Handling the desire to die- evaluation of an elective course for medical students.

BACKGROUND: The desire to die can occur in palliative care patients with a prevalence of up to 22%. Not every desire to die is accompanied by a pressure to act, but usually by a burden that can arise from various factors. To address this burden appropriately, health care workers should be trained. Based on an evaluated course on handling the desire to die, an elective course for medical students was developed and evaluated. In order to identify the impact of the elective course's content, a comparison of attitudes towards assisted dying with two other participant groups was conducted. Therefore, three questions from the evaluation of the elective course were used. METHOD: Online evaluation of the elective and questions addressing attitude were assessed using a five-point Likert scale. The specific outcome-based assessment was determined using the Comparative Self-Assessment Gain. The main participant group (group 1) were students who took the elective. The additional survey on attitudes towards assisted dying included undergraduate medical students who had taken compulsory palliative care courses (group 2) and physicians who had taken an introductory course in intensive care or emergency medicine (group 3). RESULTS: Group 1 (n = 13, response rate rr = 86.7%) was very satisfied with the blended learning format (100%) and the course itself (100%). They were able to deepen their knowledge (81.0%) and train skills (71.2%) through the course. In the additional surveys, there were 37 students in group 2 (rr = 66.1%) and 258 physicians in group 3 (rr = 73.6%). Willingness to assist with or accompany the various options for assisted dying varied according to the type of assistance. Among the participants, it can be summarised that the highest willingness was shown by the students of group 2 followed by the physicians of group 3 and the students of group 1. CONCLUSIONS: A course on handling the desire to die of palliative patients can deepen knowledge and train communication skills and thus support self-confidence. Dealing with the background of the desire to die, knowledge about assisted dying, but also one's own attitudes and responsibilities can influence the attitude towards assisted dying.

Teaching in radiation oncology: now and 2025-results of a focus group with medical students.

PURPOSE: In Germany, the new Licensing Regulations for Physicians 2025 (Ärztliche Approbationsordnung, ÄApprO) define a binding legal framework on the basis of which medical faculties modernize their curricula. Since 2015, the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine 2.0 (Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog 2.0., NKLM) formulates competencies and learning objectives to be achieved in the course of studies as curriculum orientation for the medical faculties. In addition, about 80% of the areas of a new core curriculum are to be made compulsory. A needs analysis in the target group of students has not yet taken place for the subject of radiation therapy (RT) or radiation oncology (RO). This study therefore surveys the experiences and requirements of students regarding medical education in RT. METHODS: Qualitative single-center study using a semistructured in-depth focus group with 11 medical students (20-26 years; 6 female, 5 male) was conducted. Brainstorming sessions were conducted in small groups and individually; oral contributions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Results were compared with the content of the future curriculum and reviewed for congruence with current expert recommendations of the German Society of Radiation Oncology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO). RESULTS: The plans to develop a longitudinal and practice-oriented curriculum was positively received by students. Specifically, students wanted to introduce the basics of RT as an early link to practice in preclinical teaching units. The necessary acquisition of communicative skills should also be taught by lecturers in RO. Methodologically, regular digital survey tools for self-monitoring, discussion rooms, and problem-based learning were named. In the perception of students, the subject appears underrepresented in relation to its relevance in the multimodal therapy of oncological diseases. CONCLUSION: Results of the needs analysis for the subject of RT are consistent with ÄApprO, NKLM, and DEGRO. Moreover, they complement them and should be considered in the curriculum development of Masterplan Medical Education 2020 (Masterplan Medizinstudium 2020). The results contribute to high-quality and target-group-oriented medical training in the subject of RT, increased visibility, and thus early bonding of future physicians to RO in Germany.

Prior participation as a standardized patient improves OSCE scores of third-year medical students: A pilot comparative study at Université Paris Cité Medical School.

