From the "what" to the "how": Teaching integrative medicine-related skills to medical students during COVID-19

ObjectiveTo examine the impact of an integrative medicine (IM) course on self-perceived IM-related communication and research skills.MethodsA 3-day mandatory "hybrid" (online and in-person) IM course was held within COVID-19 restrictions for 161 pre-clerkship medical students, with workshops facilitated by mentor healthcare professionals (IM and non-IM) and student-directed tasks. Self-perceived levels of 6 IM-related skills were scored (from 1 to 5) for history-taking; communicating with patients with "alternative" health-beliefs; referral to IM consultations; assessing risks/benefits; and working with non-medical IM practitioners.Results137 students (85.1%) completed pre-/post-course questionnaires, with overall scores improving from pre-course (1.98 ± 0.92) to post-course (3.31 ± 0.63; p < 0.0001), for the entire group and student subgroups (with vs. without prior IM experience). Multivariate analysis found no association between age, gender, primary language or prior experience with IM and improvement in skill scores.ConclusionsThe IM course increased self-perceived skill levels, reflecting the course curriculum and workshops. Further research needs to explore the application of these skills during clinical training.Practice implicationsTeaching medical students about IM in a course comprising communication and research skills was shown to be feasible and effective. The application of IM-related skills needs to be evaluated during the clinical clerkship.     

The impact of neighborhoods and friendships on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents: A report from the medical student CHANGES study

Objective

To examine the experience of interracial anxiety among health professionals and how it may affect the quality of their interactions with patients from racially marginalized populations. We explored the influence of prior interracial exposure—specifically through childhood neighborhoods, college student bodies, and friend groups—on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents. We also examined whether levels of interracial anxiety change from medical school through residency.

Data Source

Web-based longitudinal survey data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation Study.

Study Design

We used a retrospective longitudinal design with four observations for each trainee. The study population consisted of non-Black US medical trainees surveyed in their 1st and 4th years of medical school and 2nd and 3rd years of residency. Mixed effects longitudinal models were used to assess predictors of interracial anxiety and assess changes in interracial anxiety scores over time.

Principal Findings

In total, 3155 non-Black medical trainees were followed for 7 years. Seventy-eight percent grew up in predominantly White neighborhoods. Living in predominantly White neighborhoods and having less racially diverse friends were associated with higher levels of interracial anxiety among medical trainees. Trainees' interracial anxiety scores did not substantially change over time; interracial anxiety was highest in the 1st year of medical school, lowest in the 4th year, and increased slightly during residency.

Conclusions

Neighborhood and friend group composition had independent effects on interracial anxiety, indicating that premedical racial socialization may affect medical trainees' preparedness to interact effectively with diverse patient populations. Additionally, the lack of substantial change in interracial anxiety throughout medical training suggests the importance of providing curricular tools and structure (e.g., instituting interracial cooperative learning activities) to foster the development of healthy interracial relationships.     

Does stroke impair academic achievement in children? The role of metacognition in math and spelling outcomes following pediatric stroke

Introduction: Current research suggests that pediatric stroke is associated with a reduction in intellectual functioning. However, less is known about academic achievement and the contribution of specific executive functions to math and literacy in this population. The current study investigates behavioral ratings of executive functioning and their relationship to math and spelling performance in children with a history of unilateral arterial ischemic stroke.

Method: Thirty-two pediatric patients with stroke (M_age = 9.5 ± 2.7 years) and 32 demographically equivalent, healthy controls were tested on standardized measures of arithmetic, spelling, and intelligence. Executive functioning data were collected via standardized parent questionnaire.

Results: Relative to controls, stroke participants demonstrated significantly poorer functioning in math, spelling, metacognition, and behavioral-regulation. Pencil and paper arithmetic was particularly challenging for the stroke group, with 40% of patients reaching levels of clinical impairment. Hierarchical regression in stroke participants further revealed that metacognition was a robust predictor of academic deficits. Stroke occurring in later childhood and affecting cortical and subcortical brain regions also presented as potential clinical risk factors.

Conclusions: Children with stroke were especially vulnerable to math achievement deficits. Metacognition made a substantial contribution to academic achievement abilities among stroke patients, and results underscore the importance of early metacognitive skills in the completion of schoolwork. Results also emphasize that pediatric stroke patients are a heterogeneous group with regard to functioning and that there is value in examining standard score distributions of clinical participant samples.     

