Medical students' preferences for asynchronous online or face-to-face learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gross anatomy and neuroanatomy are fundamental subjects in medical education. However, learning different anatomical terms and understanding the complexity of the subjects are often challenging for medical students. At National Taiwan University, the 2020-2021 cohort adopted a face-to-face (F2F) learning strategy for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy lecture and laboratory courses until May 17, 2021. After the aforementioned date, the same cohort learned the rest of the gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses via asynchronous online learning. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of and students' preferences for F2F and asynchronous online learning strategies in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. A survey with closed-ended and open-ended questions was used to quantitatively and qualitatively explore medical students' learning preferences for two teaching strategies in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. The results identified different learning preferences among students in learning gross anatomy and neuroanatomy-satisfied with both learning strategies, satisfied with only F2F learning strategy, satisfied with only asynchronous online learning strategy, and satisfied with neither learning strategy. The survey results with closed-ended and open-ended questions showed that medical students preferred F2F learning for anatomical laboratory courses but favored asynchronous online learning for neuroanatomical laboratory courses. In addition, medical students considered peer discussion more critical in learning gross anatomy than neuroanatomy. These findings provide valuable information about medical students' preference for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses, which anatomy teachers can consider when planning to enhance their curriculum in the future.

Impact of modified teaching strategies used in a gross anatomy course on the academic performance of dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Modified teaching strategies (MTS), asynchronous online teaching and smaller dissection groups, were applied to a gross anatomy course for dental students in the National Taiwan University in April 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the effects and perceptions of MTS on dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scores for anatomy examinations for 2018-2019 (without MTS) and 2019-2020 (with MTS) cohorts were compared to explore the effect on academic performance. Moreover, questionnaire from the 2019-2020 cohort was analysed to determine dental students' perceptions about MTS. RESULTS: The lecture performance in the final examination of the second semester for the 2019-2020 cohort was significantly higher than that of the first semester (pre-COVID-19) and that for the 2018-2019 cohort. However, the laboratory performance in the midterm examination of the second semester for the 2019-2020 cohort was significantly lower than that for the 2018-2019 cohort and showed no difference in the final examination of the first semester. The questionnaires revealed that the majority of students displayed positive attitudes towards MTS and agreed with the importance of peer discussion during laboratory dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Asynchronous online learning for anatomy lecture may be beneficial for dental students; however, a smaller dissection group accompanied by reduced peer discussion may temporarily exert negative effects on their laboratory performance at the beginning of the application. Furthermore, more dental students exhibited positive perceptions towards smaller dissection groups. These findings could illuminate the learning condition of dental students in anatomy education.

Development of a Reliable Surgical Quality Assurance System for 2-stage Esophagectomy in Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to develop a reliable surgical quality assurance system for 2-stage esophagectomy. This development was conducted during the pilot phase of the multicenter ROMIO trial, collaborating with international experts. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: There is evidence that the quality of surgical performance in randomized controlled trials influences clinical outcomes, quality of lymphadenectomy and loco-regional recurrence. METHODS: Standardization of 2-stage esophagectomy was based on structured observations, semi-structured interviews, hierarchical task analysis, and a Delphi consensus process. This standardization provided the structure for the operation manual and video and photographic assessment tools. Reliability was examined using generalizability theory. RESULTS: Hierarchical task analysis for 2-stage esophagectomy comprised fifty-four steps. Consensus (75%) agreement was reached on thirty-nine steps, whereas fifteen steps had a majority decision. An operation manual and record were created. A thirty five-item video assessment tool was developed that assessed the process (safety and efficiency) and quality of the end product (anatomy exposed and lymphadenectomy performed) of the operation. The quality of the end product section was used as a twenty seven-item photographic assessment tool. Thirty-one videos and fifty-three photographic series were submitted from the ROMIO pilot phase for assessment. The overall G-coefficient for the video assessment tool was 0.744, and for the photographic assessment tool was 0.700. CONCLUSIONS: A reliable surgical quality assurance system for 2-stage esophagectomy has been developed for surgical oncology randomized controlled trials. ETHICAL APPROVAL: 11/NW/0895 and confirmed locally as appropriate, 12/SW/0161, 16/SW/0098.Trial registration number: ISRCTN59036820, ISRCTN10386621.

