Facebook Groups as a Powerful and Dynamic Tool in Medical Education: Mixed-Method Study.

BACKGROUND: Social networking sites, in particular Facebook, are not only predominant in students' social life but are to varying degrees interwoven with the medical curriculum. Particularly, Facebook groups have been identified for their potential in higher education. However, there is a paucity of data on user types, content, and dynamics of study-related Facebook groups. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the role of study-related Facebook group use, characterize medical students that use or avoid using Facebook groups (demographics, participation pattern, and motivation), and analyze student posting behavior, covered topics, dynamics, and limitations in Facebook groups with regards to educational usage. METHODS: Using a multi-method approach (interviews, focus groups, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of Facebook posts), we analyzed two representative Facebook groups of medical preclinical semesters at Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich. Facebook primary posts and replies over one semester were extracted and evaluated by using thematic content analysis. We developed and applied a coding scheme for studying the frequency and distribution of these posts. Additionally, we interviewed students with various degrees of involvement in the groups, as well as "new minorities," students not registered on Facebook. RESULTS: Facebook groups seem to have evolved as the main tool for medical students at LMU to complement the curriculum and to discuss study-related content. These Facebook groups are self-organizing and quickly adapt to organizational or subject-related challenges posed by the curriculum. A wide range of topics is covered, with a dominance of organization-related posts (58.35% [6916/11,853] of overall posts). By measuring reply rates and comments per category, we were able to identify learning tips and strategies, material sharing, and course content discussions as the most relevant categories. Rates of adequate replies in these categories ranged between 78% (11/14) and 100% (13/13), and the number of comments per post ranged from 8.4 to 13.7 compared with the average overall reply rate of 68.69% (1167/1699) and 3.9 comments per post. User typology revealed social media drivers (>30 posts per semester) as engines of group function, frequent users (11-30 posts), and a majority of average users acting rather as consumers or lurkers (1-10 posts). CONCLUSIONS: For the moment, the medical faculty has no active involvement in these groups and therefore no influence on accuracy of information, professionalism, and ethical issues. Nevertheless, faculty could in the future benefit by extracting relevant information, identifying common problems, and understanding semester-related dynamics.

A Mixed Methods Assessment of the Management Role of Physicians.

Introduction: Physicians are increasingly confronted with new requirements in their daily job, which go beyond the mere treatment of patients. The aim of this Mixed-Method-Study is to better understand management as it relates to physicians' daily work, to clarify the physicians' perception of their management role and to examine physician's self-assessed competence in these functions. Methods: We used three different instruments: Semi-structured interviews, a self-assessment survey and direct observations to evaluate managerial activities performed by residents. Both latter were based on instruments established for management research. Results: Interviewed residents were familiar with the term "Management" but had difficulties in defining it. Concerning managerial functions in context of their daily work, we identified three main categories: Self-management, Patient-management and Management of the ward. In this context, physicians named numerous examples of management tasks and for which they felt ill prepared. Eighty-eight residents participated in the self-assessment survey and rated the majority of the management tasks as necessary for the residents' work. Although physicians estimated the proportion of managerial work to comprise only 40.6%, a much higher number of mere management tasks could be identified through direct observations (n = 12). Activities related to management were more often observed than genuine physician tasks. Discussion: This study illustrates the prominent role of management activities in context of the residents' work, while at the same time showing that residents do not feel sufficiently educated, prepared nor competent in management tasks.

The Doktabörse - an innovative online platform for research projects at the medical faculty of the LMU Munich.

