Optimal timing of faculty teaching when combined with near-peer teaching: A mixed methods analysis.

BACKGROUND: Near-peer teaching is increasingly used in medical education, supporting or replacing faculty teaching. It has positive aspects for learners and tutors, some of which are explained by higher social and cognitive congruence between learners and near-peer tutors (NPTs). This study investigates the optimal combination of faculty tutors (FTs) and NPTs in an abdominal ultrasound course. METHODS: Sixty-four third-year medical students underwent a basic ultrasound course, with 75% of lessons taught by NPTs and 25% by FTs. Each of four groups had a different faculty teaching timing. A mixed methods approach used a survey and semi-structured interviews at the course end to elicit learners' preferences, and end-of-course examination scores to look for differences in outcomes. RESULTS: Most learners preferred having faculty teaching in the second half of the course, saying it would be overwhelming to start with FTs. Learners preferred between a quarter and a third of the teaching to be from FTs, with NPTs rated better at teaching basics, and FTs contributing unique, helpful clinical knowledge. There was no significant between-group difference in examination scores. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students preferred most of their teaching to be from NPTs, with some faculty input in the second half of the course.

Near-peer compared to faculty teaching of abdominal ultrasound for medical students - A randomized-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Medical schools increasingly rely on near-peer tutors for ultrasound teaching. We set out to compare the efficacy of a blended near-peer ultrasound teaching program to that of a faculty course in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS: 152 medical students received 21 hours of ultrasound teaching either by near-peer teachers or medical doctors. The near-peer course consisted of blended learning that included spaced repetition. The faculty-led course was the European common course for abdominal sonography. The primary outcome measurement was the students' ultrasound knowledge at month 6, assessed by structured examination (score 0 to 50). Secondary outcomes included scores at month 0 and changes in scores after the course. RESULTS: Students in the near-peer group scored 37 points, and students in the faculty group scored 31 points six months after course completion. The difference of 5.99 points (95% CI 4.48;7.49) in favor of the near-peer group was significant (p<0.001). Scores immediately after the course were 3.8 points higher in the near-peer group (2.35; 5.25, p<0.001). Ultrasound skills decreased significantly in the six months after course completion in the faculty group (-2.41 points, [-3.39; -1.42], p<0.001]) but barely decreased in the near-peer group (-0.22 points, [-1.19; 0.75, p=0.66]). CONCLUSION: The near-peer course that combined blended learning and spaced repetition outperformed standard faculty teaching in basic ultrasound education. This study encourages medical schools to use peer teaching combined with e-learning and spaced repetition as an effective means to meet the increasing demand for ultrasound training.

Describing Ultrasound Skills Teaching by Near-Peer and Faculty Tutors Using Cognitive Apprenticeship.

Phenomenon: Ultrasound skills are becoming increasingly important in clinical practice but are resource-intensive to teach. Near-peer tutors often alleviate faculty teaching burden, but little is known about what teaching methods near-peer and faculty tutors use. Using the lens of cognitive apprenticeship, this study describes how much time faculty and near-peer tutors spend on different teaching methods during abdominal ultrasound skills training. Approach: Sixteen near-peer and 16 faculty tutors were videotaped during one 55-min practical ultrasound lesson with randomly assigned students. Videos were directly coded using Cognitive Apprenticeship teaching methods and activities. Segment durations were summed up and compared quantitatively. Findings: All 32 tutors spent most of the time on observing and helping students (Coaching, Median 29:14 minutes), followed by asking open and stimulating questions (Articulation, 12:04 minutes and demonstrating and giving explanations (Modeling, 04:50 minutes). Overall, distributions of teaching methods used were similar between faculty and near-peer tutors. However, faculty tutors spent more time on helping students manually, whereas near-peer tutors spent more time on exploring students' learning gaps and establishing a safe learning climate. Cognitive Apprenticeship was well suited as observational framework to describe ultrasound skills. Insights: Ultrasound train-the-tutor programs should particularly focus on coaching and articulation. Near-peers' similar use of teaching methods adds to the evidence that supports the use of near-peer teaching in ultrasound skills education.

[Peer Teaching in Ultrasound Teaching: Backgraound, Motivation and Experiences of Three Peer Tutors]. / Peer Teaching im Ultraschallunterricht: Werdegang, Motivation und Erlebnisse dreier Peer-Tutorinnen und -Tutoren.

