Making a Case for Multimodal IPE: Developing a Competency-Based Interprofessional Curriculum for Health Professions Learners at Rural Campuses.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this 4-year study was to explore the efficacy of a multimodal interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that was developed for learners at rural campuses. METHODS: Over the study period, participants included 113 learners and 7 faculty facilitators from 4 degree programs: Physician Assistant Studies, Social Work, Imaging Sciences, and Medicine. The study used a mixed-methods design, which included a combination of rating scale items (quantitative) and open response items (qualitative). RESULTS: The results demonstrated statistically significant gains in the development of interprofessional competencies and a medium-large effect size for practical significance. The overall program evaluation ratings demonstrated learner satisfaction at or above the midpoint (benchmark) for each of the 4 years evaluated. The faculty facilitation was also rated highly. CONCLUSION: The results of this 4-year study indicate that the Rural IPE program curriculum effectively employed technology to meaningfully engage rural learners in the acquisition and application of interprofessional competencies.

Neurotoxicity and Chemoreception: A Systematic Review of Neurotoxicity Effects on Smell and Taste.

Several different types of exposure have the potential to produce olfactory and gustatory deficits related to neurotoxicity. Although the literature contains relatively few studies of such chemoreceptive dysfunction in the context of toxic exposure, this review explores the strength of such published associations. Several studies collectively demonstrated moderately strong evidence for an association between manganese dust exposure and olfactory deficits. Evidence of associations between individual chemicals, therapeutics, and composites, such as World Trade Center debris, and olfactory and gustatory deficits remains limited or mixed. Further need for controlled studies for clinical management, exposure limits, and policy development is identified.

Virtual reality gaming as a neurorehabilitation tool for brain injuries in adults: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence of the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) in motor and cognitive rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury (TBI) continues to be mixed. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines to strategically evaluate the strength of evidence supporting the use of VR as a rehabilitation tool for motor function and cognition in patients with TBI. METHOD: The van Tulder criteria were modified to determine the quality of the outcomes of studies deemed eligible for inclusion in the review. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Twelve studies were considered eligible for inclusion in the systematic review. These studies utilized methods of varying quality such as case and quasi-experimental studies and found moderately positive support for the effectiveness of VR-enhanced rehabilitation for both motor skills and cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The varying quality of the included studies provides moderate support for use of VR-enhanced rehabilitation techniques per the van Tulder criteria. This highlights the continued gap in the literature for robust studies that enable providers, policy makers, and the public to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of VR-enhanced rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury. Continued pursuit of analyses in the context of newer immersive VR-enhanced rehabilitation is recommended.