OBJECTIVE: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) are one of the main modalities of skills' assessment of medical students. We aimed to evaluate the educational value of the participation of third-year medical students in OSCE as standardized patients. METHODS: We conducted a pilot OSCE session where third-year students participated in sixth-year students' OSCE as standardized patients (cases). Their scores in their own subsequent OSCE exams were compared with third-year students who had not participated (controls). Students' perceptions (stress, preparedness, ease) regarding their OSCE were compared with self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 42 students were included (9 cases and 33 controls). Median [IQR] overall score (out of 20 points) obtained by the cases was 17 [16.3-18] versus 14.5 [12.7-16.3] for controls (p < 0.001). Students' perception of their evaluation (difficulty, stress, communication) was not significantly different between cases and controls. Most cases agreed that their participation was beneficial in reducing their stress (67%), increasing their preparedness (78%) and improving their communication skills (100%). All cases agreed that this participation should be offered more widely. CONCLUSION: Students' participation in OSCE as standardized patients led to better performance on their own OSCE and were considered beneficial. This approach could be more broadly generalized to improve student performance.

Action competence in obstetric emergencies-can this be achieved via e-learning? Interprofessional blended learning module on diagnostics and emergency treatment of shoulder dystocia.

BACKGROUND: Due to the rarity of shoulder dystocia, an obstetric emergency, it is difficult even for experts to develop the appropriate routine in this emergency. Regular further training is therefore recommended for obstetricians and midwives. Evidence is lacking on the extent to which e-learning as a teaching method can be successfully used to acquire these skills and put them into practice. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how the learning objectives for shoulder dystocia, listed in the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalog for Medicine (NKLM, Germany) can be successfully taught in medical studies using a blended learning concept (e-learning and practical application on a birth simulator). METHODS: After completing an e-learning course, final year medical students and midwife trainees demonstrated their action competence for shoulder dystocia procedure on a birth simulator. This transfer of the theoretical knowledge to the case study was assessed using an evaluation form oriented to the recommendations for action. RESULTS: One hundred sixty medical students and 14 midwifery trainees participated in the study from April to July 2019. Overall, 95.9% of the study participants met the required standards, i.e. achieved very good to adequate performance (Ø good) in simulation training. CONCLUSIONS: E-learning with annotated high-quality learning videos is an excellent way to transfer theoretical knowledge about shoulder dystocia procedures into medical practice on a birth simulator. The learning objectives required by the NKLM for shoulder dystocia can be successfully conveyed to students via the applied blended learning concept.

Medical and recreational cannabis: A cross-sectional survey assessing a sample of physicians' attitudes, knowledge and experience in a university hospital in Lebanon.

CONTEXT: A law legalizing the farming of medical cannabis for the international market was passed in Lebanese parliament in April 2020. Thus, this makes Lebanon the first Arab country to legalize medical cannabis, a law which can hold potential public health consequences. The advocates of legalization of medical cannabis in society and in the media influence the public opinion. A community of Lebanese physicians was the first to be asked about this subject. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess a sample of physicians' opinions, knowledge and experiences with medical and non-medical cannabis. METHOD: All physicians of every speciality working at the Hôtel Dieu de France-Beirut hospital (450) received by email a 33-question-online survey in French between November 2020 and December 2020. The survey was designed based on similar studies published outside of Lebanon. RESULTS: Eighty-five Lebanese physicians responded to the survey and 80% of them supported the decriminalization of medical cannabis in Lebanon. But only 16% reported knowing the indications of medical cannabis, and only 24% stated that they have adequate knowledge of its secondary effects. Eighty-eight percent of them felt that they might be more comfortable discussing the option of medical cannabis if they had formal education on the subject. CONCLUSION: Even though the majority of the sample who participated in this study seemed to approve the use of medical cannabis, they lacked the knowledge and confidence to do it. Therefore, this study highlights the need of physician training in the subject of medical cannabis. Future well-conducted university studies will produce evidence-based-guidelines for medical cannabis indications and side effects.

Integration of radiation oncology teaching in medical studies by German medical faculties due to the new licensing regulations : An overview and recommendations of the consortium academic radiation oncology of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO).

