Surgical Residents as Clerkship Scholars May Improve Student Perception of the Surgery Clerkship.

INTRODUCTION: The surgical clerkship is a formative experience in the medical school curriculum and can leave a lasting impression on students' perception of surgery. Given the historical negative stereotypes of surgeons, the clerkship represents an opportunity to impact students in a meaningful way. METHODS: Our institution developed a program in which research residents can serve as junior clerkship coordinators and educators; working closely with medical students on their surgery clerkship. At the end of their clerkship, students were administered a survey with Likert-scale and free text responses regarding satisfaction with the rotation, lectures, feedback, and value of the clerkship. Student survey results were compared before (2015-2016) and after (2017-2019) the implementation of the scholar program with nonparametric statistical analysis and qualitative text analysis. RESULTS: A total of 413 students responded to the survey with no significant difference in response rate by term (P = 0.88). We found no statistical difference with respect to overall course perception (92.3% versus 91.2%, P = 0.84), but a statistically significant difference was noted for the clarity of the provided written clerkship materials (80.3% versus 91.3%, P = 0.02) and usefulness of the feedback (57.5% versus 78.7%, P = 0.01). Qualitative analysis demonstrated an overall positive shift in perception of the clerkship, improvement in the course materials, and organization. CONCLUSIONS: The scholar program was overall well received by the students with improvements in certain aspects of the clerkship: organization, feedback, and course materials. This program represents a potential strategy to improve certain portions of the medical school clerkship experience.

Interests and Barriers to Medical Students Participation in a Dedicated Global Surgery Curriculum.

INTRODUCTION: Despite many institutions establishing global surgery (GS) programs to support clinical care and education in resource-limited settings, few have established a specific curriculum in GS. This study's objective was to assess medical student interest in such a curriculum and prospects for future careers in GS/global health (GH), and to define the barriers to pursuing an international rotation. METHODS: We conducted an anonymous online survey of all 495 medical students at a major academic medical center in the mid-South that collected demographic data, country of origin, interest in a GS/GH elective, and barriers to pursuing a GS/GH rotation abroad. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Prior international experience increased the likelihood of a student's involvement in GS/GH and more preclinical (years 1 & 2) students (90%) than clinical students. (years 3 & 4) (70%) felt strongly about the value of a GS/GH experience. Of the 163 students who completed the survey, 80% expressed interest in a GS/GH elective, with preclinical students expressing more interest (90%) than clinical students (71%). This interest strongly correlated with an interest in pursuing a career in GH (94%) and/or GS (100%). Identified barriers to engagement in a GS/GH experience abroad included financing (74%), scheduling (58%), family obligations (23%), and personal safety (19%). CONCLUSIONS: The students we surveyed were very interested in a GS/GH curriculum that included a rotation abroad, especially if they were to receive financial support. Preclinical students expressed more willingness to self-fund such experiences. The findings of this survey further strengthen the need to incorporate GS/GH in medical school curricula.

Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery resident and medical school characteristics: Current paradigm amidst changing application criteria.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of current US Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (Oto-HNS) residents and their medical school. METHODS: Data were manually collected between Dec 2022 and Jan 2023 for 1649 residents attending 163 US-based ACGME accredited Oto-HNS residency programs, reflecting the 2018-2022 cohort. All data were collected from publicly available sources including residency and medical school program websites, web of science, and professional networking sites (ex: LinkedIn, Doximity). Data were analyzed to determine the "feeder" schools which contributed the greatest number and percent of residents. Using univariable linear regression models, we characterized factors which were associated with feeder school status. RESULTS: Of 1649 residents analyzed, 364 (22 %) matched to their home program and 918 (56 %) stayed in the region of their medical school. The median [IQR] number of published papers and abstracts was 5 [3, 9] with an h-index of 2 [1,4]. Factors associated with producing a greater percent of Oto-HNS residents include presence of an interest group, presence of a home program, USNWR research rank of the medical school, Doximity reputation rank of the home residency program, average pre-residency h-index of the school's graduates, and total NIH research funding (each p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the changing landscape of residency applications after the USMLE Step 1 exam's transition in January 2022 to pass/fail scoring, it is important to objectively characterize current Oto-HNS residents. Findings from this study will inform prospective residents and residency programs seeking to improve access to Oto-HNS. Future small-scale studies may help further identify driving factors within medical school curricula.