Laparoscopic versus open distal gastrectomy for elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer: a retrospective comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic radical distal gastrectomy (LDG) has been more frequently performed for locally advanced distal gastric cancer (AGC) than open distal gastrectomy (ODG). However, the benefits of LDG for elderly AGC patients (AGC-lap) remain unclear. METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent D2 distal gastrectomy from July 2014 to July 2021 were enrolled consecutively. Perioperative parameters, pathological features, and oncological outcomes of AGC-lap patients (n = 39) were compared with those of elderly AGC patients receiving ODG (AGC-open; n = 37) and elderly early gastric cancer patients receiving LDG (EGC-lap; n = 41) respectively. RESULTS: The median age of all AGC patients was 77 years, and 28% of them had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score ≥ 2. Most of the perioperative and pathological features (including the number of lymph nodes harvested) were similar between the AGC-lap and AGC-open groups. AGC-lap patients had longer median operative times (215 min versus 192 min) but significantly less surgical complications (10.3% versus 37.8%) and shorter median hospital stays (11 days versus 13 days) than did AGC-open patients (all p < 0.05). The 3-year recurrence-free and overall survival was 66.2% and 88.8% in the AGC-lap group and 51% and 66.3% in the AGC-open group (both p = 0.1). The perioperative features, including operative time, number of lymph nodes harvested, hospital stay, and complication rates, were similar between the AGC- and EGC-lap groups. CONCLUSIONS: LDG was safely and effectively performed in elderly AGC patients, resulting in faster recovery and a lower complication rate than ODG, without compromising oncological outcomes.

Benefits of a bilingual web-based anatomy atlas for nursing students in learning anatomy.

BACKGROUND: Registered nurses are required for high-quality healthcare. Thus, the anatomy course is essential regarding professional knowledge of the human body during the nursing training process. However, previous studies have indicated that anatomy teaching time and anatomy teachers were reduced and insufficient. Therefore, to improve the learning of practical anatomy in response to these difficulties, a bilingual National Taiwan University web-based anatomy atlas (NTU-WAA) was created as a cross-platform application and its feasibility was evaluated. METHODS: The comparison of anatomy examination scores between nursing students of two cohorts (66 from the 2018-2019 cohort, whom was without NTU-WAA application; 54 from the 2019-2020 cohort, to whom NTU-WAA was offered) and the evaluation of questionnaires collected from nursing students of the 2019-2020 cohort and 4 anatomy teachers were carried out to define the feasibility of this strategy. RESULTS: Results obtained by nursing students for the 2019-2020 cohort showed a significant increase in anatomy learning performance compared with that of the 2018-2019 cohort with reference to the laboratory midterm [2018-2019 cohort vs. 2019-2020 cohort, mean (standard deviation, SD): 77.20 (16.14) vs. 81.80 (12.03); p = 0.043], the laboratory final examination [59.68 (15.28) vs. 80.35 (13.74); p < 0.001] and the theory final examination [80.85 (10.10) vs. 84.33 (6.925); p = 0.017]. Moreover, results of the questionnaires indicated that the new bilingual cross-platform atlas was highly accepted by students and teachers. CONCLUSIONS: The NTU-WAA, a bilingual web-based atlas, was evaluated as a beneficial anatomy-learning tool that may enhance self-study of nursing students with consequent amelioration of their anatomy-related performance in both theoretical and laboratory examinations. This reflection suggests the future implementation of the bilingual web-based atlas on a large scale.