Peer Teaching in Ultrasound Teaching: Backgraound, Motivation and Experiences of Three Peer Tutors Abstract. Ultrasound education is already accessible to many students in Switzerland through courses offered by Young Sonographers as well as universities. Many universities rely on student peer tutors for teaching - but also for examinations, the elaboration of learning content, and teaching research. This interview explores the motivations and experiences of one female and two peer male tutors in ultrasound teaching.

[Rare Incidental Finding during a Student Ultrasonography Course - A Case Report]. / Seltener Zufallsbefund in einem studentischen Sonografiekurs ­ ein Fallbericht.

Rare Incidental Finding during a Student Ultrasonography Course - A Case Report Abstract. During a sonography class in medical school, a large fluid-filled mass was discovered in the center of the lower abdomen in a healthy, asymptomatic female student; an overflow bladder was suspected. Despite various interdisciplinary investigations, the etiology of the cystic formation could not be clarified. Three months after discovery of the incidental finding, the increasingly symptomatic patient was diagnosed with a cystic tumor in the lower abdomen with secondary urinary retention, and surgical cyst excision was performed. A large, serous Paratubular cyst was found on the left side with torsion of the tube without signs of ischemia and without malignancy. Incidental findings in ultrasound teaching are not uncommon. Course participants, tutors, and course instructors must be aware of this and have a clear procedure at hand in order to deal with it.

[Five Tips for Practical Ultrasound Teaching from the Perspective of Peer Tutors]. / Fünf Tipps für den praktischen Ultraschall-Unterricht aus der Perspektive von Peer-Tutorinnen und -Tutoren.

Five Tips for Practical Ultrasound Teaching from the Perspective of Peer Tutors Abstract. Abtract: When learning diagnostic ultrasound, practical teaching in small groups is of particular importance. In this article, we present five tips that we consider particularly important for successful and effective ultrasound teaching from the perspective of peer tutors.

[Near-Peers First, Physician Tutors Last. Interim Report of a Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Optimal Timing in Undergraduate Ultrasound Teaching]. / Near-Peers zuerst, ärztliche Tutorierende am Schluss. Zwischenbericht einer Mixed-Method-Studie zum Timing im Ultraschallunterricht.

Near-Peers First, Physician Tutors Last. Interim Report of a Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Optimal Timing in Undergraduate Ultrasound Teaching Abstract. While many medical undergraduate ultrasound teaching programmes combine teaching from both physician and student ('near-peer') tutors, there has been little research on how these can be optimally combined. In this study, four groups of 16 medical undergraduates each received twelve lessons from student tutors and four lessons from physician tutors as part of their basic ultrasound course. Each group's physician tutor lessons took place in a different quarter of the course timetable. Quantitative and qualitative data were then collected through an online questionnaire, and 15 participants had 1:1 interviews. This interim analysis shows that, when designing combined ultrasound teaching for medical undergraduates, student tutors should be used at the start and physician tutors in the second half of the programme.

Managing Incidental Findings Reported by Medical, Sonography and Other Students Performing Educational Ultrasound Examinations.

The evolution of ultrasound imaging into a key technology for diagnostic practice has resulted in its incorporation into the education of medical students worldwide. Although the introduction of ultrasound into medical schools' curricula is relatively recent, training of sonographers and other ultrasound users is mature. Ultrasound is being used in a variety of learning environments and clinical settings, from courses in anatomy and physiology to clinical rotations where medical and other students may scan healthy volunteers or patients, sometimes with little to no supervision. Educators may be apprehensive about a perceived high likelihood that students will encounter unexpected findings during these sessions, which could distress the patient or ultrasound model as well as the student, and result in problems that would be more pronounced if such incidental findings are complex. Policies are needed to address how to manage incidental ultrasound findings that are identified during educational activities. This article summarizes the background and provides a framework for establishing and implementing a well-designed and thoughtful approach for dealing with incidental findings observed in volunteer subjects by medical students during training courses in ultrasound diagnostic scanning. Subject confidentiality should be respected, and review of incidental findings should be transparent without provoking unnecessary anxiety. It is the responsibility of the instructor or supervisor to ensure adequate clinical follow-up if indicated.