Support of parenting in undergraduate medical training in New Zealand.

PURPOSE: This research assessed support for parents studying undergraduate medicine at a New Zealand medical school and identified requirements for additional support. METHOD: Support documentation was sourced from Student Affairs and university and medical school websites. The Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand Medical Students Outcome and Longitudinal tracking Project was retrospectively examined for data specific to medical student parents. Student parents and medical school staff were also surveyed for their knowledge and perceptions around organisation and effectiveness of available support, and suggestions for additional support. RESULTS: Parents and expectant parents formed a consistent, likely growing sub-group studying medicine from 2008 to 2020, yet no formal student parent support policy existed until 2019. Prior to this, 67% of student parents and 47% of staff lacked knowledge of available support. Since 2020, calls for greater visibility of parenting policies and flexibility in the curriculum have been operationalised by the medical school. CONCLUSION: Formalising policies and procedures, maximising access to parenting support resources and introducing flexibility in medical curricula can help students balancing families and medical training. This is relevant for sustainability of medicine as a career option for medical students wanting children, especially considering over half of all medical students are female.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer health-related educational experiences in undergraduate medical curricula among Thai medical schools (LEAD-IN).

PURPOSE: In Thailand, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) individuals face significant health disparities and discrimination in healthcare. A primary cause is the lack of knowledge among doctors and their negative attitudes towards LGBTQ people. The purpose of this study was to explore the current undergraduate medical curricula of medical schools in Thailand concerning learning outcomes, contents, teaching and learning methods, and assessment methods in the field of LGBTQ health. It also sought to gather opinions from principal stakeholders in curriculum development. METHODS: The authors employed a mixed-methods approach with a convergent design to conduct the research. Quantitative data were collected from 23 deputy deans of educational affairs using a standardized interview form, and qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including 16 LGBTQ healthcare receivers, 22 medical students, and three medical teachers. Both datasets were analyzed simultaneously to ensure consistency. RESULTS: The findings indicate that none of the medical schools had established learning objectives related to LGBTQ healthcare within their curricula. Of the institutions surveyed, 8 out of 15 (53.3%) offered some form of teaching on this topic, aligning with the qualitative data which showed 7 out of 17 institutions (41.2%) provided such education. The most frequently covered topics were gender identity and sexual orientation. Lectures were the predominant teaching method, while multiple-choice questions were the most common assessment format. There was a unanimous agreement among all principal stakeholders on the necessity of integrating LGBTQ healthcare into the M.D. program and the professional standards governed by the Thai Medical Council. CONCLUSIONS: Although some Thai medical schools have begun to incorporate LGBTQ health into their curricula, the approach does not fully address the actual health issues faced by LGBTQ individuals. Future teaching should emphasize fostering positive attitudes towards LGBTQ people and enhancing communication skills, rather than focusing solely on the cognitive aspects of terminology. Importantly, medical educators should serve as role models in providing competent and compassionate care for LGBTQ patients.

Medical education in Mongolia: Challenges and opportunities.

In the early twentieth century, Mongolia saw the establishment of Western medicine and educational system, supplementing its pre-existing history of eastern medicine. As a lower-middle-income country with vast landmass and low population density, Mongolia's medical education landscape has evolved significantly. The inception of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences in 1942 marked a pivotal moment, initiating the modern era of medical sciences and specialized training programs in the country. Initially shaped by Soviet Union-styled medical curriculum, the system has undergone substantial reform since the constitutional shift to a market economy in the 1990s. This transformation aligned the curriculum with international standards and modern educational approach, focusing on producing skilled medical professionals. Presently, over 10 public and private institutions of higher education in Mongolia provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate training for medical training. These institutions vary in student enrollment, teaching staff, learning environments, and program models, contributing to the diverse landscape of medical education in the country.

