPs' impact on the U.S. behavioral health workforce. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with JBI (formerly known as the Joanna Briggs Institute) methodology for scoping reviews. The authors searched the Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, EconLit, PAIS Index, and Embase databases, and gray literature was also reviewed. Two coders screened each article's abstract and full text and extracted study data. Findings were narratively synthesized and conceptually organized. RESULTS: The full-text screening identified 17 articles that met eligibility criteria. Of these, eight were peer-reviewed studies, and all but one evaluated the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) LRP. Findings were conceptually organized into five categories: descriptive studies of NHSC behavioral health needs and the NHSC workforce (k=4); providers' perceptions of, and experiences with, the NHSC (k=2); associations between NHSC funding and the number of NHSC behavioral health providers (k=4); NHSC behavioral health workforce productivity and capacity (k=3); and federal LRP recruitment and retention (k=4). CONCLUSIONS: The literature on federal LRPs and their impact on the behavioral health workforce is relatively limited. Although federal LRPs are an important and effective tool to address the behavioral health workforce shortage, additional federal policy strategies are needed to attract and retain behavioral health providers and to diversify the behavioral health workforce.

Efecto de la deuda económica sobre el bienestar psicológico de los residentes de cirugía: Resultados de un estudio nacional en Colombia / Effect of financial debt on the psychological well-being of surgery residents: Results of a national study in Colombia

Introducción. La deuda económica durante la residencia en cirugía general puede afectar el desempeño profesional, las decisiones de vida y el bienestar psicológico. La información disponible en Colombia es limitada. El objetivo de este estudio fue cuantificar la deuda económica del residente de cirugía general, identificar los factores asociados y evaluar su efecto en el bienestar psicológico. Métodos. Estudio de corte transversal analítico. Se invitó a 380 residentes a diligenciar una encuesta sobre los aspectos relacionados con su deuda económica y se utilizó el WHO-index para evaluar su bienestar psicológico. Resultados. Un total de 259 residentes participaron en el estudio (67,6 %). El 56 % posee una deuda económica promedio de COP $88.000.000 ((US$21.826)). Un alto nivel de endeudamiento se relacionó con el año de residencia, el tipo de institución (privada) y la solicitud de préstamos. Se identificó algún trastorno mental en 14,7 % y un bajo nivel de bienestar psicológico en 56,4 % de los participantes. No se identificó ninguna asociación entre una elevada deuda económica y el bajo bienestar psicológico. Conclusiones. La deuda económica tiene un efecto sobre los residentes. El endeudamiento de los residentes de cirugía en Colombia es altamente prevalente, y no se correlaciona con un pobre bienestar psicológico. La autodeterminación favorece el bienestar psicológico en el posgrado en cirugía general. Existe la necesidad de educación financiera en los residentes. Se requieren nuevos estudios que evalúen las causas del pobre bienestar psicológico.

Introduction. Financial debt during surgery residency can affect professional performance, life decisions, and psychological well-being. The information available in Colombia is limited. The objective of this study is to quantify the financial debt of the general surgery resident, identify the associated factors and evaluate their effect on psychological well-being. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 380 residents were invited to complete a survey on aspects related to their financial debt, and the WHO-index to evaluate their psychological well-being. Results. A total of 259 residents participated in the study (67.6%). 56% have an average economic debt of $88,000,000 COP (US$21,826). High debt was related to level of residence, type of institution (private), and loan application. Some mental disorder was identified in 14.7% and a low level of psychological well-being in 56.4% of the participants. No association was identified between high financial debt and low psychological well-being. Conclusions. Economic debt has an effect on residents. Financial debt among surgical residents in Colombia is highly prevalent; however, it does not correlate with poor psychological well-being. Self-determination favors psychological well-being in the postgraduate course in general surgery. Likewise, the need for financial education in residents is imminent. New studies are required that thoroughly evaluate the causes of poor well-being.

Student loan debt and mental health: a comprehensive review of scholarly literature from 1900 to 2019.

