The relationship between graduation school background and geographical distribution of dentists in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Taiwan's eight dental schools are all located in the western region. This study attempted to analyze the relationship between the geographical distribution of dentists in Taiwan and their graduation school background and to develop several statistical indicators to analyze the geographical distribution of dentists. Materials and methods: The method of the secondary data analysis was adopted to collect the open information related to the number of the practicing dentists based on their graduation schools and practice locations by cities and counties in Taiwan in January 2023. The data were used to develop several statistical indicators to analyze the geographical distribution of dentists. Results: There were 16,533 practicing dentists in Taiwan in January 2023. Of the 16,533 dentists, 15,687 (94.88 %) graduated from domestic dental schools and 846 (5.12 %) graduated from foreign dental schools. For the school location, the coefficient of variation, Gini coefficient, population proportion index, and population density index were the largest (168.57 %, 0.47, 10.76 %, and 3927.01 people/square kilometer) in the dentists graduating from the northern dental schools. In overall, the dentists were concentrated in municipalities, cities, and the northern region of Taiwan, especially those graduating from the northern dental schools. Conclusion: In Taiwan, the geographical distribution of dentists is highly related to their graduation school background. Promoting a balanced distribution of dental enrollment quotas and dental student sources from different geographical locations and inducing the movement of dentists to the dentist-shortage areas may be the more feasible ways to solve the uneven geographical distribution of dentists in Taiwan.

Nursing students' self-assessed level of nursing skills at the time of graduation in a Japanese University: A retrospective observational study.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify nursing students' self-assessed levels of nursing skills at a nursing university at graduation and discuss how education and clinical experiences for students and post-licensure nurses should be improved, especially focusing on oncology nursing. Methods: The study population comprised fourth-year students from 2017 to 2019 at the Faculty of Health Science and Nursing, Juntendo University, who had completed all stipulated clinical placements. The Japanese government determined 141 nursing skills and their target levels. Students subjectively evaluated their achieved levels for the 141 nursing skills after the final clinical placement. Results: Of the 141 nursing skills, 81 (57%) were rated as "skills with easy-to-achieve targets" and five were rated as "skills with difficult-to-achieve targets." All nursing skills in the two subcategories of environmental adjustment skills and comfort management skills were rated as "skills with easy-to-achieve targets." Nursing skills with low target achievement rates were for patients with oral intake difficulties, unstable respiratory status, and those requiring glycemic control. These skills are also important in oncology nursing. Conclusions: It cannot be concluded that the nursing university students fully achieved the target levels of nursing skills, as determined by the Japanese government. These findings may facilitate discussions on teaching nursing skills and their target levels at the time of graduation from nursing universities or post-employment.

Preterm birth and subsequent intelligence and academic performance in youth: A cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, more children than before survive preterm birth. Preterm birth can affect long-term cognitive outcomes. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between preterm birth and academic performance and intelligence in youth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cohort study included all liveborn children in Denmark from 1978 to 2000. We used uni- and multivariable logistic and linear regressions to analyze associations between gestational age and school graduation, grade point average (GPA), attending conscription, and male intelligence scores at conscription. We adjusted for a priori defined potential confounders. RESULTS: The study included 1 450 681 children and found an association between preterm birth and lower academic performance, with children born extremely preterm having the lowest odds of graduating from lower- and upper secondary education (LSE and USE) and appearing before the conscription board (odds ratios of 0.45 [0.38-0.54], 0.52 [0.46-0.59], and 0.47 [0.39-0.56] for LSE, USE, and conscription, respectively, compared to the term group). Statistically significant differences were observed in LSE for total GPA and core subject GPA with higher GPAs in the term group, which were considered clinically relevant for mathematics with a 0.71 higher grade point for the term compared to the extremely preterm. Conversely, USE differences were less evident, and in linear regression models we found that preterm birth was associated with higher GPAs in the adjusted analyses; however, this was not statistically significant. We demonstrated statistically significant differences in intelligence scores at conscription with lower scores in the three preterm groups (-5.13, -2.73, and - 0.76, respectively) compared to the term group. CONCLUSIONS: Low gestational age at birth was associated with not graduating from LSE and USE, achieving lower GPAs in LSE, not attending conscription, and lower intelligence scores in young adulthood. The findings remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders.