Should we be concerned? A qualitative study of educators' perceptions of medical student wellbeing in domestic violence training.

INTRODUCTION: Domestic violence (DV) is common in the Australian community so it is likely that there will be medical students who are affected personally by DV. Some of these students may find DV training confronting or even re-traumatising. A trauma-informed medical education (TIME) framework utilising trauma-informed care principles may minimise this risk to students. We aimed to explore educators' perceptions of student well-being in Australian medical school DV training. METHOD: This descriptive qualitative study interviewed 13 educators with experience teaching DV in Australian medical schools using an interpretivist methodology and a TIME framework. Interview data was thematically analysed to identify themes. RESULTS: Four key themes included (1) educators thrown in at the deep end; (2) keeping students emotionally safe; (3) a trauma-informed learning environment and; (4) challenges of student DV disclosures. Few of the participants had received training in DV. Educators used methods such as trigger warnings and ground rules to improve student's emotional safety. Experienced educators dealt with disclosures of DV by students which led to role confusion. DISCUSSION: There is a need for increased training of medical educators that includes awareness and implementation of TIME principles when training medical students in DV as well as increased supports and resources for educators.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire" - the UKFPO's recent changes are a short-sighted response to a complicated problem.

In June 2023, the UK Foundation Programme Office announced that the previous method of ranking students based on their educational performance measure and situational judgement test performance would be superseded by a preferencing algorithm that disregards academic merit. We outline our strong objections to this policy.

Students' and junior doctors' perspectives on radiology education in medical school: a qualitative study in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: Modern medicine becomes more dependent on radiologic imaging techniques. Over the past decade, radiology has also gained more attention in the medical curricula. However, little is known with regard to students' perspectives on this subject. Therefore, this study aims to gain insight into the thoughts and ideas of medical students and junior doctors on radiology education in medical curricula. METHODS: A qualitative, descriptive study was carried out at one medical university in the Netherlands. Participants were recruited on social media and were interviewed following a predefined topic list. The constant comparative method was applied in order to include new questions when unexpected topics arose during the interviews. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded. Codes were organized into categories and themes by discussion between researchers. RESULTS: Fifteen participants (nine junior doctors and six students) agreed to join. From the coded interviews, four themes derived from fifteen categories arose: (1) The added value of radiology education in medical curricula, (2) Indispensable knowledge on radiology, (3) Organization of radiology education and (4) Promising educational innovations for the radiology curriculum. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that medical students and junior doctors value radiology education. It provides insights in educational topics and forms for educational improvement for radiology educators.

What are the perceptions of faculty and academic leaders regarding the impact of accreditation on the continuous quality improvement process of undergraduate medical education programs at Caribbean medical schools?

BACKGROUND: Accreditation and regulation are meant for quality assurance in higher education. However, there is no guarantee that accreditation ensures quality improvement. The accreditation for Caribbean medical schools varies from island to island, and it could be mandatory or voluntary, depending on local government requirements. Caribbean medical schools recently attained accreditation status to meet the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) requirements by 2024. Literature suggests that accreditation impacts ECFMG certification rates and medical schools' educational processes. However, no such study has examined accreditation's impact on continuous quality improvement (CQI) in medical schools. This study aims to gather the perceptions and experiences of faculty members and academic leaders regarding the impact of accreditation on CQI across Caribbean medical schools. METHODS: This qualitative phenomenological study inquiries about the perceptions and experiences of faculty and academic leaders regarding accreditation's impact on CQI. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview method. Fifteen participants were interviewed across ten Caribbean medical schools representing accredited medical schools, accreditation denied medical schools, and schools that never applied for accreditation. Interviews were audio recorded, and thematic data analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Thematic analysis yielded six themes, including accreditation and CQI, CQI irrespective of accreditation, faculty engagement and faculty empowerment in the CQI process, collecting and sharing data, ECFMG 2024 requirements, and organizational structure of CQI. CONCLUSIONS: There is ongoing quality improvement at Caribbean medical schools, as perceived by faculty members and academic leaders. However, most of the change process is happening because of accreditation, and the quality improvement is due to external push such as accreditation rather than internal motivation. It is recommended that Caribbean medical schools promote internal quality improvement irrespective of accreditation and embrace the culture of CQI.