Effectiveness and safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis: network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness and safety of different preparations and doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and paracetamol for knee and hip osteoarthritis pain and physical function to enable effective and safe use of these drugs at their lowest possible dose. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised trials. DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, Embase, regulatory agency websites, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to 28 June 2021. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Randomised trials published in English with ≥100 patients per group that evaluated NSAIDs, opioids, or paracetamol (acetaminophen) to treat osteoarthritis. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The prespecified primary outcome was pain. Physical function and safety outcomes were also assessed. REVIEW METHODS: Two reviewers independently extracted outcomes data and evaluated the risk of bias of included trials. Bayesian random effects models were used for network meta-analysis of all analyses. Effect estimates are comparisons between active treatments and oral placebo. RESULTS: 192 trials comprising 102 829 participants examined 90 different active preparations or doses (68 for NSAIDs, 19 for opioids, and three for paracetamol). Five oral preparations (diclofenac 150 mg/day, etoricoxib 60 and 90 mg/day, and rofecoxib 25 and 50 mg/day) had ≥99% probability of more pronounced treatment effects than the minimal clinically relevant reduction in pain. Topical diclofenac (70-81 and 140-160 mg/day) had ≥92.3% probability, and all opioids had ≤53% probability of more pronounced treatment effects than the minimal clinically relevant reduction in pain. 18.5%, 0%, and 83.3% of the oral NSAIDs, topical NSAIDs, and opioids, respectively, had an increased risk of dropouts due to adverse events. 29.8%, 0%, and 89.5% of oral NSAIDs, topical NSAIDs, and opioids, respectively, had an increased risk of any adverse event. Oxymorphone 80 mg/day had the highest risk of dropouts due to adverse events (51%) and any adverse event (88%). CONCLUSIONS: Etoricoxib 60 mg/day and diclofenac 150 mg/day seem to be the most effective oral NSAIDs for pain and function in patients with osteoarthritis. However, these treatments are probably not appropriate for patients with comorbidities or for long term use because of the slight increase in the risk of adverse events. Additionally, an increased risk of dropping out due to adverse events was found for diclofenac 150 mg/day. Topical diclofenac 70-81 mg/day seems to be effective and generally safer because of reduced systemic exposure and lower dose, and should be considered as first line pharmacological treatment for knee osteoarthritis. The clinical benefit of opioid treatment, regardless of preparation or dose, does not outweigh the harm it might cause in patients with osteoarthritis. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO number CRD42020213656.

Using self and peer video annotations of simulated patient encounters in communication training to facilitate the reflection of communication skills: an implementation study.

Background: The mandatory communication skills course for fourth-year medical students at the University of Bern Medical School aims to prepare students for challenging communication situations. Students role-play four different scenarios with simulated patients (SPs) and receive feedback from the patient's perspective. The scenarios are video-recorded and uploaded onto the University's virtual learning environment. Students can watch and annotate their own videos and give others access to view them. Project description: Although the course is well liked by students, we identified three areas for improvement: lack of faculty feedback; little active use of the video-recordings;lack of opportunity for students to discuss their experiences with each other. We aimed to address these shortcomings by introducing an additional learning task: students are asked to annotate a section of the video in which they had performed well, and one in which they thought they could have done better, in both their own and a colleague's videos. These video clips and annotations served as the basis of a subsequent two-hour small-group seminar with a physician tutor. The course was evaluated by a mandatory online questionnaire. Results: All 247 students completed the questionnaire. The annotation tool and task were deemed to be comprehensible. Students believed they had learnt more from annotating a peers' video than from their own and most thought being assessed by peers was acceptable. The physician tutors' comments were largely deemed as helpful. The mean mark for the course given by students was 4.6 (median 5) (1=very poor, 6=very good). Conclusion: A communication skills course expanded by video-annotations and group discussions with a physician tutor was shown to be feasible and was well received by students and faculty.

"Telephone consultation for medical emergencies" - development, implementation and evaluation of a course in identifying and handling medical emergencies via telephone for 5th year medical students.

