Writing effective letters of recommendation in physiology.

A letter of recommendation is a statement of support for a person that has been requested by some individual or organization. In physiology, the purpose of the letter may be to support admission to an academic program, funding of a fellowship grant proposal, consideration for a trainee position in a research laboratory, an award from a professional society, or an application for a job. The goal of the letter should be to provide personalized insight into the suitability of the candidate for the position or award that cannot be easily obtained from other materials in an application or nomination process. Despite the importance of writing effective letters of recommendation, most physiologists receive no formal training in this requisite professional skill. In this Perspective, I first discuss the responsibilities and challenges of writing letters of recommendation, for whom you should consider writing a letter, the pros and cons of asking the candidate to create an initial draft, and the information required for you to write a letter. I then describe a helpful structure to follow when writing a letter of recommendation, including the opening paragraph (introduction), main body, and summary sections. Next, I share 10 insider tips for writing effective letters of recommendation. I complete the commentary by discussing special circumstances, including writing letters for solid but not highly ranking candidates and acting as a "substitute" for a primary mentor. It is hoped that this perspective will provide guidance for early career physiologists in this essential skill of the profession.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This Perspective provides essential background, a step-by-step guide, and key insider tips for writing an effective letter of recommendation aimed at helping early career physiologists with this important professional task.

Professional Skills for Behavior Analysts: A Survey on the Proficiency and Importance of Hard and Soft Skills.

Individuals seeking certification as board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) require training in both hard and professional (soft) skills. Trainees seeking certification complete coursework, supervised fieldwork experience, and a BCBA exam that assesses mastery of hard skills. However, training and mastery of soft skills is not as defined. BCBAs are also expected to maintain these skills throughout their career. Previous research has shown that soft skills are viewed as important by clients and their caregivers but are not consistently demonstrated from those providing services. Research also suggests that BCBA trainees may not consistently receive training on soft skills. The current study presents the results of a survey distributed to individuals who supervise BCBAs on the proficiency of hard and soft skills demonstrated by their supervisees. The results suggest future directions for the research and training of soft skills for current and future BCBAs.

Using the Delphi method to develop a clinical skills assessment tool for advanced practice nurses in psychiatry and mental health / Élaboration d'un outil d'évaluation des compétences en stage des étudiants infirmiers en pratique avancée, mention psychiatrie et santé mentale à partir d'une méthode Delphi

Introduction: In France, advanced practice for psychiatric and mental health nurses has been developing since 2019. The acquisition of clinical skills by advanced practice nursing students requires monitoring and evaluation. This article outlines the process for creating an internship logbook. Objective: To develop and verify a tool for assessing the skills of advanced practice nursing students specializing in psychiatry and mental health during the internship stage. Method: The Delphi method described by Hasson was used, with the aim of obtaining a consensus of over 80% of the experts consulted. Results: A panel of ten experts, all internship tutors at partner healthcare establishments of Aix Marseille University, was consulted twice. The internship logbook was composed of 68 items. Discussion: This tool is the product of a multidisciplinary process including nurses and psychiatric nurses. It can be adapted to a variety of learning environments and helps tutors track the acquisition of clinical skills during the internships, both through external and self-assessment. Conclusion: A new Delphi consultation will foster uptake of this tool. Advanced practice nurses in psychiatry and mental health will be included in the group of experts.

Autonomía en actividades profesionales confiables luego de la pandemia por COVID-19: perspectivas de residentes y docentes / Autonomy in entrustable professional activities after the COVID-19 pandemic: the perspectives of residents and teachers

Introducción. Las actividades profesionales confiables (APROC) son 13 actividades que los médicos recién graduados deberían poder realizar sin supervisión directa. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la percepción de residentes y docentes acerca de la autonomía para realizar las APROC, luego de 2 años del inicio de la pandemia. Materiales y métodos. Estudio de corte transversal, que incluyó residentes de primer año de especialidades clínicas y quirúrgicas, y sus docentes. Se enviaron cuestionarios electrónicos y anónimos. Resultados. Se incluyeron 31 residentes y 20 docentes. La mayoría de los residentes creía que podía realizar en forma autónoma 8 de las 13 APROC. Para la mayoría de los docentes, los residentes requerían supervisión directa para 11 de las 13 actividades. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre la percepción de residentes y docentes en 8 de las 13 APROC. Conclusión. La percepción de autonomía para realizar las APROC al inicio de la residencia fue considerablemente mayor en residentes que en sus docentes.