Beyond Education Dollars: Does Social Safety Net Spending Affect High School Graduation Rates?

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between social safety net (SSN) spending and high school graduation rates for all students, as well as students belonging to minoritized groups. Also, to determine whether public SSN investments and PK-12 education are independent. METHODS: Using Common Core Data and the State-by-State Spending on Kids data, we estimated the effects of per-child SSN spending on graduation rates over time (2010-2016) using two-way fixed effects. RESULTS: SSN spending positively impacts high school graduation rates, with slightly larger magnitudes for students belonging to minoritized groups. The effects of public investments in SSN health, and PK-12 education on high school graduation rates are independent. DISCUSSION: Our results indicate that the positive effects of SSN spending on high school graduation rates are independent of any impacts associated with education spending, suggesting that these two types of public investments affect high school graduation through different pathways.

Use of machine learning to assess factors affecting progression, retention, and graduation in first-year health professions students in Qatar: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Across higher education, student retention, progression, and graduation are considered essential elements of students' academic success. However, there is scarce literature analyzing these attributes across health professions education. The current study aims to explore rates of student retention, progression, and graduation across five colleges of the Health Cluster at Qatar University, and identify predictive factors. METHODS: Secondary longitudinal data for students enrolled at the Health Cluster between 2015 and 2021 were subject to descriptive statistics to obtain retention, progression and graduation rates. The importance of student demographic and academic variables in predicting retention, progression, or graduation was determined by a predictive model using XGBoost, after preparation and feature engineering. A predictive model was constructed, in which weak decision tree models were combined to capture the relationships between the initial predictors and student outcomes. A feature importance score for each predictor was estimated; features that had higher scores were indicative of higher influence on student retention, progression, or graduation. RESULTS: A total of 88% of the studied cohorts were female Qatari students. The rates of retention and progression across the studied period showed variable distribution, and the majority of students graduated from health colleges within a timeframe of 4-7 years. The first academic year performance, followed by high school GPA, were factors that respectively ranked first and second in importance in predicting retention, progression, and graduation of health majors students. The health college ranked third in importance affecting retention and graduation and fifth regarding progression. The remaining factors including nationality, gender, and whether students were enrolled in a common first year experience for all colleges, had lower predictive importance. CONCLUSIONS: Student retention, progression, and graduation at Qatar University Health Cluster is complex and multifactorial. First year performance and secondary education before college are important in predicting progress in health majors after the first year of university study. Efforts to increase retention, progression, and graduation rates should include academic advising, student support, engagement and communication. Machine learning-based predictive algorithms remain a useful tool that can be precisely leveraged to identify key variables affecting health professions students' performance.

Minimum Supervision Levels Required for Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Graduation by Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program Directors.

Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are "observable essential tasks expected to be performed by a physician for safe patient care in practice." Six Pediatric Cardiology (PC) EPAs and their level of supervision (LOS) scales were developed by medical educators in PC using a modified Delphi process and reviewed by the Subspecialty Pediatrics Investigator Network (SPIN). However, their general use in assessment for PC fellows for graduation requirements has yet to be studied. The objective of this study was to determine the minimum LOS required for PC fellows to graduate and compare it with the minimum LOS expected for safe and effective practice for the six PC EPAs, from the perspective of the PC Fellowship Program Directors(FPD). All Fellowship Program Directors(FPD) of ACGME-accredited PC fellowships were surveyed through SPIN between April 2017 and August 2017. For each of the PC EPAs, the FPDs were asked to indicate the minimum LOS expected for graduation and whether they would allow a fellow to graduate if this level was not achieved and the minimum LOS expected for a practicing pediatric cardiologist to provide safe and effective patient care. The minimum LOS was defined as the LOS for which no more than 20% of FPDs would want a lower level. The survey response rate was 80% (47/59). The majority of the FPDs did not require a minimum LOS of five corresponding to unsupervised practice in any of the six PC EPAs at graduation. For EPAs related to imaging, arrhythmia management, and management of cardiac problems, the minimum LOS for graduation was 3, corresponding to being "trusted to perform a task with indirect supervision for most simple and a few complex cases." For the EPAs related to interventional cardiology, heart failure pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac intensive care, the minimum LOS for graduation was 2, corresponding to being "trusted to perform a task only with direct supervision and coaching." The minimum LOS considered necessary for safe and effective practice for all but one EPA was 3. For the EPA related to the management of cardiac problems, the minimum LOS for safe practice was 4, corresponding to being "trusted to execute tasks independently except for few complex and critical cases." Most PC FPDs reported they would not require fellows to achieve the highest entrustment level for any of the six PC EPAs for graduation. It is crucial that educational programs evolve to address these essential activities during training better and that stakeholders ensure that graduating PC fellows have adequate resources and infrastructure to continue professional development as early career pediatric cardiologists.

Newly graduated nurses' perceptions of their professional role and professional competency: a qualitative focus group study.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, complex and rapidly changing healthcare settings have placed high demands on nursing graduates, who must effectively assume new professional roles with a wide variety of competencies. However, in an ever-altering environment it is impossible to teach students everything. This means that assessing nursing students' perceptions of their ability to practise their competencies and assume their professional roles is critical for faculty to further develop the nursing education curriculum and to assist healthcare organisations in supporting the transition of graduates. The aim of the study was to explore newly graduated nurses' perceptions of their new professional role and professional competency associated with this role. METHODS: A qualitative study using the focus group method. The purposive sample included 18 nursing graduates with an average of 29 years, most of whom were female. The average time that had elapsed since graduation was 1.5 years. Four face-to-face focus group interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Three main themes describing newly graduated nurses' perceptions were found: (1) significance of the transition period; (2) commitment to the nursing profession; and (3) perceived needs and challenges to professional competency. CONCLUSION: The transition from a safe academic environment to turbulent clinical practice is shaped by both graduates' expectations and reality. The results of the study indicate a high level of commitment to the profession immediately after graduation and point to groups of competencies that need greater emphasis in the nursing curriculum. Although the responsibility for adequately preparing and supporting nursing students for their new professional roles rests with faculty and healthcare organisations, the responsibility for professional development should also lie on the students themselves.

The effect of socioeconomic disadvantage for on-time graduation in an accelerated doctor of pharmacy program.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and student progression in an accelerated, three-year, doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. METHODS: The percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged students in Larkin University's applicant and accepted pool was compared to national data using an N-1 Chi-square. The on-time graduation rate for three classes of PharmD students were compared based on the economic or environmental disadvantage questions posed by Pharmacy College Application Service (PharmCAS). On-time graduation rates were also analyzed by sex, race/ethnicity, and geographical area using a Pearson's Chi-square. Student academic admissions profiles were compared by race/ethnicity using analysis of variance. RESULTS: Larkin University had a higher percentage of applicants and accepted candidates from certain underrepresented groups. There was no significant difference in on-time graduation for students who answered yes to any of the economic or environmental disadvantage questions as opposed to those who answered no, nor was there a significant difference in on-time graduation by sex or geographical area. For race, there was a significantly lower rate of on-time graduation for students who were Black or African American, even though their admissions criteria were comparable to that of students of other races. CONCLUSIONS: Students who had an economic or environmental disadvantage graduated on-time at the same rate as students who did not have such disadvantages. Black or African American students had lower on-time rates than other ethnic groups, but the reason for lower on-time graduation was unclear.