浅谈口腔医学硕士研究生科研作图能力的培养

科研作图是展示研究数据的主要形式,也是科研素养的重要体现。口腔医学硕士研究生是接触科学研究的第一站,然而目前的研究生教育环节对科研作图能力缺乏系统性培养,许多研究生在科研作图中存在许多不规范的问题,本文针对这一问题进行初步探讨。本文分析比较了常用作图工具Microsoft Excel、Origin和Graphpad Prism的特点;以学校口腔医学硕士的培养过程为参考,分析目前硕士研究生科研作图方面存在的主要问题及应对策略。发现不同作图软件具有不同的风格特点,当前硕士研究生作图存在风格不统一、拼图不规范、图注不规范等问题,应当根据自身需求合理选择作图工具,提升作图能力。科研作图是科研能力的重要方面,应当加强口腔医学硕士研究生作图能力的培养。     

Attending Physicians' Perspectives of Resident Academic Half Day

Phenomenon: Academic health centers face significant challenges trying to improve medical education while meeting patient care needs. In response to problems with traditional forms of didactic education, many residency programs have transitioned to Academic Half Day (AHD), a curricular model in which learning is condensed into half-day blocks. In this model, trainees have protected educational time free from clinical responsibilities. However, an understanding of the impact on attending physicians and patient care when residents depart clinical sites for learning activities has not been well described. We sought to explore attending physicians’ perspectives when residents depart clinical sites to attend AHD. Approach: We performed a qualitative study with a grounded theory approach using individual semistructured interviews (December 2016–April 2017) of attending physicians who worked at inpatient and emergency department clinical sites from which residents departed to attend AHD. We used the constant comparative method, generating codes using an iterative approach and continuing sampling until saturation was reached. Major themes were identified and disagreements were resolved by consensus. Findings: Fifteen attending physicians from 6 clinical services were interviewed. Data analysis yielded 5 themes: emotional strain of workload, technology and systems challenges, patient safety and care concerns, disrupted resident learning, and the challenge to optimize resident education. Attending physicians, already working on busy services, felt frustrated and perceived having an increased workload when residents departed for AHD. They were concerned about safely entering orders in the electronic health record, impeded patient workflow, and further disruption of resident schedules already disrupted by duty hour restrictions and continuity clinic. Attending physicians described the importance of experiential learning from caring for patients and from structured didactic learning; however, the optimal balance was uncertain. Insights: We found that attending physicians experienced significant emotional strain, faced technological challenges, and were concerned about impeded workflow and patient safety when residents departed clinical sites for AHD. This is likely to be true whenever residents are pulled out of the clinical setting for any reason. Educators need to partner with hospital administrators to provide appropriate support for attending physicians when residents leave clinical sites, evaluate the effectiveness of different educational models, and determine how structured learning activities fit into the overall curriculum.     

家长对小学生近视的知信行分析

目的 了解保定市小学生家长关于小学生近视知信行的相关现状及影响因素,制定有效干预措施,为预防儿童青少年近视提供有力依据。方法 运用分层整群随机抽样的方法,抽取保定市某小学一年级至六年级766名学生家长进行问卷调查。结果 小学生家长用眼卫生相关知识总正确率为64.90%。家长年龄越大、文化程度越高以及自身近视的家长掌握小学生近视的相关知识越多。家长年龄越大,督导孩子健康用眼的行为越易发生(P=0.027,OR=0.169)。结论 应多渠道对学生家长进行健康教育,为控制和预防小学生近视的发生与发展构建以家庭为主的第一道防线。     

工作坊模式在护生压疮护理带教中的应用效果分析

目的探讨工作坊模式在护生压疮护理带教中的应用效果,为临床护理带教提供参考。方法选取2018年7月—2019年6月在医院实习的120名护生作为研究对象,随机分为对照组和观察组,各60名护生。对照组采用传统带教法进行压疮培训,观察组采用工作坊教学模式进行培训。培训结束后比较两组护生压疮知识的掌握程度即理论考核、技能操作成绩,教学效果满意度。结果观察组护生对压疮知识的掌握程度即理论考核成绩、技能操作考核成绩远远高于对照组,两组差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。95%的观察组护生对工作坊教学模式的效果表示满意,认为工作坊教学模式能够提高学习的兴趣、主动性和临床实践能力,对临床工作有很大帮助。结论工作坊教学模式应用于压疮护理的临床带教,能让护生亲身体验压疮护理的过程,并参与其中,将理论与实践相结合,更好地活跃课堂气氛,启发护生思考,提高护生对压疮理论和技能的掌握,为临床实际工作中压疮护理质量的提高奠定基础。     

责任指数对口腔医学专业学生职业精神考核的设想

医学生的责任心体现在其一定行为表现上，是医学生职业精神培养的重要内涵，因此对影响医学生责任心的负向行为进行一定的干预具有重要意义。分析国内外医学院校应用责任指数考核在医学生行为督导养成的评价研究，遵循我国口腔医学专业人才培养的规律，结合口腔医学生成长的特点，借鉴职业精神考核的相关指标——责任指数考核法，试设计口腔医学生行为责任指数测评方案，并预设可行性，为拓宽口腔医学生职业精神的培养提供思路。