PURPOSE: The review had two purposes. The first was to examine the nature and extent of published literature on student loan and the second was to systematically review the literature on student loans and mental health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from academic databases (1900-2019) were analyzed using two methods. First, topic modeling (a text-mining tool that utilized Bayesian statistics to extract hidden patterns in large volumes of texts) was used to understand the topical coverage in peer-reviewed abstracts (n = 988) on student debt. Second, using PRISMA guidelines, 46 manuscripts were systematically reviewed to synthesize literature linking student debt and mental health. RESULTS: A model with 10 topics was selected for parsimony and more accurate clustered representation of the patterns. Certain topics have received less attention, including mental health and wellbeing. In the systematic review, themes derived were categorized into two life trajectories: before and during repayment. Whereas stress, anxiety, and depression dominated the literature, the review demonstrated that the consequences of student loans extend beyond mental health and negatively affect a person's wellbeing. Self-efficacy emerged as a potential solution. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Across countries and samples, the results are uniform and show that student loan burdens certain vulnerable groups more. Findings indicate diversity in mental health measures has resulted into a lack of a unified theoretical framework. Better scales and consensus on commonly used terms will strengthen the literature. Some areas, such as impact of student loans on graduate students or consumers repaying their loans, warrant attention in future research.

Financial Literacy in Plastic Surgery Training: Importance and Current Status.

BACKGROUND: Medical training is known to impose financial burden on trainees, which has been shown to contribute to burnout, even possibly compromising patient care. Financial literacy allows for management of financial situations affecting professional and personal life. The authors aimed to evaluate the financial status and knowledge among plastic surgery residents. METHODS: A survey regarding finances and financial literacy of plastic surgery residents was sent to all the current accredited U.S. residency programs. The same survey was distributed internally. A descriptive analysis was performed, and multiple Fisher exact tests and a t test evaluated comparisons. RESULTS: Eighty-six residents were included. Most trainees had a student loan (59.3%), with 22.1% having loans more than $300,000. A majority had at least one personal loan debt other than educational (51.1%). Residents with more debt were significantly less likely to pay off their balances monthly. A total of 17.4% of trainees had no plan for how to invest their retirement savings, whereas 55.8% reported not knowing how much they need to save to retire. One in five trainees did not feel prepared to manage personal finances/retirement planning after graduation, a majority had no formal personal finance education in their curriculum, and 89.5% agreed that financial literacy education would be beneficial. Our institutional data largely mirrored national data. CONCLUSIONS: Many residents are lacking in financial knowledge, despite most having significant debt. Additional financial literacy education is needed in plastic surgery training. Curricula development at an institutional or national society level are possible paths toward a coordinated response to this need.

La pasantía obligatoria curricular en psicología escolar/educacional crítica: una experiencia en Piauí / O estágio obrigatório curricular em psicologia escolar/educacional crítica: uma experiência no piauí / The mandatory curricular internship in critical school/educational psychology: an experience in piauí

Este artigo partilha reflexões acerca da construção do estágio obrigatório curricular no campo da Psicologia Escolar/Educacional em uma perspectiva crítica. O estágio é um momento privilegiado da formação, por aproximar teoria e prática, em direção à práxis crítica, aspecto central nessa abordagem psicológica. Visando conhecer como tem sido construída a experiência de estágio e supervisão na área, foram realizadas entrevistas com um supervisor de estágio que atua em uma Universidade Pública do Piauí, dada a relevância de sua atuação e militância, buscando compreender: as concepções e práticas desenvolvidas pelo supervisor; os atravessamentos ético-políticos que emergem da experiência de estágio e supervisão; e os elementos de criticidade que marcam tal experiência. O artigo põe em foco as estratégias de organização do estágio, o papel da supervisão e os desafios vivenciados na relação estagiários-escola-supervisor. Esperamos contribuir com a reflexão acerca dos desafios implicados na construção de estágios supervisionados na área de Psicologia Escolar e Educacional em uma perspectiva crítica, tanto no campo, quanto nos encontros de supervisão.

Este artículo intercambia reflexiones acerca de la construcción de la pasantía obligatoria curricular en el campo de la Psicología Escolar/Educacional en una perspectiva crítica. La pasantía es un momento privilegiado de la formación, por acercar teoría y práctica, en dirección a la praxis crítica, aspecto central en ese abordaje psicológico. Visando conocer de qué forma ha sido construida la experiencia de pasantía y supervisión en el área, se realizaron entrevistas con un supervisor de pasantía que actúa en una Universidad Pública da Piauí, dada la relevancia de su actuación y militancia, buscando comprender: las concepciones y prácticas desarrolladas por el supervisor; los atravesamientos ético-políticos que surgen de la experiencia de pasantía y supervisión; y los elementos de criticidad que marcan tal experiencia. El artículo pone de relieve las estrategias de organización de la pasantía, el papel de la supervisión y los desafíos vivenciados en la relación alumno en formación-escuela-supervisor. Esperamos contribuir con la reflexión acerca de los desafíos implicados en la construcción de pasantías tuteladas en el área de Psicología Escolar y Educacional en una perspectiva crítica, en el campo y en los encuentros de supervisión.