Clínicas Integradas em Odontologia, desafios, oportunidades e perspectivas: uma revisão de literatura

As clínicas integradas em Odontologia constituem em um desafio para o ensino superior na formação do profissional, que deverá aprender a tratar as condições orofaciais de seu paciente de forma diferenciada no futuro próximo, aliando cada vez mais a Odontologia e as novas tecnologias. Objetivou-se com este estudo de revisão discutida entender o conceito de clínica integrada e suas perspectivas em consonância com as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais. Foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico sistematizado nos bancos de dados eletrônicos: Lilacs, PubMed e Scielo. Os termos em português e inglês "Educação em Odontologia" (Dental Education), "Clínicas Odontológicas" (Dental Clinics), "Graduação" (Undergraduate Program), "Prestação Integrada de Cuidados de Saúde" (delivery of health care, integrated) e "Currículo" (Curriculum) foram utilizados como palavras-chave. Foram eleitos 23 artigos para esta revisão e extraídas as ideias principais dos textos tendo como base as metodologias utilizadas e os principais resultados. Os autores foram unânimes em ressaltar que as clínicas integradas em Odontologia exercem influência na formação e no preparo do egresso generalista através do treinamento sobre um planejamento global, inter e multidisciplinar como pilar essencial para um currículo integrativo e inovador.

ntegrated clinics in Dentistry present a challenge for higher education in the training of professionals, who must adapt their approach to treating orofacial conditions in the near future, increasingly incorporating Dentistry and new technologies. This review study aimed to comprehend the concept of integrated clinics and its alignment with the National Curricular Guidelines. A systematic bibliographic survey was conducted in the following electronic databases: Lilacs, PubMed, and Scielo. The search employed keywords in both Portuguese and English, including "Education in Dentistry" (Dental Education), "Dental Clinics", "Graduation" (undergraduate program), "Integrated Provision of Health Care" (delivery of health care, integrated), and "Curriculum." Approximately 23 articles were selected for this review, and the primary ideas within the texts were extracted based on the employed methodologies and the principal results. The authors unanimously emphasized that integrated dentistry clinics significantly impact the training and preparation of generalist graduates. This influence stems from emphasizing global, inter, and multidisciplinary planning as an indispensable foundation for an integrative and innovative curriculum.

Profiles of University Students Who Graduate on Time: A Cohort Study from the Chilean Context.

Graduating from higher education on time is an important topic, given its relation to students' academic success and the efficiency of the institutions. However, a low percentage of university students finish their studies on time, which poses a challenge that requires the identification of the factors that account for this phenomenon. This study aimed to identify and characterize profiles of students who graduate on time. The population is 514 university students (45% men, 55% women), with an average age of 19.5 years (SD= 1.9) studying business at a university in Chile who belong to four cohorts entering between 2011 and 2014. The results obtained from the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) technique demonstrate eight student profiles constructed considering different variables at the pre-university, transition-motivation, and university levels. As the primary outcome, the profile of the student who graduates on time is characterized by a good performance in the first year of university, enters university right after high school, and takes advantage of institutional support by participating in academic tutoring. These findings suggest that institutions can implement specific strategies from the beginning of the university journey to promote on-time graduation.

The proposal of the novel fetal shoulder dystocia graduation: a clinical-based opinion.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder dystocia is a peracute mechanical dystocia and a prepartum, usually unpredictable, life-threatening entity with significant forensic implications due to significantly poor perinatal outcome, especially permanent disability or perinatal death. CONTENT: To better objectify the graduation and to include other important clinical parameters, we believe it is appropriate to present a proposal for a complete perinatal weighted graduation of shoulder dystocia, based on several years of numerous other and our own clinical and forensic studies and thematic biobibliography. Obstetric maneuvers, neonatal outcome, and maternal outcome are three components, which are evaluated according to the severity of 0-4 proposed components. Thus, the gradation is ultimately in four degrees according to the total score: I. degreee, score 0-3: slightly shoulder dystocia with simple obstetric interventions, but without birth injuries; II. degree, score 4-7: mild shoulder dystocia resolved by external, secondary interventions and minor injuries; III. degree, score 8-10: severe shoulder dystocia with severe peripartum injuries; IV. degree, score 11-12: extremely difficult, severe shoulder dystocia with ultima ratio interventions applied and resulting extremely severe injuries with chronic disability, including perinatal death. SUMMARY: As a clinically evaluated graduation, it certainly has an applicable long-term anamnestic and prognostic component for subsequent pregnancies and access to subsequent births, as it includes all relevant components of clinical forensic objectification.