The role of medical schools in UK students' career intentions: findings from the AIMS study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate differences in students' career intentions between UK medical schools. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, mixed-methods online survey. SETTING: The primary study included all 44 UK medical schools, with this analysis comprising 42 medical schools. PARTICIPANTS: Ten thousand four hundred eighty-six UK medical students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Career intentions of medical students, focusing on differences between medical schools. Secondary outcomes included variation in medical students' satisfaction with a prospective career in the NHS, by medical school. RESULTS: 2.89% of students intended to leave medicine altogether, with Cambridge Medical School having the highest proportion of such respondents. 32.35% of respondents planned to emigrate for practice, with Ulster medical students being the most likely. Of those intending to emigrate, the University of Central Lancashire saw the highest proportion stating no intentions to return. Cardiff Medical School had the greatest percentage of students intending to assume non-training clinical posts after completing FY2. 35.23% of participating medical students intended to leave the NHS within 2 years of graduating, with Brighton and Sussex holding the highest proportion of these respondents. Only 17.26% were satisfied with the prospect of working in the NHS, with considerable variation nationally; Barts and the London medical students had the highest rates of dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals variability in students' career sentiment across UK medical schools, emphasising the need for attention to factors influencing these trends. A concerning proportion of students intend to exit the NHS within 2 years of graduating, with substantial variation between institutions. Students' intentions may be shaped by various factors, including curriculum focus and recruitment practices. It is imperative to re-evaluate these aspects within medical schools, whilst considering the wider national context, to improve student perceptions towards an NHS career. Future research should target underlying causes for these disparities to facilitate improvements to career satisfaction and retention.

Characterization of content associated with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer individuals in Chilean medical schools: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and other sexual and gender identities (LGBTIQ+) individuals face health inequities. Additionally, medical students report a lack of confidence in providing specific health care to LGBTIQ + individuals, and medical schools do not offer the breadth and depth of coverage needed to fully prepare and make them comfortable in caring for these individuals. This study aims to characterize the teaching of curricular content related to LGBTIQ + health issues in medical schools in Chile. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive mixed-methods study based on a 15-question survey sent to school directors of the 24 medical schools in Chile, conducted between October 2020 and July 2021. The questions included in the study were mostly based on two pre-existing questionnaires covering content, assessment methods, and identification of barriers to teaching this content. RESULTS: The validated questionnaire was answered by 14 of 24 Chilean medical schools, with 11 schools (78.9%) declaring that they included some training in their curriculum. The predominant range of time allocated to LGBTIQ + training in medical programs was between 1 and 5 h. The most addressed topics were HIV (92.85%), sexual orientation (78.57%), and chronic disease risk in LGBTIQ + populations (78.57%). Most schools, accounting for 71.5%, considered the content they delivered to be "moderately insufficient" or "insufficient". Regarding the teaching methodologies, the most used were lectures (92.8%), clinical cases (42.9%), and clinical simulation (28.6%). CONCLUSION: Most surveyed medical schools reported curricular spaces dedicated to teaching health issues of LGBTIQ + individuals, primarily during the pre-internship training period. However, the time allocated is insufficient, and there is little approach to topics beyond the patient's sexual history or sexual orientation. Given the crucial role of medical schools, they must adopt both local and national strategies to enrich training focused on the care of LGBTIQ + patients.

Perceptions and experiences of undergraduate medical students regarding social accountability: a cross-sectional study at a Subsaharan African medical school.