The new Medical Licensing Regulations 2025 (Ärztliche Approbationsordnung, ÄApprO) will soon be passed by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) and will be implemented step by step by the individual faculties in the coming months. The further development of medical studies essentially involves an orientation from fact-based to competence-based learning and focuses on practical, longitudinal and interdisciplinary training. Radiation oncology and radiation therapy are important components of therapeutic oncology and are of great importance for public health, both clinically and epidemiologically, and therefore should be given appropriate attention in medical education. This report is based on a recent survey on the current state of radiation therapy teaching at university hospitals in Germany as well as the contents of the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine 2.0 (Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog Medizin 2.0, NKLM) and the closely related Subject Catalogue (Gegenstandskatalog, GK) of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions (Institut für Medizinische und Pharmazeutische Prüfungsfragen, IMPP). The current recommendations of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO) regarding topics, scope and rationale for the establishment of radiation oncology teaching at the respective faculties are also included.

[COVID-19: a chance for digitalization of teaching? : Report of experiences and results of a survey on digitalized teaching in the fields of anesthesiology, intensive care, emergency, pain and palliative medicine at the University of Leipzig]. / COVID-19: eine Chance zur Digitalisierung der Lehre? : Erfahrungsbericht und Ergebnisse einer Umfrage zur digitalen Lehre im Bereich Anästhesiologie, Intensiv-, Notfall-, Schmerz- und Palliativmedizin an der Universität Leipzig.

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV­2 pandemic has been a major challenge for graduate education. Teaching had to be digitalized within a very short time. This also affected the areas of anesthesiology, intensive care, emergency, pain and palliative care at the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Leipzig. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this questionnaire-based survey was to find out which courses can be digitalized from the students' point of view and which forms of teaching are associated with obstacles. In addition, we examined which technical infrastructure supports digitalization best. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In the course of digitalization the lecture series in the areas of palliative care and pain medicine had to be revised but also digital alternatives for seminars, simulation courses and bedside teaching had to be created. Video podcasts, digital learning material, educational films and video conferences were used for the digital implementation of the courses. Depending on the course, different digital methods were combined. In addition, a discussion forum for the exchange between faculty and students was established. An online evaluation was then carried out to assess the content. RESULTS: A total of 82 4th and 5th year medical students took part in the survey. More than 60% of students rated the learning effect of digital courses as "high" or "very high". Video podcasts of the lectures (45.1%) and digital bedside teaching (34.1%) were rated as the most effective ways of imparting knowledge. In particular, 92.7% of the surveyed students believed that the lectures could be replaced digitally on a permanent basis. For bedside teaching (3.7%) and emergency simulation course (1.2%) this is far less the case. In the majority of cases (56.1%), students needed 30-90 min daily for the preparation and post-processing of the contents. Just under 90% gave the digital courses offered by the hospital an overall grade of 1 or 2 (on a scale from 1 = best to 6 = worst). CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV­2 pandemic posed major challenges for graduate teaching. At the same time, however, it also helped to overcome often long-standing hurdles to the digitalization of teaching. In the course of the digital semester, different teaching formats could be digitalized to varying degrees: Lectures can be digitally reproduced particularly well from the students' perspective, whereas the digitalization of bedside teaching has not been possible in most cases.

[Implementation of digital teaching in psychiatry as consequence of COVID-19: a comparative evaluation with classroom teaching]. / Einführung digitaler Lehre im Fach Psychiatrie als Reaktion auf COVID-19: eine vergleichende Evaluation zur Präsenzlehre.