Research on the construction of a collaborative ability evaluation system for the joint graduation design of new engineering specialty groups based on digital technology.

Conducting research on the construction of a collaborative ability evaluation system for the joint graduation design of new engineering specialty groups based on digital technology holds great practical relevance. In this paper, which is based on a comprehensive analysis and research of the current situation pertaining to the joint graduation design of college graduates in China and elsewhere and on the construction of a collaborative ability evaluation system, combined with the talent training program of the joint graduation design, the Delphi method and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are adopted to establish a hierarchical structure model of the collaborative ability evaluation system for joint graduation design. In this system, collaborative abilities in the areas of cognition, behavior and emergency management are used as the criteria level evaluation indices. Additionally, collaborative ability in regard to targets, to knowledge, to relationships, to software, to the workflow, to organization, to culture, to learning and to conflict are used as evaluation indices. The comparison judgment matrix of the evaluation indices is constructed at the collaborative ability criterion level and at the index level. By calculating the maximum eigenvalue and corresponding eigenvector of the judgment matrix, the weight assignment of the evaluation indices is obtained, and the evaluation indices are sorted. Finally, the related research content is evaluated. The research results show that the key evaluation indicators for the collaborative ability evaluation system of joint graduation design that need to be considered are easy to determine, and these indicators provide a theoretical reference for the reform of graduation design teaching of new engineering specialty groups.

O ensino na graduação em saúde coletiva: o que dizem os projetos pedagógicos / Undergraduate teaching in public health: what the pedagogical projects say

Resumo Em 2017, para nortear o currículo de ensino, são apresentadas as Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais do Curso de Graduação em Saúde Coletiva (DCNsCGSC). Com o objetivo de analisar o ensino nos cursos de graduação em saúde coletiva no brasil à luz dos projetos pedagógicos, realizamos um estudo qualitativo e exploratório com abordagem documental, utilizando o método da análise de conteúdo. Depois da análise de 22 projetos, observou-se que a maioria dos cursos segue ou se adequou (31,8%) às DCNsCGSC quanto a carga horária total, estágio, trabalho de conclusão e atividades complementares. A nomenclatura bacharelado em saúde coletiva é a principal denominação (77,3%). A maioria dos cursos está na região Norte (27,%) e em instituições federais (68,5%). Sobre o ensino, foram identificadas 274 citações de componentes obrigatórios com o termo de referência das subáreas da saúde coletiva. Desses, o eixo de políticas, planejamento e gestão em saúde, representa 66,42% (182) dos componentes e as ciências sociais e humanas em saúde 9,50% (26). O estudo elucidou como é realizado o ensino na graduação, agregando reflexões sobre a convergência das DCNsCGSC. Além disso, revela possíveis lacunas dos conteúdos de ensino necessários à formação para a atuação profissional, sobretudo para a consolidação do Sistema Único de Saúde.

Abstract To standardize the teaching curriculum, the National Curriculum Guidelines for the Undergraduate Course in Public Health (DCNsCGSC) were set up in 2017. A qualitative and exploratory study with a documental approach was conducted, using the content analysis method, to analyze teaching in undergraduate courses in Public Health in Brazil in the light of Pedagogical Projects. After analysis of 22 projects, it was observed that the majority of the courses (31.8%) complied with the DCNsCGSC in terms of total workload, internship, final paper, and complementary activities. The term "bachelor's degree in public health" is the main denomination (77.3%). Most courses are in the northern region (27%) and federal institutions (68.5%). In terms of teaching, 274 mentions of mandatory components were identified with the term of reference of the subareas of Public Health. Of these, the areas of health policies, planning, and management represent 66.42% (182) of the components and the social and human sciences in health 9.5% (26). The study elucidated how undergraduate teaching is carried out, adding reflections on the convergence of DCNsCGSC. In addition, it revealed possible gaps in the teaching content necessary for training for professional practice, especially for the consolidation of the Unified Health System.