BACKGROUND: Medical schools are called to be socially accountable by medical education and healthcare system stakeholders. Social accountability is a feature of excellent medical education. Medical students are essential to the development of socially accountable medical schools. Therefore, understanding the perceptions and experiences of medical students regarding social accountability is critical for efforts to improve social accountability practices and outcomes. METHODS: This cross-sectional online questionnaire-based survey used Google Forms and involved medical students in their fourth and fifth years of study at the Makerere University School of Medicine. The survey was conducted between September 2022 and October 2023. We used a study questionnaire and a validated toolkit designed by students as part of The Training for Health Equity Collaborative to gauge a school's progress towards social accountability in medical schools to collect data on demographics, perceptions and experiences and evaluate social accountability. RESULTS: Out of 555 eligible medical students, 426 responded to the online questionnaire. The response rate was 77%. The mean age of the students was 25.24 ± 4.4 years. Almost three fourths of the students were male (71.3%), and slightly less than two thirds were in their fourth year of study (65%). Almost half of the students (48.1%%) evaluated the school as doing well with regard to social accountability. The evaluation items referring to community-based research and positive impact on the community had the highest mean scores. Only 6 (3.6%) students who reported hearing of social accountability had a clear understanding of social accountability. Students receiving career guidance in secondary school was associated with evaluating social accountability in the medical school as strong (p-0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Medical students evaluated the medical school favorably forsocial accountability despite lacking a clear understanding of social accountability. Receiving career guidance in secondary school was significantly associated with a positive evaluation of social accountability.

Exploring challenges and perceptions in the learning environment: an online qualitative study of medical students.

BACKGROUND: The teaching and learning environment (TLE) in medical schools is critical for shaping the outcomes and competencies of graduates. Research on TLE has highlighted its influence on student learning approaches and outcomes, yet gaps remain, particularly in qualitative insights, especially in Saudi Arabian contexts. This study aims to explore the students' experiences and perceptions of the TLE in a new medical college. METHODS: This qualitative study consisted of a total of five focus group discussions (3consequtive sessions for male group and two for female group) conducted virtually using the Zoom videoconferencing application. All the discussion sessions took place during a lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic between December 2020 and February 2021. Each session lasted for 45-60 min. Each group was formed of 4-5 students from different academic levels in the Majmaah medical school, which was established 10 years ago and is located in a small city. After "verbatim transcription" of the sessions was made, a framework thematic analysis of the data was performed using the NVivo software. RESULTS: The study results revealed that various elements, such as educational content, faculty roles, and personal factors, collectively influenced the students' educational experiences. The students valued educational relevance and autonomous decision-making. The multifunctional role of faculty as mentors, evaluators, and resource providers was considered essential in enhancing academic experiences. Additionally, there was an evident need to improve the physical learning environment and facilities to adapt to emerging educational needs. These results align with existing literature, emphasizing the integration of theory and practice and the significant impact of faculty roles in academic experiences. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that medical colleges should involve students more in decision-making related to their education and ensure the practical relevance of the educational content. Establishing open communication channels between students and faculty who act as mentors and evaluators is also essential. Furthermore, enhancing supportive infrastructures, such as mental health and financial services, and promoting extracurricular activities are crucial for fostering a more effective and nurturing learning environment.

The effects of language proficiency and awareness of time limit in animated vs. text-based situational judgment tests.

BACKGROUND: Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) are commonly used in medical school admissions. However, it has been consistently found that native speakers tend to score higher on SJTs than non-native speakers, which can be particularly problematic in the admission context due to the potential risk of limited fairness. Besides type of SJT, awareness of time limit may play a role in subgroup differences in the context of cognitive load theory. This study examined the influence of SJT type and awareness of time limit against the background of language proficiency in a quasi high-stakes setting. METHODS: Participants (N = 875), applicants and students in healthcare-related study programs, completed an online study that involved two SJTs: one with a text-based stimulus and response format (HAM-SJT) and another with a video-animated stimulus and media-supported response format (Social Shapes Test, SST). They were randomly assigned to a test condition in which they were either informed about a time limit or not. In a multilevel model analysis, we examined the main effects and interactions of the predictors (test type, language proficiency and awareness of time limit) on test performance (overall, response percentage). RESULTS: There were significant main effects on overall test performance for language proficiency in favor of native speakers and for awareness of time limit in favor of being aware of the time limit. Furthermore, an interaction between language proficiency and test type was found, indicating that subgroup differences are smaller for the animated SJT than for the text-based SJT. No interaction effects on overall test performance were found that included awareness of time limit. CONCLUSION: A SJT with video-animated stimuli and a media-supported response format can reduce subgroup differences in overall test performance between native and non-native speakers in a quasi high-stakes setting. Awareness of time limit is equally important for high and low performance, regardless of language proficiency or test type.