Adjuvant tegafur-uracil (UFT) or S-1 monotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil (S-1) is commonly used for gastric cancer in Asia, and tegafur-uracil (UFT) is another oral fluoropyrimidine when S-1 is unavailable. The real-world data of adjuvant UFT has less been investigated. METHODS: Patients with pathological stage II-IIIB (except T1) gastric cancer receiving adjuvant UFT or S-1 monotherapy after D2 gastrectomy were included. Usage of UFT or S-1 was based on reimbursement policy of the Taiwanese healthcare system. The characteristics, chemotherapy completion rates, and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS), were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2016, 86 eligible patients were included. Most tumor characteristics were similar between the UFT group (n = 37; age 59.1 ± 13.9 years) and S-1 group (n = 49; age 56.3 ± 10.7 years), except there were significantly more Borrmann type III/IV (86.5% versus 67.3%; p = 0.047) and T4 (56.8% versus 10.2%; p < 0.001) lesions in the UFT group than in the S-1 group. The chemotherapy complete rates were similar in the two groups. The 5-year RFS was 56.1% in the UFT group and 59.6% in the S-1 group (p = 0.71), and the 5-year OS was 78.3% in the UFT group and 73.1% in the S-1 group (p = 0.48). The hazard ratio of adjuvant chemotherapy (S-1 versus UFT) on RFS was 1.25 (95% confidence interval = 0.53-2.94) when Borrmann type and T and N stages were adjusted. CONCLUSIONS: This small cohort study showed adjuvant UFT, and S-1 monotherapy had a comparable long-term outcome for pathological stage II-IIIB gastric cancer following D2 gastrectomy.

Experience of applying threshold concepts in medical education.

BACKGROUND: Practical barriers exist in applying threshold-concept-based clinical teaching. We applied the practice model to the subject of acute liver failure and reported the experiences in teaching and learners' reactions. METHODS: The course comprised a 10-min online preclass video and a 1-h class with in-depth discussion. The video explained six extracted threshold concepts, which were labelled TC1-TC6. Three sets of feedback questionnaires were given to students. Questionnaires were provided after they watched the online video (Q1), after class (Q2), and before the end of the curriculum section (Q3). All the feedback questionnaires were analysed. RESULTS: Of the 136 attendees in the academic year 2018, 127 (93.4%), 69 (50.7%), and 112 (82.4%) completed the Q1, Q2, and Q3 questionnaires, respectively, and 48 (42.6%) provided comments. The degree of comprehension varied among threshold concepts and individual students. TC1 and TC2 were viewed as transformative for all three surveys. The threshold-concept-based learning process was satisfactory, and students could auto-reflect on the defining features of a threshold concept. Students became aware of their deficiencies in knowledge and acknowledged room for development with regard to their mindset for future patient management. CONCLUSION: Threshold-concept-based clinical teaching is a feasible strategy. Students' reflections indicate that thresholds were crossed, which does not guarantee that students' mindsets are ready for future clinical practice.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection comparing with surgical resection in patients with early gastric cancer - A single center experience in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The choice of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as first line treatment for selected early gastric cancer (EGC) patients was proved as effective as surgical treatment in studies over many countries. Yet there is no such cohort comparison in Taiwan. This study is aimed to describe our experience in ESD treated EGC and to compare the outcomes with those underwent surgical treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study reviewing the patients with EGC underwent ESD and surgical treatments in a single tertiary referral center in Taiwan. The primary endpoint was disease specific survival. Recurrence free survival and length of hospital stay were also compared. RESULTS: The disease specific survival between indicated ESD and surgery showed no significant difference (cumulative survival 100% vs. 97.03%, p = 0.39), so as the recurrence free survival (cumulative survival 92.31% vs. 94.06%, p = 0.60). In subgroup analyses of ESD treated patients, a non-significant recurrence rate difference between indicated and non-indicated ESD was found (cumulative recurrence 7.69% vs. 20%, p = 0.39) and a higher recurrence rate in patients with non-R0 resection compared with R0 resection (cumulative recurrence 0% vs. 40%, p < 0.01). However, the shorter duration of hospital stay in ESD group was noted in comparison to surgery (mean 5.67 days vs. 15.75 days, p < 0.01). The ESD patients have minor complications including bleeding, perforation and fever than surgery. CONCLUSION: ESD is a reasonable first line treatment in selected early gastric cancer in additional to surgery. Pre-treatment evaluation and post-ESD review of curability is crucial to further surveillance program or definite therapy including surgery.

Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for clinical stage I gastric adenocarcinoma: Techniques evolution and oncological outcomes of the first 100 cases.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: While gaining more acceptance, the use of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) to treat gastric cancer were still limited in Taiwan. This study reviewed our experience about the technique evolution and outcome of using LDG for the patients with clinical stage (c-stage) I gastric cancers. METHODS: A retrospective review of the patients undergoing LDG for c-stage I gastric cancers at a medical center of Taiwan was performed. The demographics, peri-operative parameters, reconstruction methods, morbidities, pathologic and oncological outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients with c-stage I gastric cancers between October 2005 and September 2016 were enrolled. Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) was performed in the initial 69 cases. Total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) was done in the following 31 cases. There was no conversion of procedures, nor surgical mortality. The surgical morbidity rate was 13%, including 3 major complications. The ratio of using Billroth I reconstruction (83.9% versus 43.5%, p < 0.01) and the mean number of harvested lymph nodes (38.6 ± 14.8 versus 31.2 ± 15.2, p = 0.02) were both higher in the TLDG group than in the LADG group. The pathologic examination confirmed 78 patients were stage I, while 22 were stage II disease. Seven of the 24 patients with lymph node metastasis received adjuvant chemotherapy. Two patients had recurrence of diseases. The 3-year recurrence-free and overall survival were 93.3% and 95.8% separately. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that laparoscopic gastrectomy could be performed safely and feasibly for patients with early gastric cancers. LADG is recommended for the establishment of the demanding technique.

Efficient undergraduate learning of liver transplant: building a framework for teaching subspecialties to medical students.

BACKGROUND: Liver recipients may develop various diseases after transplant. However, because of inadequate study of liver transplant during undergraduate education, the quality of post-transplant care provided to these patients remains suboptimal. Herein, we introduce an innovative and integrated multimodal pedagogical approach to effectively disseminate key information regarding liver transplant to undergraduate students. The goal is to examine this approach through students' assessment in multiple dimensions. METHODS: This prospective observational study evaluated student reactions to our pedagogical approach. Fifth-year medical students during the academic year 2015-2016 attended a 2-h session on what nontransplant doctors should know about liver transplants. The pedagogical strategy consisted of an online preclass self-learning exercise, an in-class interactive discussion (facilitated by the class teacher who is a liver transplant specialist to avoid distractions within the short-time frame), and a postclass essay assignment (to integrate and apply concepts). After the class, questionnaires were distributed to individual students to collect data, if returned, concerning the students' learning experience and feedback to improve teaching quality. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, chi-squared tests, and McNemar's tests were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data were content-coded through a descriptive approach using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Of the 266 attendees, 263 (98.9%) completed the questionnaires and 182 (69.2%) provided comments. Student feedback indicated they "felt better" and "more satisfied" compared with problem-based learning (PBL) (51.0 and 63.1%, respectively) or large-lecture class (92.0 and 88.6%, respectively) approaches. Regarding confidently managing liver transplant patients in future, 80 (30.4%) and 246 (93.5%) students expressed preclass and postclass confidence, respectively (p < 0.001). The bell curve of the postclass self-assessment score of learning shifted toward right and became steeper compared with that of the preclass score (p < 0.001), suggesting students acquired considerable knowledge. The course was typically perceived to be cost-effective, practical, tension-free, and student-friendly. CONCLUSION: This pedagogical approach effectively propagated knowledge concerning liver transplant to medical students, who expressed considerable satisfaction with the approach.