Clinical and radiographic evolution of graduate patients treated with magnetically controlled growing rods: results of a French multicentre study of 90 patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS) who completed their electromagnetic lengthening rod program to assess the demographics of this population and to analyze the evolution of clinical and radiological parameters and the occurrence of complications. METHODS: This was a multicenter study with 10 French centers. We collected all patients with EOS who had undergone electromagnetic lengthening between 2011 and 2022. They had to have reached the end of the procedure (graduate). RESULTS: A total of 90 graduate patients were included. The mean follow-up time over the entire period was 66 months (25.3-109). Of these, only 66 patients (73.3%) underwent definitive spinal arthrodesis at the end of the lengthening phase, whereas 24 patients (26.7%) kept their hardware in situ with a mean follow-up time from the last lengthening of 25 months (3-68). Patients had an average of 2.6 surgeries (1-5) over the entire follow-up. Patients had an average of 7.9 lengthenings for a mean total lengthening of 26.9 mm (4-75). Analysis of the radiological parameters showed a percentage reduction in the main curve of 12 to 40%, depending on the etiology, with an average reduction of 73-44°, and an average thoracic height of 210 mm (171-214) for an average improvement of 31 mm (23-43). There was no significant difference in the sagittal parameters. During the lengthening phase, there were a total of 56 complications in 43 patients (43.9%; n = 56/98), of which 39 in 28 patients (28.6%) resulted in unplanned surgery. In the graduate patients, there were a total of 26 complications in 20 patients (22.2%), all of which resulted in unscheduled surgery. CONCLUSION: MCGR, allow to decrease the number of surgeries, to progressively improve the scoliotic deformity and to reach a satisfactory thoracic height at the price of an important complication rate linked in particular to the complexity of the management of patients with an EOS.

A decade of Zoology Summer Course: impressions and impacts of the first university extension course on Zoology in Brazil / Uma década de Curso de Verão em Zoologia: impressões e impactos do primeiro curso de extensão universitária sobre Zoologia no Brasil

Although the diversity of animal groups distributed in Brazil provides countless research opportunities, the current scenario does not follow this demand. The reasons for the disconnections range from inequality in the availability of resources for teaching and research to the focus of researchers on specific groups of animals, while others remain neglected. Training new potential Brazilian researchers interested in Zoology is essential for a greater understanding of this diversity, as well as exposing those potential new researchers to new groups and different work possibilities. Thus, the Summer Course in Zoology (in Portuguese, CVZoo) promoted by the Graduate Program in Zoology at the University of São Paulo, over the last ten years, has been seeking to contribute to this training of new researchers in the field of Zoology, as well as in updating teachers through university extension activities. In order to assess the impacts caused by CVZoo on the academic and professional training of the participants, Google forms were sent to participants in the ten editions of the course, as well as compiled information available on the Lattes Platform. Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed the profile of graduates, their expectations, and perceptions about the course. Based on these data, we demonstrate the CVZoo's efficiency in popularizing Zoology throughout the country in contributing to the decentralization of knowledge as well as in meeting the urgent concerns of making access to knowledge more egalitarian and socially fair.