BACKGROUND: In response to the coronavirus pandemic, most universities implemented digital teaching at short notice for the summer semester 2020 (SS20), whereas they simultaneously shut down classroom teaching. In the psychiatric clinic of the University Medical Center Göttingen, students' ratings concerning the learning effect and their substantive assessment for both forms of teaching were comparatively evaluated to determine the quality of this process. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Overall, 350 students who had visited classroom teaching (winter semester, WS18/19 to WS19/20) vs. digital teaching (SS20) assessed their form of teaching post hoc, within a standardized survey. They rated the individual learning effect in seven psychiatric subjects and did a substantive assessment on eight dimensions. In addition, they rated their expenditure of time. RESULTS: For digital teaching, the individual learning effect was rated as either being equivalent or superior (subjects: psychotherapy, schizophrenia). Despite a significantly heightened expenditure of time, digital teaching was substantively assessed as being equivalent to classroom teaching or superior (dimensions: independent processing of learning goals, overall format of lecture). Concerning their anticipated preparation for the professional practice, students rated digital teaching as being inferior to classroom teaching. CONCLUSION: A pandemic-driven conversion from classroom to digital teaching did not result in a loss of quality on the dimensions measured in this comparative evaluation. With a view to professional practice, digital teaching should complement classroom teaching and be part of future curricula.

Are we confident that final-year medical students know at least basics about diabetes?: A preliminary report from the multicenter, survey-based Diabetes Know-Me study.

BACKGROUND: We present the results of the pilot study of a multinational "Diabetes Know-Me" project investigating knowledge regarding diabetes of medical students. This is the first collaborative project of the ISPAD JENIOUS group. METHODS: Students of the final year of medical studies from six countries answered a 25-question survey regarding basic knowledge concerning diabetes (1091 surveys handed out, response rate 86%). RESULTS: Among the responders (58% female) 90% confirmed attending diabetology classes; 11% planned to specialize in diabetology. There were significant differences between countries in the median score of correct answers ranging from 10/25 to 22/25. Attending diabetes classes (20 vs. 13/25, p < 0.0001) was the strongest factor associated with improved knowledge about diabetes (other factors analyzed were: gender, familiar/personal experience of diabetes, interest to specialize in diabetology). CONCLUSIONS: Basic knowledge about diabetes remains a challenge. Participating in classes concerning diabetes contributed the most to the diabetes-related knowledge among students of the final year of medical faculties.

A primer of an in-depth resilience status for German medical graduates: results of a cross-sectional survey on the status quo of resilience among graduates of human medicine in Bavaria, Germany - a necessary step in building an emotionally equipped healthcare work-force.

BACKGROUND: Resilience is a widely-used catchword in the last couple of years to describe the resistance to psychological strains of life, especially for the healthcare work-force. The promises of resilience to burnout sound great and what we all would want: less health impairment despite stress, higher work satisfaction and last but not least higher work performance. There is research that shows that students and physicians have high emotional distress and low resilience, yet comparably little is known which aspects of resilience are exactly impaired in the upcoming work-force. With our study we investigated the in-depth resilience status of medical graduates from five medical schools within their first year after graduation. In this, additionally to assessing the resilience status as a whole we investigate the answers on the singular items and the relationship of the resilience status with neighboring constructs. METHODS: In 2018, 1610 human medical graduates from five Bavarian medical schools were asked to take part at cross-sectional Bavarian graduate survey (Bayerische Absolventenstudie Medizin, MediBAS). The response rate was 38,07, 60% of the participants were female. For the identification of the in-depth resilience status we included the 5-point Likert 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, German Version in a graduate survey posted to 5 medical schools and over 1610 eligible participants of whom 610 (60% female) filled out at least parts of the survey. To identify relationships to other aspects we posed further questionnaires. RESULTS: The resilience status showed a mean resilience score of M = 37.1 (SD = 6.30). The score ranges from 3.22 (I am not easily discouraged by failure) to 4.26 (I am able to adapt to change). One third of the participants chose not to answer the item "I am able to handle unpleasant feeling". Relationships to job satisfaction, scientific competence and stress are presented in the article. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that the overall resilience status of medical graduates one year after their graduation is rather high, but subjectively they do not feel equivalently resilient for the different aspects they face in their job. Especially, how to handle their emotions seems to be challenging for some of the young physicians. In the article we sketch ideas how to handle the specific training needs the study has identified.

