Structured feedback: A teaching and learning tool for the postgraduate medical students in transfusion medicine.

CONTEXT: Structured Feedback is a learning and assessment tool designed to provide feedback to students and educators to adjust learning and teaching during the training. Lack of provision of structured feedback to postgraduate (PG) medical students prompted us to plan a study to introduce a structured feedback module into the existing monthly assessment schedules in the Department of Transfusion Medicine. AIM: This study aims to introduce a structured feedback module and evaluate its efficacy after incorporation into the existing monthly assessment schedules for the PG students in the Department of Transfusion Medicine. DESIGN AND SETTING: A quasi-experimental study was commenced after obtaining clearance from the Institutional Ethics Committee in the Department of Transfusion Medicine for the students pursuing postgraduation in Transfusion Medicine. METHODOLOGY: A peer-validated feedback module was designed and implemented for MD students by the core team faculty. The students underwent the structured feedback sessions after each monthly assessment for of 3 months. One on one, verbal feedback was conducted using Pendleton's method, for monthly online assessment for the learning that happened during study period. DATA COLLECTION AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data were collected from the open-ended and closed-ended questions using Google form-based Student/Faculty perception and students' pre-post self-efficacy questionnaires on 5-point Likert Scale and the quantitative data analysis was done using percentage of Likert scores, median values for each item for pre-and post-responses and comparison using nonparametric test - Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The qualitative data analysis was done using thematic analysis from the open ended questions. RESULTS: All (n = 9; 100%) the PG students strongly agreed and agreed (median score of 5 and 4) that the feedback they received made them aware of their learning gaps, enabled them in bridging those gaps and provided ample opportunity to interact with faculty. Both students and faculty agreed that the feedback session should be an ongoing and continuous process in the department. CONCLUSION: Both the students as well as faculty were satisfied with the implementation of the feedback module in the department. Students reported awareness about the learning gaps, identification of appropriate study resources, and ample opportunity to interact with faculty, after taking the feedback sessions. The faculty felt satisfied on the acquisition of new skill for delivering structured feedback to students.

Evaluation of the Institutional Educational Environment by using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure.

BACKGROUND: Evaluation of the educational climate has been highlighted as key to the delivery of high-quality medical education. Health educators across places and educational settings have widely used the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) to appraise their institutions' educational climate. OBJECTIVES: The aim is to assess the educational environment of our Institution and to find the association with the related variables. METHODOLOGY: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using the DREEM questionnaire enrolling 527 MBBS undergraduate students. RESULTS: An inclination toward a positive environment was found in our institution, which has statistical significant association with the phase of training of the students. CONCLUSION: Positive educational environment was found in our institution. This suggests reinforcement of positive practices and scope for improvement in certain other areas.

Evaluation of Peripartum Depression in Females.

BACKGROUND: Depression is the most common mental health condition affecting perinatal women and mothers worldwide. Worldwide, about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. In developing countries like India, this is even higher, i.e., 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after childbirth. The present study was initiated with the objective of studying the prevalence of depression among women in the peripartum period and to find the association of peripartum depression and its risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study, including mothers in antenatal and postnatal period. A sample size of 200 was calculated using Daniels' formula. A questionnaire was administered by the investigator in vernacular language by an interview technique for assessing awareness and behavior of all participants. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to identify the patients at the risk of depression. Written informed consent was taken from every participant. RESULTS: The prevalence of peripartum depression was 14%. Younger age group (not <18 years), working female, joint family, first pregnancy, social support from in-laws, and not having desire/pressure for a male child were found to be associated with a lower prevalence of peripartum depression. Other variables which were not significantly associated with peripartum depression were education of the participants and their husbands and urban/rural locality. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of peripartum depression is quite high and is negatively associated with first pregnancy, joint family, and working status.

Vitamin D Levels: Do We Need to Assess Only in Disease?

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D is conventionally known as sunshine vitamin and is synthesized endogenously in sunlight. Vitamin D is known to be a key regulator of bone metabolism, the function of genes, and essential for the development of the whole body. Deficiency of Vitamin D is now become a major worldwide epidemic health problem. AIM: The present study was conducted with the objective of determining the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) in urban population of a district in south Punjab, across various characteristics of population such as gender, age, and socioeconomic status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional population survey was conducted in the urban population of the district. A total of 120 healthy volunteers of either sex participated and their 25-hydroxy Vitamin D concentrations in serum samples were estimated using ELISA. The participants were divided into three categories as follows: Vitamin D deficient, insufficient, or sufficient, on the basis of normal standardized serum levels of Vitamin D <20, 20-30, and >30 ng/ml, respectively. RESULTS: Of 120 healthy individuals, 95% of the study participants had VDD or insufficiency and only 5% had adequate Vitamin D levels. In each age group, females showed lower Vitamin D levels as compared to males. Furthermore, high body mass index value was associated with low Vitamin D. Upper-class individuals also showed low levels of Vitamin D as compared to other socioeconomic classes' individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, high prevalence of VDD among the apparently healthy urban population of the district was observed and gives an alarming sign about continuously increasing prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among healthy population.

Module for Interns in Medical Ethics: A Developmental Diegesis.

BACKGROUND: Media report is rife with incidences of doctor-patients' conflict, and this partly is due to communication gap and unethical practices being adopted by the doctors. Our regular curriculum fails to impart any training in ethical issues in patient care. Imparting training to students in these soft-skills is the need of the hour. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To develop a module for interns in medical ethics (MIME) in patient care, validate it and pilot run the module for standardization. METHODOLOGY: After conducting faculty development workshop in curriculum designing and three rounds of Delphi with alumni, a module in medical ethics was developed and peer validated. The questionnaire for pilot run, questionnaire for future use of module delivery and pre- and post-test were also peer validated. The module was delivered to 17 interns as pilot run in the form of 4 days' workshop. After pilot run, the module was standardized to 10 broad topics and 3 days' workshop. The questionnaire for future delivery of module in regular routine was also validated during pilot run. RESULTS: Twenty-five faculty members participated in 1 day faculty development workshop and 59 alumni completed three rounds of Delphi. After peer review by five experts, a module of 11 broad areas was developed and was pilot run on 17 interns. Based on the feedback from pilot run, a standardized, validated 18 h teaching MIME in patient care was developed. CONCLUSION: Pilot study proves that curriculum innovation in the form of medical ethics training to interns; when as undergraduate students, they actively participate in patient care under supervision will go a long way in inculcating soft skills like ethics, compassion and communication in them.