Embora a diversidade de grupos de animais existentes no Brasil ofereça inúmeras oportunidades de estudo, o cenário atual não acompanha essa demanda. Os motivos para essa desconexão vão desde a desigualdade na disponibilidade de recursos para ensino e pesquisa até o foco de pesquisadores em grupos específicos de animais, enquanto outros permanecem negligenciados. O treinamento de novos pesquisadores interessados em Zoologia é essencial para um maior entendimento da diversidade brasileira, assim como a exposição de tais pesquisadores a novos grupos e diferentes possibilidades de trabalho. O Curso de Verão em Zoologia (CVZoo) promovido pelo Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, ao longo de dez anos vem buscando contribuir para a formação de novos(as) pesquisadores(as) na área da Zoologia, bem como na atualização de docentes do Ensino Básico por meio de atividades de extensão universitária. Para avaliar os impactos causados pelo CVZoo na formação acadêmica e profissionalizante dos participantes, foram enviados formulários aos participantes das dez edições do curso, bem como compiladas informações disponíveis na Plataforma Lattes. Análises qualitativas e quantitativas evidenciaram o perfil das pessoas egressas, suas expectativas e percepções acerca do curso oferecido. Com base nesses dados, é apontada a eficiência do CVZoo na popularização da Zoologia por todo o país, contribuindo para a descentralização do conhecimento, bem como atendendo às preocupações prementes de tornar o acesso ao conhecimento mais igualitário e socialmente justo

From Undergraduate Research to Graduation: Measuring the Robustness of the Pathway at a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

Based on several regression specifications that control for a host of covariates, this article demonstrates that the quantity of undergraduate research experience was by far the most important determinant for increased graduation rates at a 100% Hispanic-serving institution. Our finding also shows a causal relationship confirmed by propensity score matching analyses. Results underscore the high impact but sometimes underestimated contribution of undergraduate research to academic success, even for teaching-oriented colleges.

Utilizando varias regresiones que controlan por un grupo de variables controles, este artículo sugiere que la cantidad de experiencia en investigación durante los estudios sub-graduados es el determinante más significativo para el aumento en la tasa de graduación en una institución donde todos sus estudiantes son hispanos. Nuestros hallazgos también indican una relación causal confirmada por el modelo Propensity Score Matching. Los resultados subrayan el alto, pero algunas veces subestimado, impacto de la investigacion de sub-graduada en el éxito académico estudiantil, aún en universidades orientadas a la enseñanza.

Utilization of three-dimensional framework theory in identifying the motivational factors for selecting a postgraduate dental specialty-A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Three-dimensional framework theory classifies factors influencing career selection into intrinsic, extrinsic, and interpersonal dimensions. The objectives of this pilot research were to assess the psychometric properties of a scale encompassing factors affecting post-graduation specialty selection according to three-dimensional framework theory and identify motivational factors that affect dental students' and interns' choice of post-graduation specialty. METHODOLOGY: A closed-ended self-structured research instrument consisting of a list of 19 factors was presented to dental students and dental interns at Margalla Dental College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and Islamic International Dental College, Islamabad, Pakistan (n = 235). Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach-alpha (α) were used to assess the construct validity and reliability (internal consistency) of the scale respectively. Descriptive analysis and non-parametric tests were used for data analysis with a level of significance at ≤0.05. RESULTS: A 3-factor solution with 11 items was stabilized. Cronbach-alpha of the pilot study turned out to be 0.72. With a response rate of 92.15%, the most common motivational factor affecting post-graduation specialty selection was the Intrinsic factor "personnel joy and motivation to work hard." Dental interns and male participants were more likely to select the post-graduation specialty due to intrinsic motivational factors (p < 0.05). Inspiration from the family member and supporting the family also influenced male participants and interns respectively (p < 0.05). Female participants preferred to choose a less saturated field (p < 0.05). A medium positive statistically significant correlation was observed between the interpersonal motivational factor "inspiration by a teacher" and the choice of "basic sciences" as a post-graduation specialty (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This pilot study resulted in the development of a scale with a 3-factor solution stabilized at 11 items. The internal consistency of the scale turned out to be 0.72. Oral and maxillofacial surgery was the first choice of post-graduation chosen by 35.5% of the respondents. Fellowship was chosen as the preferred type of post-graduation by 46% of the respondents. Irrespective of gender and designation, the top most influential factor, chosen by 88.5% of the respondents, was the intrinsic motivational factor "personal joy and motivation to work hard."