[Mentoring and workplace-based assessments for final year medical students : An effective way to increase satisfaction and competence?] / Mentoring und arbeitsplatzbasierte Prüfungen im Praktischen Jahr : Ein effektiver Weg zur Steigerung von Zufriedenheit und Kompetenz?

BACKGROUND: The final year of medical training in Germany is one of the least structured and standardized years of medical school. Medical students often complain about a lack of guidance, supervision and feedback. They are mostly asked to perform delegable nonmedical tasks even though student experiences in this period critically determine future decisions for certain medical specialties. Consequently, right from the beginning many young professionals feel overburdened especially by the time pressure of everyday clinical practice. The planned amendment of the medical licensing regulations will make competence-based training even more important. This article therefore aims to examine the extent to which a mentoring-based curriculum with workplace-based examinations during the final year of medical studies can make a valuable contribution to this. METHODS: After a needs assessment (structured literature search, results evaluation and focus groups with both students and medical specialists), a mentoring-based curriculum for final year medical students was developed following the Kern cycle. In 2 work sessions 10 discipline-specific competencies for the fields of anesthesiology, critical care, emergency and pain medicine were established and prioritized, which had to be mastered by every student independently at the end of the training period. Assessment of these competencies was performed on a regular basis by trained mentors in the form of workplace-based assessments (mini-clinical evaluation exercise, mini-CEX, direct observation of procedural skills, DOPS). Multiperspective evaluation was and is the foundation of continuous program development. By September 2019 a total of 40 students had completed the modified curriculum and were subsequently interviewed online about various aspects of the tertial. RESULTS: The response rate to the survey was 80% (n = 32). The gender ratio was balanced (male = 50%, female = 50%). Prioritization and assessment of 10 competencies by trained mentors enabled a focused, demand-driven and high-quality training of final year medical students. Surveyed students found the section mentoring and feedback to be very positive and it supported their learning success (grade 1.5). Despite firmly established feedback structures, in retrospect almost half (51.6%) wanted more structured feedback. Workplace-based assessments were mostly previously unknown (64.6%) but were experienced as helpful and meaningful (76.7%). Students felt confident and prepared for the final state examination (81.3%) and their career start (71.0%) after being part of the program. These findings were accompanied by a high level of satisfaction (grade 1.7) as well as a high recommendation rate for this institution (as a training program for final year medical students and as a career start for residents, both with 93.7%). Thus, the good evaluation results of the department before the start of the project could again be slightly improved. CONCLUSION: A demand-driven, mentoring-based curriculum with integrated workplace-based assessments not only led to high overall student satisfaction but also promoted the quality of teaching in an effective and resource-saving way. Mentoring promotes learning success mainly through feedback and individual learning support and also supports the communicative and social skills of students and mentors alike.

Medical education in Morocco: Current situation and future challenges.

Morocco is a North African lower middle income country; home to the oldest University in the world, where the first identifiable medical degree was issued. Medical Education in Morocco is provided through 10 Medical Schools offering each year around 3200 new places in the first year of medical studies. It is facing many challenges in both its undergraduate and postgraduate programs that need to be addressed urgently through the currently debated national reform of medical studies.

Does socioeconomic status have any influence on success at the national ranking exam?, a prospective survey.