Introduction. The entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are 13 activities that new medical graduates should be able to perform without direct supervision. Our objective was to assess the perceptions of residents and teachers regarding their autonomy to perform the EPAs 2 years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional study of first-year residents of clinical and surgical specialties and their teachers. Electronic, anonymous questionnaires were used. Results. Subjects were 31 residents and 20 teachers. Most residents believed that they were able to perform 8 of the 13 EPAs independently. According to most teachers, residents required direct supervision to perform 11 of the 13 EPAs. Significant differences were observed between residents' and teachers' perceptions in 8 of the 13 EPAs. Conclusion. The perception of autonomy to perform the EPAs in the beginning of the residency program was considerably better among residents than their teachers.

Ponderings on peer review: Part 3. Grant critiques.

In Part 1 of this Perspective, I discussed basic principles of scientific peer review. In Part 2, I focused specifically on the peer review of manuscripts. Here in Part 3, I complete the Perspective by sharing my thoughts on peer review of grant applications. I begin by emphasizing the goals of grant peer review and then describe the two-stage organizational structure involved. The objective of stage 1 of the process is to establish the scientific merit of the grant proposal. For that phase, I discuss grant review panels, reviewer qualifications and responsibilities, how reviewers are identified and selected, prereview meeting activities, activities during the review panel meeting, grant review criteria and scoring scales, and postmeeting activities. I also note two mechanisms that provide "prepeer review" advice and recommendations for grant applications under development. I then describe the events associated with stage 2 of the peer review process in which grant funding agencies consider application merit scores (from stage 1) along with other factors including their (the funding agency's) research mission, priority areas of investigation, and available funds. Tips for early career reviewers are discussed next and include questions to ask before accepting a review assignment, the importance of following reviewer guidelines, considerations when working through applications, issues involved in writing the critique, scoring the application, and how to approach evaluating resubmitted grant applications. Finally, I identify options for gaining skills and experience in peer review of grant proposals.

Defining the good surgical resident: a resident and registrar perspective.

BACKGROUND: Surgical residency provides insight into the essential skills required to become a successful surgical registrar. However, the role of the surgical resident remains largely undefined. While the Royal Australasian College of Surgeon (RACS) JDocs framework provides a useful guide, no published research explores what defines a highly performing surgical resident. We investigate what constitutes a 'good' surgical resident from the surgical resident and accredited surgical registrar perspectives. We hope this knowledge will improve patient care and assist surgical residents towards becoming valuable team members and successful accredited surgical training candidates. METHODS: A qualitative research approach was utilized employing reflexive thematic analysis. Using semi-structured interviews, 10 surgical residents and 10 accredited surgical registrars across eight surgical specialties were interviewed. RESULTS: Amongst surgical residents five themes were identified: efficiency: mastering the mundane, 'stepping up' to more responsibility, enthusiasm to learn, first do no harm: a safe practitioner, and lastly no resident is an island: a team player. Four themes described by accredited registrars included: somebody you can trust, finding a safe 'balance', a perfect fit: teamwork and communication and finally eagerness to improve. CONCLUSION: Themes correlated well with eight of 10 RACS competencies and the JDocs Framework. Our results reaffirmed the importance of developing early career non-technical skills. Explicit knowledge and understanding of these attributes used in conjunction with the core competency and JDocs frameworks may help those contemplating a career in surgery throughout their early surgical years.

Autonomy in entrustable professional activities after the COVID-19 pandemic: the perspectives of residents and teachers. / Autonomía en actividades profesionales confiables luego de la pandemia por COVID-19: perspectivas de residentes y docentes.

