Int. Med. Educ., Volume 3, Issue 2 (June 2024) – 6 articles

Junior faculty are often called upon to deliver high-stakes large-group presentations. Training in the skills needed to do this effectively is often lacking. We devised a 1.25 h coaching program. The coach analyzed a practice run of the presentation using a locally developed assessment tool. Areas covered included public speaking skills, promoting learner understanding and retention, creating a dynamic learning climate, and optimal use of slides. COVID-19 necessitated a switch to virtual coaching, and we studied the impact of virtual vs. in-person coaching. We added two additional coaches and studied the transferability of the coaching component. There was high uptake of the offered coaching. Participant surveys showed improved comfort levels with large-group presentations; had a sense that their presentation skills had improved; showed an increased likelihood of volunteering for future speaking opportunities; and were likely to recommend the program. Comparisons between virtual and in-person coaching showed no statistical difference, and there was little difference between the original coach and the subsequent two coaches. Qualitative assessments revealed broad areas in which faculty felt the program had been most impactful. The coaching program was well-received and resulted in concrete positive changes in presenter behavior. Conducting the coaching in a virtual manner may increase the feasibility of the intervention, as would expanding the coach pool. Full article

Urology is one of the most competitive specialties in medicine, creating a challenge for prospective students looking to secure a residency position. Our study aims to assess online interest in urology residency by querying online interaction with search terms and criteria for urology residency programs. Utilizing Google Trends analysis from 2011 to 2024, this study examined urology-related search volume indexes, as well as temporal and geographical patterns. Furthermore, the number of residency positions from the American Urological Association database for the 2022 match process was evaluated. Our analysis of temporal trends revealed increased interest in urologist salaries from 2011 to 2019, followed by a decline from 2019 to 2023. Interest in urology-related interviews, applications, research, and letters increased in 2019, marked by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. California, New York, and Texas had the lowest interest-to-position (IP) ratio, while Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia had the highest IP ratio. Our analysis reveals an evolving interest in salaries, residency programs, and USMLE Step 1 changes in areas connected with urology. We report key geographical areas with high urology residency interest and low numbers of programs, implying a need for expanded residencies in underserved yet high-interest areas. Awareness and continued interest monitoring after the COVID-19 pandemic is critical for understanding interest in urology applicants. Full article

Early involvement and exposure to evidence-based research during medical school have been shown to play a formative role in students’ holistic development as future physicians. While there are medical schools encouraging research initiatives, few programs implement 4-year longitudinal research in the curriculum. Here, the authors categorized graduates as pre-LRP or post-LRP and utilized PubMed’s Advanced Search Builder to identify each graduate’s publications with a time frame that began from 1 year to 7 years post-graduation. The data were then analyzed to identify any significant changes between these two cohorts. A total of 1022 medical school graduates from an ACGME-accredited U.S. medical school were included in this study. The average rate of publications annually was 0.47 + 1.43 (pre-LRP) and 0.57 + 1.40 (post-LRP). Additionally, the average probability of at least one publication in a given year was 22% (95% CI: 0.21–0.23) pre-LRP and 27% (95% CI: 0.25–0.28) post-LRP. Lastly, the average probability of at least one first-author publication in a given year was 12.2% (95% CI: 0.12–0.13) pre-LRP and 15% (95% CI: 0.14–0.16) post-LRP. Overall, participation in a mentored longitudinal research program during medical school demonstrated a positive trend in the number and rate of publications. The implementation of a mentored longitudinal research program can contribute to increased research productivity in physicians’ early careers, leading to the development of important research skills, the fostering of commitment in scholarly work, and a deeper understanding of evidence-based medicine. Full article

Over the years, there has been an increase in the development of assistive technologies. To date, the stages of dementia that these technologies can be best implemented has been underexplored. In previous work, researchers developed an infographic providing guidance on when best to introduce assistive technologies for people with dementia, and although this infographic is relevant, it was based solely on the experience of the authors during various national and international projects. However, various studies have been conducted on the use and implementation of technology for people with dementia, providing information on when care technology should be implemented. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to conduct a literature review, and based on the results, to design an infographic showing recommendations on when to implement an assistive technology. The infographic was evaluated during interviews with experts on the implementation of care technology for people with dementia. Our results propose earlier implementation for several technologies, as well as the importance of considering contextual factors such as personal characteristics, background and technical experience when implementing technology. The designed infographic can facilitate the digital transition for healthcare institutions and personnel by offering information into the implementation process of care technology. Full article

Interprofessional service-learning programs can help to break down the education and training silos between public health and health care in the United States. This paper describes the development and implementation of one such program between the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Bay Path University Physician Assistant Program, and the Wa-West Health District in Ghana. The program brought together Master of Public Health students and Physician Assistant students to complete an applied practicum and training experience in a low-resource community that faces significant health care and public health delivery challenges. In 2017 and 2018, nine students participated in the two-year pilot program, UMass Amherst Interprofessional Integrated Service Learning and Community-Based Participatory Collaboration. Students completed projects designed by Ghanaian health officials over two summers in direct collaboration with the communities. Findings from the evaluation of the pilot program revealed that though the students faced some challenges with the program, such as language barriers, transportation issues due to poor roads, and difficulty scheduling meetings while completing their projects in Ghana, the majority described their experience as positive and were satisfied. Some expressed the idea that their experiences were something that they could incorporate into their current and future practices. In addition, they reported that interprofessional communications and collaborations were effective. Recommendations are offered to address the program’s challenges for its continuation and formalization. Full article

Suboptimal knowledge of clinical pharmacology, therapeutics, and toxicology (CPT) and poor-quality prescribing are threats to patient safety. Our previous national survey of medical faculty identified limited confidence in medical student graduates’ ability to safely prescribe, as well as an interest in a national prescribing competence assessment. Given the in-person challenges posed by the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to re-evaluate opinions and gauge the interest in e-learning resources and assessments. Using public sources, a sampling frame of medical school leaders from all 17 Canadian medical schools, including deans, vice-deans, and program directors for clerkship, residency, and e-learning, were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Survey questions were finalized after several rounds of testing, and analyses were descriptive. Of 1448 invitations, 411 (28.4%) individuals reviewed the survey, and, among them, 278 (67.6%) completed at least one survey question, with representation from all schools. While more than 90% of respondents agreed that medical students should meet a minimum standard of prescribing competence, only 17 (7.9%) could vouch for their school meeting objectives in CPT, and many had significant concerns about their own or other schools’ recent graduate prescribing abilities. Given the lack of local CPT e-curricula resources, there was strong interest in a national online course and assessment in CPT. Our national survey results suggest an ongoing inadequacy of medical trainees’ prescribing competence, and also provide a strong endorsement for both a national online CPT course and assessment during medical school. Full article