Introduction: One of the most important extracurricular aspects of medical studies in Germany is a research thesis completed by most students. This research project often times conveys relevant competencies for the physician's role as scientist. Nevertheless, the choice of the right project remains a challenge. Reasons for this are among others, missing structures for a comprehensive overview of research groups and their respective projects. Description of the project: We developed the online platform Doktabörse as an online marketplace for doctoral research projects. The platform enables authorized researchers to create working groups and upload, deactivate and change research projects within their institute. For interested students, a front end with integrated search function displays these projects in a structured and well-arranged way. In parallel, the Doktabörse provides for a comprehensive overview of research at the medical faculty. We evaluated Researchers' and students' use of the platform. Results: 96,6% of students participating in the evaluation (n=400) were in favor of a centralized research platform at the medical faculty. The platform grew at a steady pace and included 120 research groups in June 2016. The students appreciated the structure and design of the Doktabörse. Two thirds of all uploaded projects matched successfully with doctoral students via the platform and over 94% of researchers stated that they did not need technical assistance with uploading projects and handling the platform. Discussion: The Doktabörse represents an innovative and well accepted platform for doctoral research projects. The platform is perceived positively by researchers and students alike. However, students criticized limited extent and timeliness of offered projects. In addition, the platform serves as databank of research at the medical faculty of the LMU Munich. The future potential of this platform is to provide for an integrated management solution of doctoral thesis projects, possibly beyond the medical field and faculty.

Simulating the physician as healthcare manager: An innovative course to train for the manager role.

INTRODUCTION: During their formal studies medical students acquire extensive medical expertise. However, the medical profession demands additional competencies, such as those involved in efficient resource allocation, business administration, development, organization, and process management in the healthcare system. At present students are not sufficiently prepared for the physician's role as manager. In response, we designed the seminar course, MeCuM-SiGma, to impart basic knowledge about healthcare policy and management to students of medicine. This project report describes our teaching strategies and the initial evaluation of this educational project. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: In this semester-long, seminar course introduced in 2010, medical students gather experience with the competencies mentioned above as well as learn basic management skills. The course is offered each winter semester, and students sign up to attend voluntarily; course coordination and organization is done on a voluntary basis by physicians and employees of the Mentoring Office (MeCuM-Mentor) at the Medical School of the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich, Germany. The course is open to all students enrolled at the two medical schools in Munich. During the first part of this elective, students learn about the basic principles of the German political and healthcare systems in case-based, problem-based tutorials led by trained tutors and in lectures held by experts. In the second part of the course students take on the roles of the University Hospital's executive board of directors and supervisory board to work on an existing hospital project as a group within the scope of a simulation. This phase of the course is accompanied by workshops conducted in cooperation with university-based and off-campus partners that address the procedural learning objectives (teamwork, project management, negotiation strategies, etc.). A suitable, authentic issue currently facing the hospital is selected in advance by the course organizers in coordination with the hospital's executive board. Students then work on this issue in the third and final phase of the course under the supervision of tutors and with assistance from hospital employees. At the end of the course the students formally present the results of their work to the hospital's executive and supervisory boards. RESULTS: The course undergoes written student evaluation, a round of oral feedback, evaluation of the final projects, and feedback from the hospital's executive and supervisory boards. All attendees to date have reported a substantial gain in general knowledge and increased knowledge about the healthcare system, and rate the relevance of the course as being high. The majority felt the content was important for their future practice of medicine. Overall, students evaluated the course very positively [overall rating on a six-point grading scale (1=excellent; 6=unsatisfactory): 1.28 (mean)±0.45 (standard deviation)]. DISCUSSION: The importance of the physician's role as manager in medical organizations and as a guiding force in the healthcare system is neglected in medical degree programs. Our seminar course attempts to address this shortcoming, is the object of great interest and receives positive evaluations from seminar participants, our cooperative partners and the executive and supervisory boards of the University Hospital in Munich.