Objectives: Advising patients seeking medical guidance while communicating with them via telephone is a highly relevant skill in clinical daily life. However, telephone consultations differ from face-to-face interactions: clinical examination is nearly impossible and visual signals cannot be observed. Thus, telephone consultations require specific skills training. This article describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a course, "Telephone Consultation for Medical Emergencies", for 5th year medical students at the University of Bern, Switzerland. Methods: Following the evidence in the literature for telephone consultations, we developed guidelines for effective communication via telephone. After self-study of preparatory material, learners engaged in telephone consultations with simulated patients (SP) at the simulation center. They received multi-dimensional feedback regarding the encounter. Results: The course was successfully implemented in 2012. Evaluations showed the course to be well-received by students. In a survey, students agreed that they had learned many new skills and that they considered this learning as being important in their future employment. They felt that the SP feedback was helpful and that being observed by peer-students during the encounter or filling in a checklist while observing peer-students in other encounters added to their learning. During the debriefing of the simulation with a clinical expert, students judged the scenarios as realistic and relevant, praised the SP performances and identified that the most instructive aspect of the training was the opportunity to practice and to get feedback. Conclusion: Telephone consultations require specific skills that should be trained. The current Covid-19 pandemic and the recommendations of government institutions for patients to contact healthcare professionals primarily via telephone stress the importance of adequately training these skills. In this publication we describe a feasible and viable format for implementing this process.

[Update Medical Studies 2020: Bern]. / Update Medizinstudium 2020: Bern.

Update Medical Studies 2020: Bern Abstract. The education of the young Bernese medical students is problem-based as well as practice-oriented. The didactical concept of the Bachelor Studies is a guided self-study accompanied by concept lectures and interactive tutorials. The clinical skills are taught in a highly structured way, beginning with e-learning, seminars and Bedside Teaching. The Master Studies are based on evidence-based clinical education. The well-structured internships are the heart of the Bernese Master Studies; they enable the early inclusion of the students in the medical practice of the various healthcare disciplines. The communication trainings as well as the sonography courses are examples for the innovative development of the Bernese curriculum. The rotations in GP practices give an insight into the primary healthcare.

Does a home-based interview with a chronically ill patient help medical students become more patient-centred? A randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: While patient-centred care improves patient outcomes, studies have shown that medical students become less patient-centred with time, so it is crucial to devise interventions that prevent this. We sought to determine whether first-year medical students who had a structured home-based interview with a chronically ill patient became more patient-centred than those who had a sham intervention. METHODS: This randomised controlled trial assigned first-year students from the University of Bern, Switzerland, to either an interview with a chronically ill patient at the patient's home or to a sham comparator. We used the PPOS-D12 questionnaire to measure students' levels of patient-centredness at baseline, and changes in these levels during their longitudinal primary care clerkship. RESULTS: A total of 317 students participated. Patient-centred attitudes increased during the study. A home-based interview with a chronically ill patient had no additional effect. Being female and having been exposed to patients before medical school were associated with being more patient-centred at baseline. Students were less patient-centred than their General Practitioner teachers. CONCLUSIONS: A structured, home-based interview with a chronically ill patient did not change students' patient-centred attitudes, so cannot be recommended as a way to influence those attitudes. However, patient-centred attitudes increased during the students' first year of study, possibly because of their longitudinal primary care clerkship. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov reference: NCT03722810 , registered 29th October 2018.

[e-Learning: Basics of Sonography. Development of a Nationwide Entry-Level Module for Ultrasound Training in Switzerland]. / E-Learning: Grundlagen der Sonografie.

e-Learning: Basics of Sonography. Development of a Nationwide Entry-Level Module for Ultrasound Training in Switzerland Abstract. Teaching the rudiments of the theoretical and practical aspects of sonography is a challenge for many ultrasound course instructors, which is why the use of e-learning has come to the fore. An e-learning programme has already been implemented as part of a SGUM project: the "Fundamentals of Sonography" module. It has now been further developed in terms of teaching methods and content so that it can be offered as a "pre-course assignment" to participants in a variety of ultrasound courses. Based on theoretical knowledge and the evaluation of previous e-learning courses, the principles for the revision of the learning programme were developed and then implemented. After completing the four course sections, users should be able to operate an ultrasound device and understand the basic physical principles. This article describes the didactic concepts of the revision of the e-learning, the contents of the end product, and the implications for practice.

[Peer Teaching in Ultrasound Education - A Narrative Review]. / Peer-Teaching in der Ultraschall-Ausbildung ­ Eine Übersichtsarbeit.