This article shares reflections about the construction of mandatory curricular internship in the field of School and Educational Psychology from a critical perspective. The internship is a privileged moment in training, as it brings theory and practice closer together, towards critical praxis, a central aspect of this psychological approach. In order to know how the experience of internship and supervision in the area has been constructed, interviews were conducted with an internship supervisor who works at a Public University of Piauí, given the relevance of his work and militancy, seeking to understand: the concepts and practices developed by the supervisor; the ethical-political crossings that emerge from the internship and supervision experience; and the elements of criticality that mark such an experience. The article focuses on internship organization strategies, the role of supervision and the challenges experienced in the relationship between interns-school-supervisor. We hope to contribute to reflection on the challenges involved in building supervised internships in the area of School and Educational Psychology from a critical perspective, both in the field and in supervisory meetings.

Boletín OPS Adelante, n. 2, Ene. - Abr. 2024

Este boletín es elaborado por la Representación de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud, Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS/OMS) en México. Su objetivo primordial es difundir las actividades de cooperación técnica que la OPS realiza en el país, con la Secretaría de Salud Federal, así como con todas las instituciones que forman parte del sistema de salud.

Exploring Pharmacy Student Experiences with Student Debt and Perspectives on Future Burnout and Loan Relief.

OBJECTIVE: Pharmacy students with substantial educational debt are at risk for excessive workloads, burnout, and clinical errors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, policies addressing economic hardships for all student debt borrowers included temporary suspension of monthly payments and 0% interest during the pause. This study aimed to understand student-level factors regarding student debt from the lived experiences of current pharmacy students and aimed to understand how current pharmacy students view temporary loan relief. METHODS: We used semi-structured interviews of pharmacy students across 4 years of progression in their pharmacy program to better understand student experiences with debt, different factors that may influence the impact of student debt on short-term and long-term outcomes for students, and student perspectives on debt relief policies and potential solutions. Our thematic analysis was grounded in existing evidence and a conceptual framework, while also allowing codes to emerge directly from the data. RESULTS: A total of 20 pharmacy students were interviewed with a median student debt of $77,000, with debt amounts ranging from $0 to $209,000. Students described what mediating factors influenced their experiences, the influence of student debt on clinician burnout, and other outcomes impacted by student debt. Six overarching themes emerged relevant to current students: student debt influences education and career decisions, debt is risky given the saturated pharmacy market, debt is an accepted burden, debt will inhibit starting a life, the COVID-19 loan relief is revealing, and early financial education is needed. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students burdened with debt described a variety of different experiences and attitudes toward that debt and provided their perspectives on how student debt influences short-term education and career decisions. While students accept the trade-off of debt for their education as an inevitable burden, reported coping mechanisms and strategies shared suggest some solutions may be available to ameliorate this burden.

Reflexões sobre o estágio em docência como instrumento formativo do professor universitário: um relato de experiência / Reflections on the teaching internship as a training instrument for university professor: an experience report / Reflexiones sobre la práctica docente como instrumento de formación del profesor universitario: un relato de experiencia

Introdução:A formação de professores é um processo dinâmico que deve ser composto por experiências práticas e teóricas no preparodo discente ao magistério. Desse modo, a compreensão das reflexões relativas ao estágio em docência assistida no âmbito do ensino superior é de suma importância para enriquecer os debates e discussões acerca do papel do estágio em docência como ferramenta formativa do professor universitário. Objetivo:Refletir sobreas experiências vivenciadas durante atividades desenvolvidas noestágio de docência assistidaea importância para a formação pedagógica no ensino superior. Metodologia:Trata-se de um relato de experiênciado estágio emdocência decorrido no segundo semestre de 2022, na disciplina de Fundamentos em epidemiologia e saúde pública do curso de Graduação em Fisioterapia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte.Resultados: No presente estudo, foram descritas e analisadas as etapas da experiência do estágio em docência, enfocando as perspectivas, aprendizados e aspirações sob a ótica da literatura científica sobre o papel formativo do estágio para o professor universitário. Os resultados obtidos evidenciam a significânciadas contribuições dessa vivência para o crescimento acadêmico e profissional dos mestrandos. No entanto, salienta-se a necessidade de incorporar ou revisar elementos curriculares, visando promover uma integração mais aprofundada entre as dimensões teóricas e práticas no preparo dos alunos para a docência no ensino superior. Conclusões: O estágio de docência assistida representa uma ferramenta formativa de suma importância, singular e enriquecedora na construção das experiências profissionais e pessoais na formação de professores (AU).