Exploring medical and nursing students' perceptions about a patient safety course: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Educating health professionals on patient safety can potentially reduce healthcare-associated harm. Patient safety courses have been incorporated into medical and nursing curricula in many high-income countries and their impact has been demonstrated in the literature through objective assessments. This study aimed to explore student perceptions about a patient safety course to assess its influence on aspiring health professionals at a personal level as well as to explore differences in areas of focus between medical and nursing students. METHODS: A dedicated patient safety course was introduced for year III medical and year II and IV nursing students at the Aga Khan University (2021-2022). As part of a post-course assessment, 577 participating students (184 medical and 393 nursing) wrote reflections on the course, detailing its influence on them. These free-text responses were thematically analyzed using NVivo. RESULTS: The findings revealed five major themes: acquired skills (clinical, interpersonal), understanding of medical errors (increased awareness, prevention and reduction, responding to errors), personal experiences with patient safety issues, impact of course (changed perceptions, professional integrity, need for similar sessions, importance of the topic) and course feedback (format, preparation for clinical years, suggestions). Students reported a lack of baseline awareness regarding the frequency and consequences of medical errors. After the course, medical students reported a perceptional shift in favor of systems thinking regarding error causality, and nursing students focused on human factors and error prevention. The interactive course format involving scenario-based learning was deemed beneficial in terms of increasing awareness, imparting relevant clinical and interpersonal skills, and changing perspectives on patient safety. CONCLUSIONS: Student perspectives illustrate the benefits of an early introduction of dedicated courses in imparting patient safety education to aspiring health professionals. Students reported a lack of baseline awareness of essential patient safety concepts, highlighting gaps in the existing curricula. This study can help provide an impetus for incorporating patient safety as a core component in medical and nursing curricula nationally and across the region. Additionally, patient safety courses can be tailored to emphasize areas identified as gaps among each professional group, and interprofessional education can be employed for shared learning. The authors further recommend conducting longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impact of such courses.

A comparison of rural and regional work locations and speciality choices between graduates from the University of Wollongong and all Australian medical schools using the Medical Schools Outcomes Database.

INTRODUCTION: The shortfall in medical workers in rural and remote Australia has led to health discrepancies in these regions. The University of Wollongong's medical program was designed to encourage graduates to work in these regions to address this shortfall. OBJECTIVE: To compare rural and regional locations of work and choices of speciality between University of Wollongong's graduates and graduates from all Australian universities. DESIGN: We conducted a longitudinal analysis on data available from the Medical Schools Outcome database, with graduate exit surveys linked to registrations of location and speciality. Rural and remote locations were identified as MM2-7 regions using the Modified Monash Model. In total, 716 graduates from the University of Wollongong and 26 915 graduates from all Australian medical schools completed the MSOD exit survey in 2010-2021 and registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in 2022. The main outcome was the relative likelihood (relative risk) of cohorts working in rural and regional areas and of cohorts choosing general practice as their speciality. FINDINGS: University of Wollongong's medical graduates were 1.51 times or 51% more likely to work in regional or rural areas (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.71, p < 0.0001). Respondents who were 10 or more years post graduation were 1.57 times or 57% more likely to specialise in general practice than all other Australian medical graduates (RR 1.57 95% CI: 1.40 to 1.79, p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION: The University of Wollongong's medical school is producing graduates to meet Australia's rural health workforce needs. This may be due to a higher intake of rural students, and a higher percentage of students taking rural placements. CONCLUSIONS: Rural health workforce needs can be addressed through rural-focussed education strategies.