An observational study of microcirculation in dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Microcirculatory dysfunction contributes to acute and chronic kidney diseases. To the best of our knowledge, no study has compared differences in microcirculation among healthy volunteers, dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sublingual microcirculation was examined using sidestream dark field imaging and was compared among 90 healthy volunteers, 40 dialysis patients and 40 kidney transplant recipients. The gender effect on microcirculation and the correlations among the microcirculation parameters, age, body mass index, heart rate and blood pressure were analysed. RESULTS: Total small vessel density, perfused small vessel density and the proportion of perfused small vessels were lower in the dialysis patients than in the healthy volunteers and kidney transplant recipients [total small vessel density; healthy volunteers vs. dialysis patients vs. kidney transplant recipients, 25·2 (2·3) vs. 22·8 (2·6) vs. 24·2 (2·9) mm/mm2 , P < 0·001]. Systolic blood pressure showed a weak negative correlation with the microvascular flow index scores in the healthy volunteers. By contrast, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure showed weak positive correlations with proportion of perfused small vessels and the microvascular flow index scores in the dialysis patients. CONCLUSIONS: Microcirculatory dysfunction is noted in dialysis patients, and this alteration is ameliorated in KT recipients. The positive correlation between blood pressure and microcirculation in dialysis patients suggests that additional studies should investigate the optimal goal of blood pressure management for dialysis patients.

Renal transplantation across the donor-specific antibody barrier: Graft outcome and cancer risk after desensitization therapy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Desensitization regimens including use of intravenous immune globulin and rituximab have been reported to overcome renal transplant hyperacute rejection. A retrospective case-control study was performed to assess the results and complications of renal transplantation with desensitization therapy for donor-specific antibody (DSA) in a transplant center in Asia, where donor exchange was usually not allowed. METHODS: Between January 2007 and December 2013, 22 patients with DSA received live-donor renal transplantation after desensitization (DSA group). During the same period, the DSA group was compared to the NSA group (152 renal transplants) who had no specific antibody to the donors (66 from deceased donors and 86 from living relatives). Rejection, renal function, graft and patient survival rates, infection, and cancer incidence were reviewed and analyzed from medical records. RESULTS: The DSA group (46.8%) had significantly higher acute rejection rates than the NSA group (13.7%) at the 1-year follow-up. The estimated renal function, 5-year graft, and patient survival rates were comparable between the groups. The DSA group (19.6%) had significantly higher 5-year de novo cancer incidence than the NSA group (8.5%; p = 0.028); three patients of the DSA group developed urothelial carcinoma 17.0 ± 3.0 months after transplantation. By using stepwise Cox regression analysis, desensitization therapy was identified as the sole independent risk factor for post-transplant urothelial carcinoma. CONCLUSION: When compared to renal transplantation without DSA, desensitization therapy for DSA resulted in equivalent renal transplant outcome but potentially increased risk of urothelial carcinoma after transplantation.

Repeated cycles of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin and plasmapheresis for treatment of late antibody-mediated rejection of renal transplants.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) plays a central role in the treatment of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) of renal allografts, but the treatment outcomes for late AMR (>6 months after transplantation) are poor. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study to assess the response patterns of IVIG-based (2 g/kg) desensitization for late AMR. Patients who received desensitization after the pathological diagnosis of late AMR positive for complement component C4d were grouped as the Desensitized Group and compared to a historical Control Group with complement component C4d positivity in retrospective stainings. RESULTS: The 10-year graft survival of the Desensitized Group (73.9%, n = 35) was significantly better than that of the historical Control Group (35.0%, n = 40) without desensitization. In the Desensitized Group, a subgroup of patients (D2 Subgroup, n = 11), who responded to desensitization initially but deteriorated later, was identified to benefit from repeated cycles of desensitization at 31.1 ± 20.9 months. Patients receiving only one cycle of desensitization were further grouped into D1-good (n = 10) and D1-poor (n = 14) based on their long-term renal function. The D2 Subgroup patients did not exhibit significant improvements in renal function compared to the D1-poor patients, until 30 months after IVIG-based desensitization, suggesting desensitization therapy has a working window of approximately 24 months. CONCLUSION: Repeated cycles of IVIG-based desensitization help stabilize long-term renal function in patients with persistent AMR.