Introduction. The entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are 13 activities that new medical graduates should be able to perform without direct supervision. Our objective was to assess the perceptions of residents and teachers regarding their autonomy to perform the EPAs 2 years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods. Cross-sectional study of first-year residents of clinical and surgical specialties and their teachers. Electronic, anonymous questionnaires were used. Results. Subjects were 31 residents and 20 teachers. Most residents believed that they were able to perform 8 of the 13 EPAs independently. According to most teachers, residents required direct supervision to perform 11 of the 13 EPAs. Significant differences were observed between residents' and teachers' perceptions in 8 of the 13 EPAs. Conclusion. The perception of autonomy to perform the EPAs in the beginning of the residency program was considerably better among residents than their teachers.

Introducción. Las actividades profesionales confiables (APROC) son 13 actividades que los médicos recién graduados deberían poder realizar sin supervisión directa. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la percepción de residentes y docentes acerca de la autonomía para realizar las APROC, luego de 2 años del inicio de la pandemia. Materiales y métodos. Estudio de corte transversal, que incluyó residentes de primer año de especialidades clínicas y quirúrgicas, y sus docentes. Se enviaron cuestionarios electrónicos y anónimos. Resultados. Se incluyeron 31 residentes y 20 docentes. La mayoría de los residentes creía que podía realizar en forma autónoma 8 de las 13 APROC. Para la mayoría de los docentes, los residentes requerían supervisión directa para 11 de las 13 actividades. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre la percepción de residentes y docentes en 8 de las 13 APROC. Conclusión. La percepción de autonomía para realizar las APROC al inicio de la residencia fue considerablemente mayor en residentes que en sus docentes.

Virtual Reality Technology in Nursing Professional Skills Training: Bibliometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nursing professional skills training has undergone significant transformation due to the exponential growth of computer and medical technology. The innovative use of virtual reality (VR) in nursing education has emerged as a cutting-edge technical support technique that has gained attention as a highly effective method for improving nurse training quality. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to review the current status of VR technology in nursing professional skills training, research hotspots, and emerging trends in the last 15 years. METHODS: The Web of Science Core Collection database was used to search for literature on VR technology in nursing professional skills training covering the period from 2006 to 2022. Biblioshiny (K-Synth Srl) was used to import and convert the records to Bibliometrix (K-Synth Srl) for analysis, and R (R Core Team) was used for descriptive bibliometric analysis. VOSviewer (Leiden University) was used to cluster co-occurring keywords, and Scimago Graphica (version 1.0.16; Scimago Lab) was used to generate a geographical visualization of published countries and regions. RESULTS: A total of 1073 papers were analyzed, indicating a surge in research on the application of VR in nursing professional skills training in recent years, as evidenced by a positive trend in annual publication of relevant literature. The majority of studies were from the United States (n=340) and Canada (n=107), and Margaret Verkuyl was the most prolific author, leading the way with 9 publications. Furthermore, "Computerized Virtual Patients in Health Professions Education: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" was the most frequently cited reference. Keywords such as education, simulation, skills, students, and care were most commonly used by researchers. CONCLUSIONS: The bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the use of VR in nursing professional skills training, indicating that VR-based training is an effective means of improving the skills and competencies of nursing students and professionals alike. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of developing VR-based distance education, despite challenges such as integrating virtual and real-world training and mitigating safety risks.

Norwegian speech-language pathologists treatment practices for preschool children who stutter: An explorative study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the treatment practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with preschool children who stutter to explore variations in service delivery and, consequently to better inform and support evidence-based practice. METHOD: 121 Norwegian SLPs completed an online survey about stuttering treatment for preschool children aged up to six years. They reported on treatment training, choices, setting, dosage, and outcomes. Data was analysed descriptively. Correlation analyses between years of clinical experience and clinician perceived outcomes were conducted. RESULT: Sixty-eight percent of SLPs were trained in one or more stuttering treatment programs. The majority of SLPs (83 %) provided treatment in person in preschool centers; 59 % reported providing treatment once a week. Thirty-four percent of SLPs reported that they often or always delivered the whole treatment program. Treatment practice addressed various elements, including advising parents about language and communication strategies, supporting the child's self-image, and perceived outcomes. The SLPs reported their clinician perceived outcomes as 'always' or 'often' reduction of audible stuttering (70 %), reduced cognitive and emotional reactions (55 %), and improved communication skills (58 %). Factors influencing treatment choices were identified at the systemic level (e.g., work place regulations) and individual level (e.g., SLPs competency, child's best). CONCLUSION: Stuttering treatment services in Norway differ from those reported in existing literature as treatment is given in preschool settings, only 34 % of SLPs deliver programs as intended whilst the majority use treatment elements only, and still experience positive changes. Provision is variable, and seems influenced by SLP training and competence.

