Moderator: Sol Roberts-Lieb

PRESENTATION 1 - New Educators and Scholars Training (NEST) Program    
Scott Moore    
Weber State University | University of Louisville

PURPOSE Medical students and residents worldwide thinking about an academic career are interested in learning the science behind medical education (MedEd), but do not have many free or low cost options. We developed a program to educate future medical educators about the best practices in MedEd, involving monthly Zoom seminars and a capstone assignment. 

METHODS Originally developed 5 years ago to support development of student educator scholars at ScholarRx, the program expanded to include student scholars at no cost from IAMSE and 10 international medical student organizations; the Medical Student Alliance for Global Education (MeSAGE). Scholars study a total of twelve online learning modules prior to monthly Zoom meetings with a MedEd domain expert. Topics include learning and teaching principles, in the classroom, clinical environment, virtual environment, learning and assessment, curriculum design, student involvement, quality assurance, and research in MedEd. As a capstone project, scholars design and develop a brick module after performing a needs assessment, establishing goals, learning outcomes, outline, and 2 drafts. Students ranked statements of program usefulness on a likert scale.

RESULTS 101 prospective participants have enrolled and 23 have completed the program with most participants still participating. Most scholars are based outside of the United States and all have expressed a desire to teach in medicine. Participants gained a greater understanding of engagement as a medical student, were able to switch from passive to active assimilation of knowledge, and felt the NEST program was a great resource for learning the principles of MedEd and felt they were able to effectively train students and future patients, graded on a likert scale. 

CONCLUSION In-depth international medical student education on medical education can create a nidus of sophisticated and competent future medical educators. The creation of a learning community is of vital importance.
 

PRESENTATION 2 - Comparing a Non-adaptive to an Adaptive E-learning Intervention on Medical Student Neuroanatomy Self-efficacy and Neurophobia Within an Integrated First-year Medical Curriculum    
Jessica Bergden    
Eastern Virginia Medical School 

PURPOSE Curriculum integration, requiring the addition of clinical information and loss of lecture time, has decreased preclinical neuroanatomy instructional hours. Concurrently, anxiety towards learning neuroanatomy, neurophobia, may be negatively influencing medical student success in neuroanatomy. This study addresses the combined challenge of decreasing instructional hours and increasing medical student neurophobia by administering an adaptive eLearning neuroanatomy instructional tool for use within time-constrained integrated curricula. Literature suggests adaptive eLearning may decrease instructional time while improving accuracy and performance. We hypothesize an adaptive eLearning intervention will decrease neuroanxiety and increase neuroanatomy self-efficacy more than a self-directed (non-adaptive) eLearning intervention.

METHODS This causal comparative study administered a non-adaptive intervention in 2018 (n=160) and an adaptive intervention in 2019 (n=162) to first-year medical students. Instruments to measure neuroanatomy self-efficacy (NSE) and neurophobia (NA) were administered before and after module utilization to obtain pre-test and post-test NSE and NA scores. Analyses of covariance determined differences in pre-test and post-test NSE and NA scores, while controlling for pre-test score differences, between the non-adaptive and adaptive groups. All statistical tests were performed at p=0.05. IRB approval was obtained.

RESULTS Data analysis showed the adaptive intervention increased post-test neuroanatomy self-efficacy scores (F(1,75) = 6.2, p= 0.01). While both interventions slightly reduced neurophobia levels, the adaptive module did not significantly reduce post-test neurophobia scores compared to the non-adaptive intervention (F(1, 45) = 2.16, p = 0.15).

CONCLUSION Adaptive eLearning may be an efficient way to administer neuroanatomy material within an integrated curriculum. An adaptive neuroanatomy eLearning intervention increased first-year medical student neuroanatomy self-efficacy. The adaptive module slightly decreased neurophobia, albeit not significantly. Given the moderating effect of self-efficacy on academic anxiety shown in the literature, perhaps the intervention's benefit to neurophobia is indirect. This novel study supports future investigation into targeting neuroanatomy self-efficacy to moderate neurophobia.
 

PRESENTATION 3 - Using Action Learning to Develop a Model for Inclusive Teaching in a Covid-split Cohort    
Rachel Aland    
School of Biomedical Sciences The University of Queensland

PURPOSE Medical Program at The University of Queensland enrols approximately 500 students/year; a significant number (~200) are international students. During the pandemic, international and domestic students were affected by lockdowns, restrictions or inability to enter Australia. Student and staff were temporally and spatially separated. Similar disruptions may continue and the lessons learnt will improve future teaching. Regardless of physical or temporal location, all students must meet learning objectives, and learning experiences must be equitable and inclusive. Biomedical science teaching, necessarily integrated with in-person laboratory teaching, was particularly affected.

METHODS We addressed this unique challenge via an action learning approach. Over three iterations, we used staff and student feedback to evaluate and improve teaching strategies. We present our approach to online resource development ranging from individual asynchronous resources, through to whole cohort synchronous activities.

RESULTS Students partnered in the development of asynchronous resources aimed for their peers. All histology teaching was converted to online synchronous small group teaching in different time zones. Similarly, large group tutorials, integrated biomedical symposia and lectures were offered online at times that suited most students, which allowed us to support discipline integration and promote student engagement in large groups. The approach allowed us to support discipline integration and promote student engagement in large groups. Students experienced improved flexibility of learning and teaching consistency. Our approach reflects the relationship between technology and education.  

CONCLUSIONS We learnt lessons that will inform our practice post-pandemic. Careful content curation and delivery exploits different technological affordances. Purpose-created online resources can be more effective than in-person teaching and are equitable for all students. Online teaching provides flexibility and inclusion for staff, contributing to staff satisfaction and well-being, and may allow teaching to be met more efficiently than in-person teaching. Finally, an online approach can better deliver an integrated curriculum.