De novo cancer avoidance after renal transplantation: A case-control study on low-dose sirolimus combined with a calcineurin inhibitor.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Full-dose sirolimus (SRL) therapy without a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) reduces the incidence of malignancy after renal transplantation, but with significant side effects. We hypothesized that de novo therapy with low-dose SRL combined with a CNI could still prevent cancer in renal transplant recipients. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed to assess the cancer incidence among renal transplant patients who had undergone surgery in our transplant centers between January 2000 and June 2012. Patients who received low-dose SRL and a CNI (SRL group, n = 189) were compared with patients receiving conventional CNI-based therapy in the same hospitals (Conventional group, n = 271). RESULTS: The 5-year graft and patient survival rates were comparable between the two groups. Seven patients in the SRL group and 24 patients in the Conventional group developed malignancies during mean follow-up periods of 68.2 ± 37.5 months and 81.7 ± 51.4 months, respectively. The cancer incidence at 5 years was significantly lower in the SRL group (1.9%), than that in the Conventional group (6.7%; p = 0.04). By multivariate analyses, SRL therapy (p = 0.04), male sex (p = 0.04), and younger age (p = 0.01) were significantly associated with a lower risk of malignancy after kidney transplantation. CONCLUSION: De novo therapy with low-dose SRL combined with a CNI was associated with reduced risk of post-transplant cancer in renal transplant recipients. De novo cancer prevention using a low-dose proliferation signal inhibitor such as SRL could be effective for renal transplant recipients.

B cells and immunoglobulin in ABO-incompatible renal transplant patients receiving rituximab and double filtration plasmapheresis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The effect of rituximab on B cell and immunoglobulin production after therapeutic apheresis has not been studied in ABO-incompatible renal transplant patients. METHODS: Twenty consecutive ABO-incompatible renal transplant patients receiving rituximab induction and double filtration plasmapheresis were enrolled; one case was excluded because of repeated plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin therapy (Incompatible group). The B cell count of the Incompatible group was compared to another group of 18 ABO-compatible renal transplant patients who were operated on during the same period (Compatible group). In the Incompatible group, the total IgM, IgG, and IgG1-4 subclasses after transplantation were compared to those before desensitization. Tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids were used for both groups. RESULTS: The B cell count of the Incompatible group was significantly lower than the Compatible group post-transplant from Month 1 to Month 11 only. The B cell count of the Compatible group also decreased for the first 6 months, suggesting that maintenance immunosuppressive agents suppress B cells. Total IgG and IgM levels after transplantation were significantly lower than before desensitization during the 24-month follow-up period. The post-transplant IgG3 level was significantly lower than before desensitization for only 3 months. CONCLUSION: With the aid of tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil, rituximab resulted in sustained suppression of B cell count and total IgG and IgM. Among the IgG subclasses, IgG3 was less sensitive to rituximab.

Robot-assisted renal transplantation in the retroperitoneum.

Minimally invasive surgery for renal transplantation is still under development. We employed the robotic surgical system to perform renal transplantation with a minimally invasive wound. The operation was performed with a Gibson incision and two working ports. The space for the transplantation was created by retroperitoneal dissection with the robot lifting the abdominal wall. Vascular reconstruction was performed with two robotic needle drivers. We successfully performed robot-assisted renal transplantation in five female and five male patients with an average wound length of 7.7 ± 1.04 cm. Nine of the renal allografts functioned immediately, but one with prolonged warm ischemia during the live donor nephrectomy had delayed function. The average creatinine level and estimated glomerular filtration rate at discharge were 1.31 ± 0.31 mg/dl and 58.2 ± 8.1 ml/min, respectively. All the transplants are currently functioning at 6.9 ± 3.9 months after operations. In conclusion, with robot assistance, minimal invasive renal transplantation can be performed successfully in the retroperitoneum.

Performance of central venous catheterization by medical students: a retrospective study of students' logbooks.