Aprendizaje basado en retos: una mirada desde la educación superior

El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar cómo el aprendizaje basado en retos proporciona, a los docentes de la Carrera de Pedagogía de la Actividad Física y Deporte, mayores posibilidades de desarrollo de competencias profesionales en sus estudiantes. Se utilizó el método cualitativo bajo diseño de la teoría fundamentada, una muestra no probabilística donde se seleccionaron 25 docentes universitarios, se aplicó la técnica de la entrevista en profundidad y como instrumento una guía de preguntas, validado a través del juicio de cinco expertos. Los resultados encontrados se determinaron en cuatro etapas: codificaciones abiertas, axiales, selectivas y la matriz condicional; esta última permitió tener una aproximación teórica al relatar que el aprendizaje basado en retos posibilita la adquisición de competencias profesionales. Como conclusiones, se planteó que el aprendizaje basado en retos le permite al docente generar en sus estudiantes efectos positivos sobre el rendimiento escolar y desarrolla, mejor que otras metodologías, las competencias profesionales durante la formación universitaria para dar solución a los nuevos desafíos globales.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar como a aprendizagem baseada em desafios proporciona, aos professores da Pedagogia da Atividade Física e do Esporte, maiores possibilidades de desenvolver habilidades profissionais em seus alunos. Foi utilizado o método qualitativo sob o delineamento da teoria fundamentada, uma amostra não probabilística onde foram selecionados 25 professores universitários, foi aplicada a técnica de entrevista em profundidade e um guia de perguntas como instrumento, validado por meio do julgamento de cinco especialistas. Os resultados encontrados foram determinados em quatro etapas: codificação aberta, axial, seletiva e matriz condicional; este último nos permitiu uma abordagem teórica ao relatar que a aprendizagem baseada em desafios possibilita a aquisição de competências profissionais. Como conclusões, afirmou-se que a aprendizagem baseada em desafios permite que os professores gerem efeitos positivos em seus alunos no desempenho escolar e desenvolvam, melhor do que outras metodologias, habilidades profissionais durante a educação universitária para resolver novos desafios globais.

The objective of this research was to analyze how learning based on challenges provides, to the teachers of the Pedagogy of Physical Activity and Sport, greater possibilities of developing professional skills in their students. The qualitative method under the design of the grounded theory was used, a non-probabilistic sample where 25 university professors were selected, the in-depth interview technique was applied and a question guide as an instrument, validated through the judgment of five experts. The results found were determined in four stages: open, axial, selective coding and the conditional matrix; the latter allowed to have a theoretical approach by reporting that learning based on challenges enables the acquisition of professional skills. As conclusions, it was stated that challenge-based learning allows teachers to generate positive effects on their students on school performance and develops, better than other methodologies, professional skills during university education to solve new global challenges.

Ponderings on peer review. Part 2. Manuscript critiques.

In part 1 of this Perspective, I discussed general principles of scientific peer review in the biomedical sciences aimed at early-stage investigators (i.e., graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty). Here in part 2, I share my thoughts specifically on the topic of peer review of manuscripts. I begin by defining manuscript peer review and discussing the goals and importance of the concept. I then describe the organizational structure of the process, including the two distinct stages involved. Next, I emphasize several important considerations for manuscript reviewers, both general points and key considerations when evaluating specific types of papers, including original research manuscripts, reviews, methods articles, and opinion pieces. I then advance some practical suggestions for developing the written critique document, offer advice for making an overall recommendation to the editor (i.e., accept, revise, reject), and describe the unique issues involved when assessing a revised manuscript. Finally, I comment on how best to gain experience in the essential academic research skill of manuscript peer review. In part 3 of the series, I will discuss the topic of reviewing grant applications submitted to research funding agencies.