Peer Teaching in Ultrasound Education - A Narrative Review Abstract. Learning about ultrasound is becoming an increasingly important component of the undergraduate medical curriculum. However, teaching about this is very time-consuming, which is why many universities use peer teaching in ultrasound training. Peer teaching has various advantages that go beyond reducing specialists' teaching time: students may learn more from their peers because their cognitive schemata are more congruent and they are more likely to be open about their learning deficits. In addition, the process of teaching leads to increased learning and motivation in the peer teachers themselves. Most studies that compare peer teaching with teaching from medically qualified tutors show comparable learning effects, with different advantages for the two settings.

Comparing Blended Learning with Faculty-Led Ultrasound Training: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial (The SIGNATURE Trial).

Background: Ultrasound is increasingly used in clinical practice as a bedside tool. As medical graduates first encounter the technique in early residency, ultrasound training needs to be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum. In Switzerland, abdominal ultrasound skills have been taught by a faculty-led, 21-hour course. However, this course does not have sufficient capacity to meet the increasing demand, and there have been doubts about its effectiveness as a teaching method. We therefore developed a 21-hour blended-learning course, comprising five hours of e-learning and 16 hours of near-peer tutoring. This study investigates whether this new teaching format is as good as, or superior to, the faculty-led method. Methods: The SIGNATURE study is an investigator-initiated, two-arm, randomised controlled trial, enrolling 152 medical students at the Universities of Bern, Fribourg and Zurich. Stratified by study site, students are 1:1 randomised to either the blended-learning course or the faculty-led 2.5-day ultrasound course. Students undergo a six-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) and complete an online questionnaire immediately after the course and 6 months later. Discussion: If demonstrated to be effective, the blended-learning course would allow an increase in the number of undergraduate medical students that can acquire ultrasound skills before starting their residencies.

[Introduction of an Ultrasound Course Based on Peer-Tutoring - An Update on the Blended Learning Basic Course Sonography]. / Einführung eines «Peer Tutoring¼ -basierten, Ultraschallkurses ­ ein Update zum «Blended-Learning¼-Basiskurs Sonografie.

Introduction of an Ultrasound Course Based on Peer-Tutoring - An Update on the Blended Learning Basic Course Sonography Abstract. Following the introduction of the new Swiss learning objectives catalogue 'PROFILES', the ability to carry out simple ultrasound examinations has become mandatory for undergraduates. Thanks to a collaboration between the Bern Institute of Primary Health Care and the 'Young Sonographers' SGUM section, the SGUM's classic-format basic abdomen teaching module has been changed into a 'blended learning' teaching format with 'peer tutoring'. It is particularly intended for students and junior doctors. Since the beginning of 2019, local 'Young Sonographers' subsections have gradually introduced the basic ultrasound course for students at four different Swiss universities. This article describes the implementation of the 'Blended Learning Basic Sonography Course' in Switzerland and the current student peer tutor activity at Swiss universities. We discuss the project's successes and current challenges, the Young Sonographers section, and look into the future of ultrasound training in Switzerland.

Medical Student Ultrasound Education, a WFUMB Position Paper, Part II. A consensus statement of ultrasound societies.

Ultrasound is becoming a fundamental first-line diagnostic tool for most medical specialties and an innovative tool to teach anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to undergraduate and graduate students. However, availability of structured training programs during medical school is lagging behind and many physicians still acquire all their ultrasound skills during postgraduate training.There is wide variation in medical student ultrasound education worldwide. Sharing successful educational strategies from early adopter medical schools and learning from leading education programs should advance the integration of ultrasound into the university medical school curricula. In this overview, we present current approaches and suggestions by ultrasound societies concerning medical student educa-tion throughout the world. Based on these examples, we formulate a consensus statement with suggestions on how to integrate ultrasound teaching into the preclinical and clinical medical curricula.

Medical Student Ultrasound Education: A WFUMB Position Paper, Part I.

The introduction of ultrasound into medical student education is well underway in many locations around the world, but is still in its infancy or has yet to begin in others. Proper incorporation of ultrasound education into medical training requires planning and resources, both capital and human. In this article, we discuss the state of the art of ultrasound in medical education throughout the world, as well as various methodologies utilized to improve student education and to incorporate ultrasound into every facet of training. Experiences from various educational systems and available evidence regarding the impact of ultrasound education are summarized. Representing multiple societies and specialties throughout the world, we discuss established modern as well as novel education structures and different successful approaches.