Pilot qualitative exploration of the impact of community asset mapping within the undergraduate psychiatry curriculum at an Irish medical school
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SUBMITTER: Edwards G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC11344508 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundIt has been suggested that medical students wish to focus their learning in psychiatry on general skills that are applicable to all doctors. This study seeks to establish what aspects of psychiatry students perceive to be relevant to their future careers and what psychiatric knowledge and skills they consider to be important. It is relevant to consider whether these expectations about learning needs vary prior to and post-placement in psychiatry. To what extent these opinions should influence curriculum development needs to be assessed.MethodsA questionnaire was distributed to medical students before they commenced their psychiatry placement and after they had completed it. The questionnaire considered the relevance of psychiatry to their future careers, the relevance of particular knowledge and skills, the utility of knowledge of psychiatric specialties and the utility of different settings for learning psychiatry.ResultsThe students felt skills relevant to all doctors, such as assessment of suicide risk, were more important than more specialist psychiatric skills, such as the management of schizophrenia. They felt that knowledge of how psychiatric illnesses present in general practice was important and it was a useful setting in which to learn psychiatry. They thought that conditions that are commonly seen in the general hospital are important and that liaison psychiatry was useful.ConclusionTwo ways that medical students believe their teaching can be made more relevant to their future careers are highlighted in this study. Firstly, there is a need to focus on scenarios which students will commonly encounter in their initial years of employment. Secondly, psychiatry should be better integrated into the overall curriculum, with the opportunity for teaching in different settings. However, when developing curricula the need to listen to what students believe they should learn needs to be balanced against the necessity of teaching the fundamentals and principles of a speciality.
| S-EPMC2383892 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPrograms such as mini-medical school programs have been implemented to introduce students to the medical school curriculum through a series of lectures in foundational sciences and healthcare topics. Since 2013, the UNC School of Medicine (SOM) has offered the Introduction to Clinical Medicine for Undergraduates (ICMU) course as an opportunity for UNC undergraduate students to be introduced to the medical school curriculum and integrated into the introductory clinical skills curriculum. This study explored the relationship between experiences from taking this course, pursuit of further education in healthcare professions, and preparedness for future clinical courses.MethodsAn anonymous survey was distributed to all students who took the ICMU course at UNC-Chapel Hill as an undergraduate from 2013 to present. The locally developed survey consisted of 13 scaled questions asking about their experiences in the course and decisions to pursue further healthcare professional education. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics.ResultsRespondents perceived the experience increased their confidence and preparedness for future clinical courses in the competency measures of taking a patient history, performing a physical examination, and developing a differential diagnosis. Inclusion of students in the clinical skills course was significantly associated with their confidence going into their health professions school of choice (p = .002). Additionally, exposure to UNC SOM students, faculty, and culture was found to play a role in students choosing to attend UNC SOM.ConclusionIntegration of undergraduate students into the medical school curriculum has motivated continued pursuit of education in a healthcare profession.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01449-x.
| S-EPMC8814137 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates investment in high-quality undergraduate education in geriatric medicine as a means of meeting the future needs of the aging population. However, there is a lack of evidence for the optimal delivery of training in this area. Rigorous pedagogical research is required to determine the most effective way to equip tomorrow's doctors with the skills and knowledge to care for older adults with complex health and social care needs. The transition between two undergraduate medical curricula meant that Bristol Medical School (BMS) was uniquely positioned to innovate and evaluate undergraduate education in geriatric medicine. This transition marked BMS' departure from a 'traditional' curriculum to case-based learning. The outgoing curriculum included a 4-week unit in geriatrics, whilst the new programme includes an 18-week clerkship titled 'Complex Medicine in Older People' (CMOP). CMOP is a clinical clerkship with 18 cases at its core, covering the fundamental aspects of geriatric medicine. The core cases and clinical learning are enhanced with five expert lectures, six tutorials and three journal clubs. Reflective practice is modelled and promoted with Balint groups and a book club. Consolidative workplace-based assessments and clinical portfolio mirror those used in postgraduate training, preparing students for professional practice. CMOP is iteratively improved in real-time using staff and student feedback. This marked shift in mode and duration of teaching affords the opportunity to evaluate the impact of differing education in geriatrics, providing an evidence-based model for teaching on aging.