Undergraduate Medical Students Using Facebook as a Peer-Mentoring Platform: A Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Peer mentoring is a powerful pedagogical approach for supporting undergraduate medical students in their learning environment. However, it remains unclear what exactly peer mentoring is and whether and how undergraduate medical students use social media for peer-mentoring activities. OBJECTIVE: We aimed at describing and exploring the Facebook use of undergraduate medical students during their first 2 years at a German medical school. The data should help medical educators to effectively integrate social media in formal mentoring programs for medical students. METHODS: We developed a coding scheme for peer mentoring and conducted a mixed-methods study in order to explore Facebook groups of undergraduate medical students from a peer-mentoring perspective. RESULTS: All major peer-mentoring categories were identified in Facebook groups of medical students. The relevance of these Facebook groups was confirmed through triangulation with focus groups and descriptive statistics. Medical students made extensive use of Facebook and wrote a total of 11,853 posts and comments in the respective Facebook groups (n=2362 total group members). Posting peaks were identified at the beginning of semesters and before exam periods, reflecting the formal curriculum milestones. CONCLUSIONS: Peer mentoring is present in Facebook groups formed by undergraduate medical students who extensively use these groups to seek advice from peers on study-related issues and, in particular, exam preparation. These groups also seem to be effective in supporting responsive and large-scale peer-mentoring structures; formal mentoring programs might benefit from integrating social media into their activity portfolio.

Finding the right doctoral thesis - an innovative research fair for medical students.

INTRODUCTION: The importance of research, as promoted by the CanMEDS framework, is widely acknowledged. Many medical students in Germany work on a research project as part of their doctoral thesis whilst still going to medical school. However, a significant amount of projects are abandoned unfinished, which leads to substantial wastage of resources. One reason for this is an information deficit concerning undergraduate research projects. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: To counteract this, we introduced an annual event at LMU Munich called DoktaMed with more than 600 visitors each year. It combines medical convention and research fair including keynote lectures, workshops and poster sessions as well as an exhibition of research groups and institutes. DoktaMed is a peer-to-peer event organized by a team of 40 students. RESULTS: A needs analysis before its implementation underlined the information deficit as a possible cause for the high rate of abandoned projects. In the annual evaluation, visitors of DoktaMed rate the event with an average grade of 2.1 on a six-level Likert scale (n=558, SD=1.06, with "1=very good", "6=poor"). They stated to now feel better informed about the topic and regarded visiting DoktaMed as a worthwhile investment of time. DISCUSSION: Students are generally satisfied with the event and feel better informed after visiting DoktaMed. However, many students never visit DoktaMed for various reasons. A possible improvement would be to present a greater number of clinical studies in addition to the laboratory work that DoktaMed focuses on now. CONCLUSION: Evaluation after six years of DoktaMed is very promising. Visitors seem to be better informed. Nevertheless there is space for improvement in order to get more students and more faculty members involved. More studies are needed to assess long-term effects.

The FacharztDuell: innovative career counselling in medicine.

OBJECTIVE: The selection of a future medical specialty is a challenge all medical students face during the course of their studies. Students can choose from more than sixty specialties after graduation. There is usually no structured career counselling program available at German medical faculties. So far only little data on acceptance, formats and effects of different career counselling programs are available. The aim of this study is to describe an innovative format of career counselling for medical students including its evaluation of acceptance and its possible influence on medical specialty preferences. METHODS: The need for career counselling became evident after the analysis of mentor-mentee conversations held within the mentoring program of our medical faculty, an online-based survey, an ad-hoc focus group and a pilot event. Panel discussions as an interactive format of presenting related medical specialties were developed and hence held four times under the name "FacharztDuell". Students evaluated all events separately with a questionnaire and changes in medical specialty choice preferences were documented using an Audience-Response-System (ARS). The FacharztDuell is organized regularly and supported by faculty teaching funds. RESULTS: Among the student body FacharztDuell was well accepted (an average of 300 participants/event) and rated (average grade of 1.8 (SD= 0.7, 1=very good, 6=unsatisfactory, n=424). On average, 77.8% of the participating students considered the FacharztDuell to be a decision support for their future selection of a specialty. Up to 12% of the students changed their medical specialty choice preference throughout the event. CONCLUSION: FacharztDuell was well accepted by medical students of all semesters and seems to be supportive for their selection of a future medical specialty. However, longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the decision making process of medical students along their career path. The FacharztDuell is easily transferrable to other faculties with respect to organization, staff and technical resources.