BACKGROUND: The weight of social inequalities during education is a reality. Students of lower socioeconomic status may have less chance of success in higher education, particularly in medical studies. However, the role of students' socioeconomic factors, such as their parents' profession, in their success in the national ranking exam (NRE) has not been studied. Our aim was to investigate the association between socioeconomic factors and success in the national ranking exam among sixth year medical students at the Paris-Sud Faculty of Medicine. METHODS: This was a prospective survey of all sixth-year medical students at the Paris-Sud Faculty of Medicine, using a questionnaire on socioeconomic factors, which were compared according to NRE rank. RESULTS: Of 172 sixth year medical students, 110 completed the questionnaire. Their ranking ranged from 20 to 7695, with a median of 2815 (interquartile range: 1029-4581). The factors associated with the NRE rank were a high school diploma (baccalauréat) A or B grade, success at the first attempt in the first-year medical examination, and enrollment in the NRE preparatory lectures during the sixth year of medical training (linear regression, p < 0.001). The educational status and socio-professional category of the parents were not associated with the NRE rank (linear regression, p = 0.92). CONCLUSION: At the Paris-Sud Faculty of Medicine, there was no association between parental socioeconomic status and sixth year students' success in the NRE.

[Bertolt Brecht. Did he really have rheumatic fever?] / Bertolt Brecht. Hatte er wirklich ein rheumatisches Fieber?

The writer Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) is known for his poems, dramas and the "epic or dialectical theater" he founded. He was retrospectively postulated to have had rheumatic fever because of heart problems and neuromuscular symptoms in his youth. Based on current rheumatological knowledge, it cannot be deduced with certainty from the available documents that Brecht had rheumatic fever. At most, a very unusual manifestation of rheumatic fever can be suspected with atypical rheumatic chorea and a very atypical course of rheumatic carditis. Several deviations from the classical clinical picture-the absence of fever and arthritis, no typical symptoms of Sydenham's chorea, the lack of a diagnosis of heart valve defects in adolescence-lead to extensive differential diagnostic considerations. A possible psychosomatic origin through functional heart complaints must even be postulated if a temporary previous organic cause cannot be excluded. Only the use of the advanced diagnostics available today with Doppler sonography of the heart, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), throat swabs for Streptococci and streptococcal serology would have made it possible to diagnose Brecht's cardiac symptoms in his adolescence without a doubt and to differentiate them from functional heart complaints. His death is verified by medical documents clearly documenting bacterial endocarditis with evidence of coli bacteria caused by urological interventions with subsequent febrile episodes and pyelonephritis.

[Video presentations for examination questions in psychiatry : A pilot study]. / Videodarstellungen in psychiatrischen Prüfungsfragen : Eine Pilotstudie.

BACKGROUND: The master plan for medical studies 2020 (MM2020) aims at a restructuring of medical education. The examinations should represent the key element of the evaluation and electronically supported examination methods will be expanded. OBJECTIVE: Videos of actors displaying psychopathological phenomena were implemented into examination questions for the first time through the use of an electronically supported examination (e-examination) and therefore in accordance with the aims of MM2020. METHODS: A total of four multiple choice (MC) questions referencing short video representations of different psychopathological phenomena were formulated and shown to medical students within an e­examination. The MC questions were evaluated with respect to scientific quality criteria and the medical students were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding their evaluation of the content and format of the MC questions after participating in the examination. RESULTS: The MC video questions were presented to the students directly following the regular e­examination of the teaching module in psychiatry. Out of 69 students 60 participated in the study. The MC video questions had a high level of acceptance and positive evaluation by the students. With respect to the scientific quality criteria, the MC questions showed heterogeneous results. CONCLUSION: Due to the versatile applicability and high efficiency, MC questions will continue to play an important role in medical examinations. In accordance with the aims of MM2020, it could be shown that psychiatric knowledge can be examined in a competence-oriented manner and with a practical orientation by means of video presentations in an e­examination. A broader application of video presentations could complement electronically supported examinations in the discipline of psychiatry.

Resilience and coping strategies of undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State.