| S-EPMC9451112 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIn 2017, the Bipartisan Policy Center called for inclusion of lifestyle medicine (LM) in undergraduate medical education. Recognizing the requirement that lifestyle medicine should be an integral and integrated part of the curriculum, we undertook an in-depth mapping process to determine the extent of LM teaching at our Faculty, staff perceptions and the impact on medical students.MethodsThe study utilized mixed methodology. In Phase 1 (Mapping) structured analysis of course syllabi were conducted followed by observation of teaching sessions throughout the pre-clinical and clinical years, recording content, the degree of coverage, and time allocated to LM Medicine. In Phase 2 (Impact and perceptions), students' attitudes and confidence in LM counselling were ascertained by questionnaire (scale 1-4) on completion of second and fourth year of studies. Interviews were conducted with course coordinators.ResultsPhase 1: Students received 58 hours of LM teaching, 49 hours pre-clinical and 9 clinical; 42 hours were dedicated to theoretical knowledge and 16 hours to teaching practical skills related to lifestyle behavior change. Nutrition received the most attention (18 hours), alcohol, sleep, smoking and sexuality the least. On completion of the internal medicine rotation, students (n = 48) agreed that LM guidance should be part of the physician's role and that patients expected their physicians to be role models (mean ± sd; 3.4 ± 0.7). Students were fairly confident about providing general LM counselling (3.3 ± 1.1); but less so for exercise (3.0 ± 1.2), nutrition (2.7 ± 1.1), stress (2.5 ± 1.0), sleep (2.2 ± 1.2), and sexuality (2.1 ± 1.2). Staff recognized the importance of LM but reported time limitations and the need to bring in external experts to teach LM as challenges.ConclusionsReal-time mapping of teaching is a valuable way to ascertain teaching in practice. Based on our mapping process, redesign of curricula is needed to integrate more competency-based, experiential teaching, particularly in the clinical years.
| S-EPMC9769064 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Recent advances in genomics and structural biology have resulted in an unprecedented increase in biological data available from Internet-accessible databases. In order to help students effectively use this vast repository of information, undergraduate biology students at Drake University were introduced to bioinformatics software and databases in three courses, beginning with an introductory course in cell biology. The exercises and projects that were used to help students develop literacy in bioinformatics are described. In a recently offered course in bioinformatics, students developed their own simple sequence analysis tool using the Perl programming language. These experiences are described from the point of view of the instructor as well as the students. A preliminary assessment has been made of the degree to which students had developed a working knowledge of bioinformatics concepts and methods. Finally, some conclusions have been drawn from these courses that may be helpful to instructors wishing to introduce bioinformatics within the undergraduate biology curriculum.
| S-EPMC256976 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Financial barriers and limited cooking facilities are major obstacles to healthy dietary practices among the homeless population. Homelessness is currently at crisis point and up-to-date evidence from multiple stakeholders is needed to address dietary inequalities. The aim of this study was to understand dietary practices, barriers to healthy eating within homeless services from multiple perspectives. Twelve service users and five healthcare and social service providers participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Four themes were identified which included: lack of control over diet and food supply; sources of food for the homeless population; practical barriers to good nutrition; and the impact of diet on emotional and physical wellbeing. Frequent consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods was reported. Food insecurity resulted in perceived depressive symptoms and stress. Barriers to healthy diet included financial constraints and a lack of access to cooking and storage facilities. Our study highlights low levels of food skills and healthy eating knowledge among service users and service providers. In order to address diet-related health disparities, health promotion initiatives should be targeted at building healthy public policy in relation to diet and nutrition and developing food skills with members of this population and service providers.
| S-EPMC9738806 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionQuality improvement (QI) is an increasingly important aspect of health care and residency education. There is relatively little research describing QI curricula for residents in psychiatry. Although QI curricula have been published in MedEdPORTAL, the current resource represents the first such curriculum specific to psychiatry residents. This resource aims to present a QI curriculum for psychiatry residents.MethodsThe University of Wisconsin psychiatry residency program implemented a QI curriculum for our PGY 3 psychiatry residents in 2010. The initial version of the curriculum has undergone marked changes over the ensuing years, reflecting feedback received from learners and faculty instructors, as well as ongoing review of the literature, to ascertain best practices in this area of medical education. Steps taken have included faculty training, development of evaluation forms, and implementation of elements to increase accountability for successful, sustainable project development.ResultsDuring the 8 completed years of this curriculum, 77 PGY 3 psychiatry residents have completed it. The Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool adapted for psychiatry was completed by PGY 3 residents in advance of and upon completion of the curriculum for the first 2 years of the curriculum; results demonstrated a significant improvement in scores as a measurement of QI knowledge and skills. Thirty-one of 32 resident teams (97%) have implemented a QI project.DiscussionOur QI curriculum for PGY 3 psychiatry residents has been successful in equipping residents with QI knowledge and having them implement QI projects.