Plastic Surgery Teaching to United Kingdom Undergraduate Medical Students: A Systematic Review.

Background There are varying reports about United Kingdom medical students' exposure and teaching methods regarding plastic and reconstructive surgery. To date, no systematic review has been done looking at this topic. Methods Three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Medline) were searched from January 1, 2011 to July 20, 2023 for studies that assessed United Kingdom medical students' exposure to plastic surgery and suggested recommendations to improve teaching. Three authors performed data extraction and screening, as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Fifteen studies were included. Medical students' average current exposure to plastic surgery was 29.44%, but this was highly variable across the studies. The most common method of currently teaching plastic surgery was through lectures (34% of studies), and the most common suggested method of teaching was through courses (40% of studies). Many of the studies (12/15) were deemed as being at high risk of bias. Conclusion More recent studies need to be performed to assess current levels of teaching of plastic surgery in the United Kingdom medical school curriculum. Greater exposure to plastic surgery through lectures and integrated clinical placements is needed to ensure equitable access for all medical students to plastic surgery as a profession.

Enhancing student understanding of rheumatic disease pathologies through augmented reality: findings from a multicentre trial.

OBJECTIVE: The possibility of combining real and virtual environments is driving the increased use of augmented reality (AR) in education, including medical training. The aim of this multicentre study was to evaluate the students' perspective on the AR-based Rheumality GO!® app as a new teaching concept, presenting six real anonymised patient cases with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). METHODS: The study encompassed 347 undergraduate medical students (232 women and 115 men) from four medical universities in Germany (Jena, Bad Nauheim/Gießen, Nuremberg, Erlangen). The course was divided into a theoretical refresher lecture followed by six AR-based cases in each of the three indications presented in the Rheumality GO!® app. All participants evaluated the course after completion, assessing the benefit of the app from a student´s perspective using a questionnaire with 16 questions covering six subject areas. RESULTS: The use of the AR-based app Rheumality GO!® improved the understanding of pathologies in RA, PsA, and axSpA for 99% of the participants. For 98% of respondents, the concept of AR with real patient data has made a positive impact on the teaching environment. On the other hand, 82% were in favour of the use of virtual tools (e.g. AR) in addition to this conventional approach. CONCLUSION: The results of our survey showed that from medical students' perspective, an AR-based concept like the Rheumality GO!® app can complement rheumatology teaching in medical school as an effective and attractive tool though not replace bedside teaching.

Can US Medical Schools Teach About Structural Racism?

Policy Points There need to be sweeping changes to medical school curricula that addresses structural racism in medicine and how to attend to this in medical practice. The Liaison Committee on Medical Education should develop and promulgate specific learning objectives and curricular offerings that require medical schools to teach about structural racism and antiracist medical practice in ways that are robust and standardized. The federal government, through the Health Resources and Services Administration, should prioritize support for antiracism education in medical schools, residency, and continuing medical education in similar ways and with similar effort in scale and scope to its support for primary care, providing technical assistance and grants for programs across the educational spectrum that provide antiracist training. State governments should mandate, as part of continuing education requirements for physicians, 2 or more hours per recertification cycle of antiracist training. CONTEXT: Since the beginning of COVID-19 and the rise of social justice movements sparked by the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the summer of 2020, many medical schools have made public statements committing themselves to become antiracist institutions. The notions that US society generally, and medicine, are rife with structural racism no longer seems as controversial in the academic community. Challenges remain, however, in how this basic understanding gets translated into medical education practice. Understanding where the profession must go should start with understanding where we currently are. METHODS: Prior to the events of 2020, in the spring of 2018, we conducted nine key informant interviews to learn about the challenges and best practices from schools deemed to be positive deviants in teaching about structural racism. FINDINGS: Our interviews showed that even those schools deemed positive deviants in the amount of teaching done about structural racism faced significant barriers in providing a robust education. CONCLUSIONS: Significant structural change, perhaps far beyond what most schools consider themselves willing and able to engage in, will be necessary if future US physicians are to fully understand and address structural racism as it affects their profession, their practice, and their patients.