Qualitative Analysis of Severe Incidents in Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals: Toward a Model of Forensic Vigilance.

Forensic vigilance is a hypothesized specialty of forensic mental health professionals which seems to play a role in maintaining safety in forensic hospitals. It is unclear exactly how forensic vigilance relates to preventing incidents. We used standardized reports of severe incidents that occurred in forensic hospitals to investigate how forensic vigilance plays a role in the occurrence of incidents. Eight forensic psychiatric hospitals in the Netherlands contributed 69 anonymized incident reports, which were investigated by means of thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Analysis revealed five important themes. Four core skills needed by professionals, namely observation, integration, communication and action, which each need a number of prerequisites (e.g., knowledge). The fifth theme specifies that the professional needs to "connect the dots" meaningfully. This is a highly cyclical process in which the core four skills are steps. The process is unique to the forensic context in terms of how the "dots" are connected and weighed, and which risks need to be considered. We present a model of this process and prerequisites needed in professionals. This model can inform policy makers, aid assessment of and communication between forensic professionals and can form the basis of a training for forensic mental health professionals.

Ponderings on peer review: Part I. Basic principles.

In Part 1 of this Perspective, I share my thoughts on several basic principles of scientific peer review for early career-stage investigators. I begin by defining scientific peer review and its primary goals and briefly discuss the historical development of peer review. I then describe the reputed benefits of the process for science and society. Next, I characterize the "2-stage" structure of peer review, as well as the most prevalent evaluation formats used for determining scientific merit of peer-reviewed documents, including grant applications and manuscripts. I then discuss the primary responsibilities and core values of scientific peer review and offer several general tips for how to be an effective scientific peer reviewer. I next share commonly voiced concerns about the peer review process and oft-cited suggestions for improving the system. I finish the commentary by emphasizing numerous benefits of having a sound working knowledge of peer review for enhancing research career development and describe various opportunities for obtaining experience in peer review. This discussion of general issues is intended to lay a proper foundation upon which to address specific aspects of peer review of manuscripts in part 2 and grant applications in part 3 of the Perspective.

CSEC+ framework assessment dataset: Expert evaluations of cybersecurity skills for job profiles in Europe.

This dataset contains expert assessments of the cybersecurity skills required for six job profiles in Europe, as determined via surveys responded by cybersecurity experts from academia and industry. The data can be used to identify educational needs in the cybersecurity sector and compare against other frameworks. The six cybersecurity-oriented job profiles used in the surveys are: General cybersec auditor; Technical cybersec auditor; Threat modelling engineer; Security engineer; Enterprise cybersecurity practitioner; Cybersecurity analyst. Data-i.e. expert assessments-was collected via surveys, targeted at European experts in cybersecurity from academia and industry. Respondents characterised the skills needed to perform in six job profiles using the CSEC+ framework: a cybersecurity skills framework prepared as a spreadsheet where cybersecurity skills must be ranked in a Likert scale from 0 (irrelevant) to 4 (advance knowledge needed). Metadata requested included the type of organisation of the respondent (Large company, SME, Academic/Research, Public administration, Other) and the country of origin. There were three data-collection phases: (1) an initial phase, used also to refine later larger-scale processes, carried out in Oct 2021-Jan 2022 and resulting in 13 expert assessments from four EU countries; (2) a second phase implemented as an online service broadcast to a larger audience, carried out in Mar-Apr 2022 and resulting in 15 assessments from eight European countries; (3) and a third phase, allowing direct online input and distributed in PC and mobile form, carried out in Sep-Oct 2022 and resulting in 32 assessments from ten European countries. The raw data gathered was stored and processed via spreadsheets, computing statistical information (mean, stdev) on how much each cybersecurity skill and area was deemed necessary to perform in each job profile. This is visualised as a heatmap where colour intensity symbolises value, and circle diffusion symbolises spread. Processed data further includes visualisations on how the area of origin of the respondent (academia, as in "producer of education", vs. industry, as in "consumer of education") influences the responses. This is shown as bar plots, where whiskers represent confidence intervals used for statistical-significance tests. This data can serve as basis to understand the educational needs for the cybersecurity sector in Europe. It can be reused for comparison against frameworks, other than CSEC+, to assess the need of education in specific cybersecurity sectors such as human security. Furthermore, the Qualtrics survey template (included) is a ready-made solution for replication studies.