BACKGROUND: Medical students often learn the skills necessary to perform a central venous catheterization in the operating room after simulator training. We examined the performance of central venous catheterization by medical students from the logbooks during their rotation in department of anesthesiology. METHODS: From the logbooks of medical students rotating in our department between January 2011 and June 2012, we obtained the kind and the number of central venous catheterization students had done, the results of the procedures whether they were success or failed, the reasons of the failures, complications, and the student self-reported confidence and satisfaction of their performance. RESULTS: There were 93 medical students performed 875 central venous catheterizations with landmark guidance on patients in the operating theater, and the mean number of catheterizations performed per student was 9.4 ± 2.0, with a success rate of 67.3%. Adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, surgical category, ASA score and insertion site, the odds of successful catherization improved with cumulative practice (odds ratio 1.10 per additional central venous catheterization performed; 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.15). The major challenge students encountered during the procedure was the difficulty of finding the central veins, which led to 185 catheterizations failed. The complication rate of central venous catheterization by the students was 7.8%, while the most common complication was puncture of artery. The satisfaction and confidence of students regarding their performance increased with each additional procedure and decreased significantly if failure or complications had occurred. CONCLUSION: A student logbook is a useful tool for recording the actual procedural performance of students. From the logbooks, we could see the students' performance, challenges, satisfaction and confidence of central venous catheterization were improved through cumulative clinical practice of the procedure.

Implementing virtual reality technology to teach medical college systemic anatomy: A pilot study.

It can be difficult for some students to learn three-dimensional anatomical structure concepts. While virtual reality (VR) systems have been reported as helpful for learning, there has been scarce research on either VR teaching strategies or the influence of visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) in the context of large anatomy classes (i.e., over 100 students). The study thus aimed to (1) establish a VR anatomy instruction video for a large class; (2) determine how many students experience VIMS when watching a VR anatomy instruction video; (3) evaluate the influence of VIMS on VR anatomy video-based learning; and (4) examine whether a small screen size alleviates VIMS. Laboratory course students viewing a VR anatomy instruction video about the vascular system were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey. Anatomy faculty and staff participated in an experimental trial to determine whether small screen size could alleviate VIMS. The Likert scale survey revealed that students reported the VR strategy as advantageous and appropriate for large classes, but that it cannot replace practical dissection. Of the total participants, 32% reported experiencing VIMS, and 40% of those experiencing VIMS agreed that this could negatively impact their learning through a VR anatomy instruction video. Adjusting the screen size from large to small significantly delayed the onset of VIMS. In conclusion, the VR anatomy instruction video strategy is feasible and helpful for large classes, but educators should consider VIMS when planning their use of this teaching approach.

Linking the choice of the class format and preclass learning experiences sheds light on a step further in blended medical education.

BACKGROUND: The core principle of HyFlex ('hybrid' and 'flexible') learning is to maintain learning equity under most circumstances. Within a blended framework in precision medical education, how different preferences of synchronous learning environment influence learning process and outcome is limited. We investigated students' preclass online video learning experiences and their choices toward synchronous class formats. METHODS: This was a mixed-methods study. During the 2021 academic year, all 5th-year medical students who had viewed online video clips presenting core concepts were asked to complete a survey on their preference for future synchronous class format (face-to-face, online, or HyFlex) and asked to provide reflective comments on their self-learning. Anonymous survey data, online records, and summative assessment scores (short-term learning outcomes) were collected. Kruskal - Wallis or Chi-square tests were used to compare differences between groups, and multiple linear regression was managed to select the factors associated with various choices. The students' comments were coded in a descriptive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Among 152 medical students, 150 responded to the questionnaires, and 109 provided comments. Medical students spent a median of 32 min online, significantly shorter in the face-to-face group than in the online and HyFlex groups. The online group had a lower preclass video completion rate for certain concepts. The choice was not associated with short-term learning outcomes. Student feedback revealed a higher frequency of multiple themes for each student in the face-to-face and HyFlex groups, and these themes fell into the categories of learning efficiency, focus concentration, and course attractiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Linking the choice of the class format and learning experiences of preclass online videos sheds light on a step further within a blended framework of precision medical education. Supplement of online interactive elements may help secure learning engagement among students choosing 'online only' class format of HyFlex learning.