Unwinding the tangle of adolescent pregnancy and socio-economic functioning: leveraging administrative data from Manitoba, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationship between adolescent pregnancy and adult education and employment outcomes is complicated due to the endogeneity of fertility behaviors and socio-economic functioning. Studies exploring adolescent pregnancy have often relied on limited data to measure adolescent pregnancy (i.e. birth during adolescence or self-reports) and lack access to objective measures of school performance during childhood. METHODS: We use rich administrative data from Manitoba, Canada, to assess women's functioning during childhood (including pre-pregnancy academic performance), fertility behaviors during adolescence (live birth, abortion, pregnancy loss, or no history of pregnancy), and adult outcomes of high school completion and receipt of income assistance. This rich set of covariates allows calculating propensity score weights to help adjust for characteristics possibly predictive of adolescent pregnancy. We also explore which risk factors are associated with the study outcomes. RESULTS: We assessed a cohort of 65,732 women, of whom 93.5% had no teen pregnancy, 3.8% had a live birth, 2.6% had abortion, and < 1% had a pregnancy loss. Women with a history of adolescent pregnancy were less likely to complete high school regardless of the outcome of that pregnancy. The probability of dropping out of high school was 7.5% for women with no history of adolescent pregnancy; after adjusting for individual, household, and neighborhood characteristics, the probability of dropping out of high school was 14.2 percentage points (pp) higher (95% CI 12.0-16.5) for women with live birth, 7.6 pp. higher (95% CI 1.5-13.7) for women with a pregnancy loss, and 6.9 pp. higher (95% CI 5.2-8.6) for women who had abortion. They key risk factors for never completing high school are poor or average school performance in 9th grade. Women who had a live births during adolescence were much more likely to receive income assistance than any other group in the sample. Aside from poor school performance, growing up in poor households and in poor neighborhoods were also highly predictive of receiving income assistance during adulthood. DISCUSSION: The administrative data used in this study enabled us to assess the relationship between adolescent pregnancy and adult outcomes after controlling for a rich set of individual-, household-, and neighborhood-level characteristics. Adolescent pregnancy was associated with higher risk of never completing high school regardless of the pregnancy outcome. Receipt of income assistance was significantly higher for women having a live birth, but only marginally higher for those who had a pregnancy that ended in loss or termination, underlining the harsh economic consequences of caring for a child as a young mother. Our data suggest that interventions targeting young women with poor or average school marks may be especially effective public policy priorities.

Students' level of satisfaction with graduation research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Purpose] We investigated the effects of the state of emergency declared following the spread of coronavirus disease on the level of satisfaction with graduation research. [Participants and Methods] The study included 320 students who graduated from a university in northern Tochigi Prefecture between March 2019 and 2022. Participants were categorized into the non-coronavirus group (graduation in 2019 and 2020) and the coronavirus group (graduation in 2021 and 2022). Levels of satisfaction with the content and rewards of graduation research were assessed using a visual analog scale. [Results] Levels of satisfaction with the content and rewards of graduation research were >70 mm in both groups and were significantly higher in females in the coronavirus group than in the non-coronavirus group. [Conclusion] The study highlights that despite the pandemic, educational engagement can improve students' satisfaction with graduation research.

Impact of COVID-19 on Spanish mortality rates in 2020 by age and sex.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have used different biometric indicators to measure the effect of Covid-19 on population mortality such as the number of deaths or the decrease of life expectancy showing a dependence of mortality on age and sex. According to them, the impact of the pandemic was greater on women than in men and that the older the population, the greater the number of deaths caused by Covid-19. METHODS: We apply graduation techniques and non-parametric methods to estimate mortality rates allowing us to obtain an age-by-age picture of changes in mortality rates from 2018-2019 to 2020. RESULTS: Graduation techniques have detected a significant U-shaped reduction in infant mortality rates although with an anomalous peak in girls aged 10-12. Likewise, we have observed a notable increase in mortality rates of the female population between 28 and 40 years of age. The increase of mortality rates after the age of 70 years was similar for both men and women with a slight decline after the age of 80. CONCLUSIONS: The use of graduation techniques and the focus on age-by-age changes in mortality rates showed a complex behaviour in some tranches of the mortality curve that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.