Examining the Motivational Climate and Student Effort in Professional Competency Courses: Suggestions for Improvement.

The attainment of professional competencies leads to essential skills for successful and employable veterinarians. However, the inclusion of professional competencies in veterinary curricula is often underdeveloped, and it is sometimes less appreciated by students than the science/technical skill curricula. The aim of this study was to better understand students' motivation within professional competency courses (PC courses) by (a) comparing students' motivational perceptions in PC courses to those in science/technical skill courses (ST courses), (b) determining the extent to which students' motivational perceptions predict their course effort, and (c) identifying teaching strategies that could be used to improve PC courses. Participants included students from eight courses enrolled in their first or second year of a veterinary college at a large land-grant university in the United States. A partially mixed concurrent dominant status research design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Students completed closed- and open-ended survey items regarding their effort and the motivational climate in their courses. Compared to ST courses, students put forth less effort in PC courses; rated PC courses lower on empowerment, usefulness, and interest; and had higher success expectancies in PC courses. Although students' perceptions of empowerment, usefulness, interest, and caring were significantly correlated with their effort, interest was the most significant predictor of effort in both PC and ST courses. Based on students' responses to the open-ended questions, specific motivational strategies are recommended to increase students' effort in PC courses, such as intentionally implementing strategies to increase students' interest and perceptions of usefulness and empowerment.

Intervención didáctica para la enseñanza-aprendizaje de los fundamentos teóricos del método clínico 20 años de experiencia

Introducción: Dada la incuestionable importancia del método clínico en la labor asistencial, continua como tema medular en la docencia médica. Objetivo: Perfeccionar la enseñanza y el aprendizaje del método clínico en la educación médica superior. Métodos: Se transitó por un momento inicial de diagnóstico del estado de aprendizaje del método clínico en el contexto local, seguido de los momentos de concepción, diseño y aplicación de una intervención didáctica. Resultados: La intervención didáctica implementada está constituida por un sistema de conferencias orientadoras dirigidas a estudiantes de tercer año de la carrera de medicina, impartidas en las asignaturas propedéutica clínica y medicina interna, las cuales abordan áreas complejas de la enseñanza-aprendizaje del método clínico: el interrogatorio, el razonamiento diagnóstico y la toma de decisiones terapéuticas; todas las conferencias se acompañan de sus correspondientes materiales de apoyo a la docencia. Forman parte de la intervención, como diseñadas acciones complementarias dirigidas a estimular la participación de los profesores en la ejecución de la intervención, como cursos de capacitación, la elaboración de un modelo del pase de visita docente asistencial. Conclusiones: La intervención didáctica expuesta contribuyó a perfeccionar la "base orientadora de la acción" para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje del método clínico en sí, y de la mayoría de sus habilidades esenciales constituyentes, por lo que tributa al perfeccionamiento curricular en la carrera de medicina. La intervención didáctica diseñada puede ser aplicada, o servir de referente, en cualquiera de los centros de enseñanza médica superior del país.