Introduction: Teacher education is a dynamic process that must be composed of practical and theoretical experiences in preparing students to teach. Thus, understanding the reflections related to the internship in assisted teaching in higher education is of paramount importance to enrich the debates and discussions about the role of the internship in teaching as a training tool for university professors.Objective: To reflect on the experiences lived during activities developed in the assisted teaching internship and the importance for pedagogical training in higher education. Methodology: This is an experience report of the teaching internship that took place in the second half of 2022, in the subject of Fundamentals in epidemiology and public health of the Graduation course in Physiotherapy at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte.Results: In this study, we described and analyzed the stages of the teaching practicum experience, focusing on perspectives, learnings, and aspirations from the perspective of the scientific literature on the formative role of the teaching practicum for university professors. The obtained results highlight the significance of the contributions of this experience for the academic and professional growth of the participants. However, it is emphasized the need to incorporate or revise curriculum elements to promote a more profound integration of theoretical and practical dimensions in preparing students for teaching in higher education.Conclusions: The supervised teaching practicum represents a valuable, unique, and enriching formative tool in the development of professional and personal experiences in teacher education (AU).

Introducción: La formación docente es un proceso dinámico que debe estar compuesto de experiencias prácticas y teóricas en la preparación de los estudiantes para enseñar. Por lo tanto, comprender las reflexiones relacionadas con la pasantía en la docencia asistida en laeducación superior es de suma importancia para enriquecer los debates y discusiones sobre el papel de la pasantía en la docencia como herramienta de formación de profesores universitarios. Objetivo: Reflexionar sobre las experiencias vividas durante las actividades desarrolladas en el internado docente asistido y la importancia para la formación pedagógica en la educación superior.Metodología: Se trata de un relato de experiencia de la pasantía docente que tuvo lugar en el segundo semestre de 2022, en la asignatura de Fundamentos en epidemiología y salud pública del curso de Graduación en Fisioterapia de la Universidad Federal de Rio Grande do Norte.Resultados: En este estudio, describimos y analizamos las etapas de la experiencia de práctica docente, enfocando perspectivas, aprendizajes y aspiraciones desde la perspectiva de la literatura científica sobre el papel formativo de la práctica docente para profesoresuniversitarios. Los resultados obtenidos destacan la importancia de los aportes de esta experiencia para el crecimiento académico y profesional de los participantes. Sin embargo, se enfatiza la necesidad de incorporar o revisar elementos curriculares parapromover una integración más profunda de las dimensiones teóricas y prácticas en la preparación de los estudiantes para la docencia en la educación superior. Conclusiones: La práctica docente supervisada representa una herramienta formativa valiosa, únicay enriquecedora en el desarrollo de experiencias profesionales y personales en la formación docente (AU).

Comparing Naturalistic Mental Health Expressions on Student Loan Debts Using Reddit and Twitter.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to identify patterns in users' naturalistic expressions on student loans on two social media platforms. The secondary objective was to examine how these patterns, sentiments, and emotions associated with student loans differ in user posts indicating mental illness. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Data for this study were collected from Reddit and Twitter (2009-2020, n = 85,664) using certain key terms of student loans along with first-person pronouns as a triangulating measure of posts by individuals. Unsupervised and supervised machine learning models were used to analyze the text data. RESULTS: Results suggested 50 topics in reddit finance and 40 each in reddit mental health communities and Twitter. Statistically significant associations were found between mental illness statuses and sentiments and emotions. Posts expressing mental illness showed more negative sentiments and were more likely to express sadness and fear. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Patterns in social media discussions indicate both academic and non-academic consequences of having student debt, including users' desire to know more about their debts. Interventions should address the skill and information gaps between what is desired by the borrowers and what is offered to them in understanding and managing their debts. Cognitive burden created by student debts manifest itself on social media and can be used as an important marker to develop a nuanced understanding of people's expressions on a variety of socioeconomic issues. Higher volumes of negative sentiments and emotions of sadness, fear, and anger warrant immediate attention of policymakers and practitioners to reduce the cognitive burden of student debts.