BACKGROUND: Medical studies place students at risk for burnout. Resilience enables students to cope with adversity. Students' coping skills will ensure the well-being of future healthcare professisonals. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated resilience and coping among undergraduate medical students. SETTING: Undergraduate students at the University of the Free State medical school. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed. Quantitative data regarding resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale), coping strategies (Brief COPE questionnaire) and relevant information were collected by means of an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Five hundred students (pre-clinical n = 270; clinical n = 230; approximately 62% female) participated. Most students self-reported high resilience (84.6% pre-clinical; 91.8% clinical). Mean resilience scores were 72.5 (pre-clinical) and 75.4 (clinical). Clinical students had higher resilience scores, while black, pre-clinical, first-generation and female students scored lower.Academic stress was most prominent (> 85%) and associated with lower resilience scores. Most students used adaptive coping strategies (e.g. instrumental or emotional support) associated with significantly increased resilience scores. Students who used dysfunctional strategies (e.g. substance abuse) had significantly lower resilience scores. CONCLUSION: Associations between resilience scores and year of study, gender, ethnicity, levels and type of stress varied. Academic pressure was a major source of stress. Adaptive coping strategies were associated with higher resilience scores.

Mental health and wellbeing among Moroccan medical students: a descriptive study.

Medical students are tomorrow's healthcare professionals (HCPs), and their role in the design and delivery of healthcare in the future is crucial. Following an invitation to participate in a global call on mental health and wellbeing among medical students, it was decided to include Moroccan medical students based in the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat between March 2019 and May 2019. Six hundred and thirty-seven medical students from the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat responded to the BMA (British Medical Association) online survey, with females representing 66% of students. Medical studies were considered the main source of stress by 90% of respondents. The CAGE test screened 5% of students to be at risk of alcohol related health problems. Thirteen per cent of respondents reported substance misuse, 20% consumed alcohol, and 13% reported Illicit drug use. Almost half of Moroccan medical students had minor psychiatric disorder according to GHQ-12. Very high rates of burnout were found among undergraduate medical students, at 93%, and 68% reported, respectively, exhaustion and disengagement. This study showed very high levels of burnout among Moroccan undergraduate medical students. These results draw attention to the poor mental wellbeing of medical students. It is important that careful steps are put in place to support medical students who need this help.

The importance of self-awareness: musings of a medical student.

OBJECTIVE: Self-awareness is essential for combating burnout, promoting self-care, and wellbeing in health professionals. This article examines modern day roadblocks to developing this skill in medical practice and highlights some simple solutions for consideration. CONCLUSION: The capacity for self-awareness is essential to the modern-day physician seeking a long and fulfilling career. Mindfulness meditation and reflective writing are two simple, proven methods that can be easily implemented into medical training.

[Quality criteria for academic assessments according to Kane's framework]. / Gütekriterien bei universitären Prüfungen im Lichte von Kanes Rahmenwerk.

Although the publication of the recommendations of GMA and MFT in 2014 concerning the improvement of assessment quality in medical education had been an important step for the German-speaking faculties, it is still necessary to increase the efforts. There are still some aspects of assessments which were only intimated by the recommendations.Kane's framework for the validation of tests, published in 2013, is of special importance for assessments within medical studies. But the application of this framework hasn't been consequent enough until now. The article tries to give an indirect, general answer to the question, what has to be considered, when assessments in medical education were planned.

[Medicine in the digital age : Telemedicine in medical school education]. / Medizin im digitalen Zeitalter : Telemedizin in der studentischen Lehre.

BACKGROUND: The increasing digitization of our lives and work has also reached medicine and is changing the profession of medical doctors. The modern forms of communication and cooperation in everyday medical practice demand new skills and qualifications. GOALS: To enable future doctors to comply with this digitally competent profile, an innovative blended learning curriculum was developed and first implemented at the University Medical Center Mainz in summer semester 2017-Medicine in the Digital Age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The teaching concept encompasses five modules, each consisting of an e­learning unit and a 3-hour classroom course. This publication presents the teaching concept, the initial implementation and evaluation of the module "Telemedicine". RESULTS: The competency development in the field of telemedicine showed a significant increase for the subcomponents "knowledge" and "skills". The neutral attitude towards telemedicine at the beginning of the module could be changed to a positive opinion after the session. DISCUSSION: The teaching of digital skills is a relevant component of future curriculum development in medical studies and also a challenge for continuing medical education.