Introduction: Given the unquestionable importance of the clinical method in health care work, it continues as a core theme in medical teaching. Objective: To improve the teaching and learning of the clinical method in higher medical education. Methods: There was an initial moment to diagnose the learning state of the clinical method in the local context, followed by the stages for conception, design and implementation of a didactic intervention. Results: The implemented didactic intervention is made up of a system of guiding lectures aimed at third-year students of the medical studies, taught in the clinical propaedeutic and internal medicine subjects, which address complex areas of the clinical method teaching-learning: questioning, diagnostic reasoning, and therapeutic decision-making. All the lectures are accompanied by their corresponding teaching support materials. They are part of the intervention, as designed complementary actions aimed at stimulating the participation of professors in the intervention operation, such as training courses, development of a model of medical rounds supporting teaching. Conclusions: The described didactic intervention contributed to perfecting the guiding basis of action for teaching and learning the clinical method itself, and most of its constituent essential skills, which is why it contributes to curricular improvement in the studies of medicine. The designed didactic intervention can be applied, or serve as a reference, in any of the higher medical education schools in the country.

Publishing particulars: Part 3. General writing tips, editing, and responding to peer review.

In Part 3 of this Perspective on Publishing Particulars, I begin by providing several general writing tips to consider when developing a manuscript for publication. I then discuss the process involved in rigorously editing research papers and advance some important considerations for manuscript submission. I next share my thoughts and recommendations when attempting to interpret and respond to comments from the manuscript peer review process. Finally, I discuss author responsibilities after a manuscript is accepted for publication. Overall, this portion of the 3-part commentary seeks to complete a broader discussion on publishing in the biomedical sciences aimed at better informing early-stage investigators about many of the nuances of this critical area of professional development.

Publishing particulars: Part 2. Tips for effective manuscript development.

In Part 2 of this Perspective on Publishing Particulars, I share several recommendations with early-career stage investigators for how to successfully develop a competitive manuscript for publication. In the initial section, I first discuss how to organize content most effectively for an original research article by creating a "storyboard" of the key results, including the sequence in which they will be presented. I then emphasize the importance of rigorously outlining all the information to be presented in the manuscript before attempting to write the text. In the second section, I comprehensively discuss tactical approaches for developing the specific component parts of an original research paper, including the Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results and illustrations, and Discussion, as well as strategies for referencing the text. In the final section, I provide suggestions for how to best develop a compelling review article. The topics discussed include how to view the opportunity; selecting authors and defining their respective roles; identifying the foundational components of the text; conducting a comprehensive review of the target published literature; and organizing, writing, and illustrating the article.

Publishing particulars: Part 1. The big picture.

In Part 1 of this Perspective on Publishing Particulars, I share my thoughts on several key issues related to publishing in academic biomedical research for early-career stage investigators. Among the topics discussed are the importance of publishing peer-reviewed manuscripts, considerations associated with different types of publications, how frequently you should publish, how to select a scientific journal for your manuscript, and navigating authorship questions, including who should be an author, authorship order, and who should write a manuscript. The goal of this first part of the Perspective is to lay a "foundation" of basic knowledge on the publication process from which to discuss more specific aspects of manuscript development in Parts 2 and 3.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Veterinary Clinical and Professional Skills Teaching Delivery and Assessment Format.

The limitations posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have been particularly challenging for courses teaching clinical and professional skills. We sought to identify how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the delivery of veterinary clinical and professional skills courses, including modifications to teaching and assessment, and to establish educators' perceptions of the efficacy of selected delivery methods. A branching survey was deployed to 35 veterinary schools in North America in March and April 2021. The survey collected data about curriculum and assessment in spring 2020, fall 2020, and spring 2021. Educators at 16 veterinary schools completed the survey (response rate: 46%). Educators quickly adapted curriculum to meet the requirements of their institutions and governments. Early in the pandemic (spring 2020), curriculum was delayed, delivered remotely, or canceled. Assessment methods frequently included virtual objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and video-recorded skills assessments. Later in the pandemic (fall 2020, spring 2021), in-person clinical skills sessions resumed at many schools, often in smaller groups. Professional skills instruction typically remained virtual, as benefits were noted. Assessment methods began to normalize with in-person OSCEs resuming with precautions, though some schools maintained virtual assessments. Educators noted some advantages to instructional methods used during COVID, including smaller group sizes, better prepared students, better use of in-person lab time, more focus on essential course components, provision of models for at-home practice, and additional educators' remote involvement. Following the pandemic, educators should consider retaining some of these changes while pursuing further advancements, including improving virtual platforms and relevant technologies.