Janet Lindsley

University of Utah School of Medicine and Department of Biochemistry

 

PURPOSE The role of a medical school educator is in flux. The outsourcing of content delivery and knowledge self-assessment to myriad online resources has placed classroom-based faculty in a vulnerable position. The positive feedback that many of us once received from engaged students during interactive lectures appears to be diminishing. We question whether it was us who helped students master our content, or purchased videos and question banks. Small group teaching can provide the desired positivity, but is very costly. Curriculum co-production between learners and faculty is one solution to both issues. METHODS Two separate groups of learners, new second-year medical students (MS2s) and biochemistry post-doctoral fellows (postdocs) each self-identified learning goals related to becoming effective educators. The postdocs were specifically looking for a curriculum development opportunity to make them prepared for and attractive to primarily undergraduate institutions. Both groups approached a senior faculty member (Lindsley) looking for mentorship on creating a new course. RESULTS The MS2s and faculty co-produced an elective on the design and facilitation of case-based learning (CBL). The course goals included developing active listening and effective questioning skills, identifying strategies to improve team dynamics, and creation of CBL content. Each MS2 taking the course was assigned a separate faculty mentor who was a facilitator for an MS1 CBL team. The MS2s functioned as co-facilitators. Feedback from both the impacted MS1s and the faculty mentors was very positive. The postdocs and faculty co-designed a new advanced, intensive, undergraduate team-based learning course that the post-docs subsequently taught. The course evaluation results were well above the departmental average. Postdoc experience and biochemistry department faculty were so positive that the Utah Science Teaching Experience for Postdocs (U-STEP) program was created. CONCLUSIONS Co-production of educational opportunities provides fulfilling faculty-learner relationships, as well as the benefits of near-peer teaching in a cost-effective manner.
 

Amitabha Basu

St Matthews University School of Medicine

 

PURPOSE: To understand students' perception of interprofessional education by analyzing their reflective essay. METHODS: This study was a qualitative thematic analysis of 20 reflective essays on IPE written by 20 2nd year medical students after visiting the emergency department of the local hospital or private clinic in 2018. Students were also asked to watch a video clip on teamwork from the Basic Life support (BLS) training video. This research method allowed an in-depth analysis of the texts for themes under four categories: What is students' understanding of IPE? Why student's think IPE is essential? Key to effective communication? Did they observe any barriers? RESULTS: Each essay was read several times and hand-coded to identify significant themes under each category which are listed below: Student's understanding of IPE? Working as a part of the multidisciplinary team, encourage active learning, nurses play a crucial role. Why student's think IPE is important? Enhance efficiency in Physical examinations, ensure the safety of the patient, reduce the stress of the providers and prevent burnout. Key to effective teamwork? Constant verbal communication, knowing team members well, accurate planning, debriefing, understanding one's role, trust, and respect. Did they observe any barriers to effective teamwork? Lack of Manpower, poor work ethics, individualism, burnout, lack of training, hospital settings, misuse of electronic record system. CONCLUSIONS: Multidisciplinary collaboration is key to effective care delivery and provides an opportunity to learn. Although teamwork is needed for effecting healthcare delivery, a clear hierarchy was noticed by many where nurses play a crucial role. Miscommunication can be averted by €˜talking it out' and with a proper plan. Burnout, mistrust, inexperience, overcrowding in hospital settings could adversely affect patient care.
 

Suporn Sukpraprut-Braaten

Unity Health

 

PURPOSE Scholarly activity and research are vital parts of Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) Education to both residents and faculty. This session will focus on how to assist a residency program to facilitate residents and faculty to conduct research projects to enhance EBM knowledge and improve quality of care. Lack of scholarly activity among residents and faculty is one of the most ACGME cited problems. We have established a structure to successfully allow residents and faculty to work together on various research projects and case reports. METHODS Our scholarly activity structure starts with educating the residents and faculty on EBM fundamental knowledge. Journal club was used to iterate an understanding of scientific research. Research mentors are assigned to each resident. They consist of at least a clinical faculty and a Ph.D. level biostatistician. Residents are required to meet their mentors once a month during their first year and as needed later. At the end of the first year, residents must submit research proposals to appropriate research mentors and program director (PD) and obtain an Institutional Review Board approval. At the end of the second year, residents must complete the literature review, methods, and data collection. At the end of the third year, residents must submit an abstract and present at a local/regional/national conference or manuscript to a peer review journal. Research mentors and PD evaluate the residents semi-annually according to the ACGME Milestones. RESULTS Since the residency programs have established in 2015, total of 40 scientific posters and 3 podium presentations were presented at national, regional, and state conferences and 7 publications were published among 52 residents. All posters or presentations involve at least two faculty as research mentors. CONCLUSION The scholarly activity structure provided a transparent expectations from the residents and faculty, construct a systematic evaluation, and provide feedback for improvement.
 

Presentation 4 - DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A POPULATION HEALTH CURRICULUM COMPONENT INTEGRATING EPIDEMIOLOGY, EXPOSURE TO BIG DATA AND CRITICAL THINKING
John S Maier

University of Pittsburgh

 

PURPOSE: This educational activity is intended to provide learners with an understanding of population health through practical analysis and evaluation of publicly available data to define and explore questions related to health in a community. METHODS: An introductory lecture to the whole class of learners is used to describe the exercise and tools that students can use to carry out the exercise. Each student is charged with selecting an individual county (no duplicates across the class) and using existing resources to get a summary of the population health in that County. Students prepare a brief presentation to their peers about the county and share that in a small group. Using publicly available data about health at the county level, a dataset is generated using the counties chosen by the students. This synthetic dataset is provided to students and they are charged to individually make a brief analysis with a focus of either exploring a hypothesis, or generating a hypothesis. The exercise closes with the students discussing a second brief presentation of their analysis and associated hypotheses. RESULTS: We successfully implemented this exercise in two consecutive years for second year medical students as a pilot (N~ 140 per year). Students demonstrate an ability to use these resources to find relevant information about population health and in sharing that information educate their peers about health in locations that are not necessarily familiar to them. Brief presentations of the analysis are in some cases initial explorations that could be developed into research projects. CONCLUSION: We are encouraged about the feasibility of implementing this exercise. It serves to get students familiar with aspects of population health, where to find up to date information about the health of a population in a particular location, and evaluation of data with respect to hypotheses they generate.