| S-EPMC7012317 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesFew medical schools incorporate formal education on human trafficking (HT) and sex trafficking (ST) into their curriculum. Our objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate education on HT and ST in the first-year medical student curriculum.MethodsThe curriculum included a standardized patient (SP) experience and lecture. As part of their mandatory sexual health course, students interviewed an SP who presented with red flags for ST and then participated in a discussion led by a physician-facilitator in an observed small group setting. A multiple-choice survey to assess knowledge about HT and ST was developed and administered to students before and after the SP interview.ResultsOf the 50 first-year medical students, 29 (58%) participated in the survey. Compared with the students' baseline scores (according to the percentage of correct responses), scores after the educational intervention showed a significant increase in percentage correct on questions related to trafficking definition and scope (elder care, P = .01; landscaping, P = .03); victim identification (P < .001); referral to services (P < .001); legal issues (P = .01); and security (P < .001). On the basis of the feedback, a 2-hour lecture, which was adapted from the American Medical Women's Association-Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans "Learn to Identify and Fight Trafficking" training, was presented the next year to all first-year medical students as part of their longitudinal clinical skills course and before the SP case. Curriculum objectives included learning trafficking definitions, victim/survivor identification, intersections with health care, the local impact of HT, and available resources.ConclusionThis curriculum fulfills course objectives and could be replicated at other institutions. Further evaluation of this pilot curriculum is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness.
| S-EPMC10265360 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe teaching of palliative care competencies is an essential component of undergraduate medical education. There is significant variance in the palliative care content delivered in undergraduate medical curricula, revealing the utility of reference standards to guide curricular development and assessment. To evaluate our university's undergraduate palliative care teaching, we undertook a curriculum mapping exercise, comparing official learning objectives to the national Educating Future Physicians in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EFPPEC) and the international Palliative Education Assessment Tool (PEAT) reference objectives.MethodsMultiple assessors independently compared our university's UGME learning objectives with EFPPEC and PEAT reference objectives to determine the degree-of-coverage. Visual curriculum maps were created to depict in which part of the curriculum each objective is delivered and by which medical specialty.ResultsOf 122 EFPPEC objectives, 55 (45.1%) were covered fully, 42 (34.4%) were covered partially, and 25 (20.5%) were not covered by university objectives. Of 89 PEAT objectives, 40 (44.9%) were covered fully, 35 (39.3%) were covered partially, and 14 (15.7%) were not covered by university objectives.ConclusionsThe majority of EFPPEC and PEAT reference objectives are fully or partially covered in our university's undergraduate medical curriculum. Our approach could serve as a guide for others who endeavour to review their universities' specialty-specific medical education against reference objectives. Future curriculum development should target the elimination of identified gaps and evaluate the attainment of palliative care competencies by medical learners.
| S-EPMC10836050 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionSimulation is increasingly becoming more common in dental curricula as an adjunct to clinical skills labs across many higher education institutions. This study seeks to explore whether the current learning objectives constructively align with our current haptics simulation curriculum - in the specific context of how well they are being met by year 1 undergraduate dental students.MethodThe study incorporated a mixed methods approach to evaluate a module already taking place, which was completed from the perspectives of both the investigators and the students themselves through the triangulation of noninterventional classroom observational data, anonymous Likert-scale questionnaire data, and a literature review. Following data analysis (namely content analysis, coding systems, and descriptive statistics), the quantitative and qualitative findings were used to explore student performance in regard to each of the defined learning objectives - and subsequently related back to the current literature on 'constructive alignment' (CA).ResultsStudents were generally successful in meeting the majority of defined learning objectives, although some consistent areas of weakness were noted. These shortcomings facilitated recommendations for improvements to be formulated, which included promoting the responsibility of learning between the teachers and students.ConclusionThis study highlights that CA appears to only hold true to an extent. Numerous aspects of weakness in student performance were noted, such as troubleshooting, changing position when working on different shapes, and using indirect vision when required. CA can be enhanced in this context by promoting sharing a copy of the learning objectives with students in the session before teaching starts and using peer and individualised feedback alongside class tutorials.Clinical significanceThis study aims to highlight gaps in the teaching, understanding, and CA of the learning objectives, and aims to make recommendations for their improvement. The study outlines the importance of visibility of learning outcomes to encourage learning and achieving desired outcomes.
| S-EPMC11806324 | biostudies-literature