Moderated by Carrie Elzie

PRESENTATION 1 - Student-centered Pediatric Respiratory Simulation for First-year Medical Students    
Lindsey Ades    
Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PURPOSE Peer teaching is commonly performed in medical schools and is known to be beneficial for both student educators and learners. The objective of this study was to enhance a previously student designed simulation, making it entirely student-centered to establish a comfortable learning environment and create an interesting, alternative method for studying. The student-centered focus also gave upperclassmen the chance to improve leadership skills and solidify basic science knowledge through roles as facilitators and standardized patients (SPs).

METHODS The simulation involved caring for a neonate with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Each simulation session involved four to eight first-year medical students. Two student facilitators and one student SP were present in each session. Pre-test and post-test surveys designed as a 5-point Likert scale from the previous iteration of this simulation were used to determine perception of knowledge and communication skills. The post-test survey also included qualitative questions.

RESULTS The post-test survey produced a statistically significant increase in perception of understanding (82.3%), communication skills (75.8%), and experience (96.8%) with RDS. There was no significant difference in results compared to the previous iteration of this simulation, which was not entirely student-run. Qualitative data described the simulation to be an informative, realistic scenario that emphasized teamwork and demonstrated how prior knowledge translates clinically. Students expressed appreciation for the upperclassmen's guidance and feedback upon completion. Unanimous interest in engaging in future student-run sessions was present amongst the participants.

CONCLUSION Peer-led simulation is a useful design for medical schools wanting to incorporate student-centered experiences into their curriculum. The results suggest that the student-centered approach does not compromise the simulation's impact. A program such as this provides students with an opportunity to practice clinical and communication skills while interacting with upperclassmen. Furthermore, there is an additional educational benefit for upperclassmen in understanding the patient role and fostering leadership skills.

PRESENTATION 2 - A New Teaching Elective for Medical Students at Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine    
Rosalie Kalili
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV

PURPOSE While opportunities exist at our program for medical students to participate in peer-peer/near-peer teaching, no formal teaching curriculum exists. The recognition of this need, combined with the constraints of the pandemic necessitating nonclinical and remote elective options, propelled the creation of a Problem-based Learning (PBL) teaching elective.

METHODS Mirrored after PBL faculty development & training sessions, we developed a classroom-based PBL teaching elective for  4th year medical students. The major curricular components consists of didactic sessions based on selected readings that support anticipated skills performance, direct teaching opportunities both on-campus and remotely, weekly reflection assignments, and completion of either a quality improvement or case writing project. Elective students also receive feedback on their performance as a junior faculty guide during PBL tutorial sessions from their student group.

RESULTS The elective received a score of 5 (using a 5-point Likert scale) for all measure items in the Evaluation of Nonclinical Elective by Student form, completed by all participating students. Written comments included: allowed me to explore my interest in teaching; this course did an incredible job of introducing me to the fundamentals of academic medicine; I feel much more prepared to be a resident, who is expected to be in a teaching role for medical students, peers, and patients; great variety of experiences and assignments even for a short rotation.

CONCLUSION Formal teacher training programs starting in UME can help medical students develop their teaching skill set early. The elective was developed at an opportune time and allowed students to experience teaching environments on-campus and remotely. While the elective was well received by the participating medical students, opportunities for improvement are underway to include the impact on the learning of the student groups facilitated by the elective students.

PRESENTATION 3 - Medical and Allied Health Students Perspectives of Preparedness to Treat Diverse Populations    
Nicole Guzolek    
Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine 

PURPOSE The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the lack of equity in healthcare quality for diverse groups. The undoing of institutionalized racism in healthcare requires early training of medical providers. This study examines the cultural competency of preclinical and clinical students enrolled in health professional programs to identify areas for improvement and make suggestions addressing them.

METHODS The Clinical Cultural Competency Questionnaire, a validated tool to assess student knowledge and attitudes related to cultural competency, was administered to health professional students within Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant (PA), and Osteopathic Medicine (DO) programs at Touro University Nevada. Differences between preclinical and clinical groups, and among academic programs were inferred using Fisher's exact tests, analysis of variance, or Kruskal-Wallis tests.

RESULTS The majority of participants (preclinical n=91, clinical n=52) were female, under 30-year-old, non-Hispanic, white, or Asian, and enrolled in a DO (38%) or PA program (36%). Preliminary analysis showed preclinical students reporting statistically significant knowledge on demographics of diverse racial groups (P= 0.044). Although, clinical students reported knowledge of the historical and contemporary impact of racism, bias, prejudice, and discrimination against diverse populations in healthcare in the USA in a statistically significant manner (P=0.013), they were not consistent in reporting having received specific diversity training. The most highly ranked topics to be pursued in an elective course were racial group-specific: health risks (median rank=2, IQR=1,3), health disparities (median rank=3, IQR=2,4), and ethnopharmacology (median rank=4, IQR=3,6).

CONCLUSION Students communicated their knowledge of racism, bias, prejudice and discrimination in healthcare. However, since the knowledge is not training-based, it is not implemented into practice. The need for a standardized elective course on cultural diversity, sensitivity and inclusion is paramount to address the gaps in knowledge identified above.

PRESENTATION 4 - Supplements Designed to Augment Faculty-delivered Content in a Compact Medical School Unit of Cellular and Molecular Biology    
Tristin Chaudhury    
Texas Tech Health Sciences Center 

PURPOSE Medical students at our institution are provided only 6 days of didactic presentations for an entire Unit of Cellular Biology. Supplementary materials, consisting of high-value fact sheets and integrative quiz questions, were provided to help students assimilate the material.

METHODS A needs analysis survey was sent to previous cohorts of students. From their responses, content from each didactic session from the previous year's unit was revisited and core concepts were identified and explained further. These concept sheets were then approved by the appropriate faculty before disseminating them to the MS1 class. Quiz question sets were also constructed and made available to the MS1s at the end of the first week. At the end of the unit, a survey was sent to the MS1 class to gauge usefulness and student well-being.

RESULTS The initial survey demonstrated that students had difficulties knowing what to study and how to study the material within the strict time limitations of this unit and responded favorably to the provision of "high-yield" concept sheets. The post-unit survey (n=69) showed that virtually all (~93%) students used the sheets generally and half used them daily. Eighty-four percent thought they guided their understanding of the material, while 94% thought they should be used in other medical school blocks. Finally, 77% agreed that this supplement reduced their stress/anxiety throughout the unit. Similar results were obtained for the quiz questions provided.

CONCLUSION A shortened basic sciences curriculum to accommodate a systems-based approach necessitates new formulae of initial presentation and reinforcement to maximize student retention of information. We found that students enjoyed using condensed, high-value "fact sheets" to accompany faculty's presentation of the material. We also found that the students' levels of stress and anxiety were reduced during their study and exam preparation periods. This model should be extended to other portions of the pre-clerkship curriculum, both at this institution as well as others.