Education
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12503/30435
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Item Online learning modules improve musculoskeletal medicine exam scores(2021) Mirochnitchenko, Alissa; Garcia, Laura; Webb, Brian; Meyer, KimPurpose: Effective teaching methods are fundamental in ensuring medical student success. In the spring of 2020, the pandemic forced most medical school courses to go online. As a result, online interactive learning modules were introduced into the second exam portion of the TCOM Musculoskeletal Systems 2 (MSS2) course. This study aims to retrospectively review the effects of this online, interactive, module-based format. Methods: Student demographics, course grades and student course feedback from the MSS2 course in spring of 2019 and 2020 were collected and analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. A quantitative analysis was conducted using SPSS to determine if there was a difference in course outcomes between the 2019 cohort and 2020 cohort. Additionally, a qualitative analysis was conducted to compare student feedback between the cohorts. Results: Although the final grade for the MSS2 course was statistically significantly higher in the 2019 cohort (88.4% vs. 87.2%), the 2020 group achieved a significantly higher average grade for the second exam of the course in which online modules were added (88.1% vs. 86.3%). A significantly smaller proportion of the 2020 cohort scored below 80% on the second exam (11.66% vs. 18.34%). Most comments regarding the modules were positive. Conclusions: The addition of interactive modules to the MSS2 curriculum was beneficial as students were able perform significantly better on the relevant exam material despite entering the course with significantly lower GPAs. Furthermore, student feedback about their learning was positive.Item Conducting Research as a First-Year Medical Student(2021) Tummala, Sruthi; Kesling, Gary; Harding, Cheryl; Cobb, JaimeDuring the past twelve months, in response to COVID-19, there have been evolving societal expectations and values, including some transformations in academic health sciences education and training to ensure that those graduating from medical school will be better equipped to deal with the demands of modern medicine and further education.The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine has immersed its students in research early to develop physicians who are life-long learners capable of critical inquiry and in medical information literacy to produce physicians suited for patient-centric care.Through self-directed discovery, students develop skills needed to understand and use evidence-based approaches for basic and clinical research. An important aspect of conducting research is identifying a core topic, which can be aligned to a specific theme or from topics discussed in coursework. The students are working closely with mentors they chose, course directors, and faculty who can provide collaborative guidance on these interest areas for students to develop scholarly research.The study (The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia) used qualitative methods comprising of structured interview questions. The findings show that, despite a world-wide pandemic and the demands of beginning the first year of one's medical education, it is possible to effectively engage in scholarly evidence-based research.Medical schools need to ensure that students are provided with early exposure to environments that allow for the exploration of meaningful interactions by increasing opportunities to 'stand in' to the role of a researcher, even as students.Item Near Peer Ultrasound Education Evaluation(2021) Weindruch, Louisa; Weeks, Cassidy; Gibson, JohnUltrasound training is incorporated throughout the medical curriculum at TCOM beginning in Year 1 Physical Exam where they are introduced to the fundamental of Ultrasound as it pertains to each system being taught. In year 2 the training is included in the Simulation Lab curriculum. The purpose of this study is to look at the effectiveness of near peer teaching in the setting of ultrasound. We hypothesize that near peer teaching will be the preferred learning technique among students and student teaching assistants and will facilitate a better learning environment. Near peer teaching is where material is taught to students by their peers. This has been proven to be an effective teaching technique in other settings. Point of care ultrasound is becoming a necessary part of medical education, as its importance in clinical medicine grows. Near peer teaching can be one way to implement medical school ultrasound training.Item Perception of pregnant medical students' ability(2021) Toufexis, Andi; Tierny, Emma; Fulda, KimberlyPurpose: Medical school curriculum is very rigorous and many students face challenges in life while struggling to keep up with their studies. Pregnancy is one challenge that some students experience and there is a lack of research on the correlation of pregnancy and medical school performance. We asked about the perceived change in ability in medical school due to pregnancy and the differences in perception between those who have and have not been pregnant in medical school. Methods: A survey was e-mailed to medical students in the fall semester of 2019 with a reminder in the spring semester of 2020. Descriptive statistics are provided to look at responses for all students and those who have been pregnant in medical school. Results: Sixty-eight percent (n=102) of 150 respondents were female, and 8 (5.3%) had been pregnant while in medical school. Students that have never been pregnant in medical school are likely to rate change in academic ability as 'decreased' (n=63, 51.6%) or 'greatly decreased' (n=33, 27.0%) while students who have been pregnant experienced 'decreased' (n=4, 50.0%) or 'no change' (n=4, 50.0%) in ability. Additionally, students who have been pregnant in medical school (n=4, 50%) rate support services higher than their counterparts (n=27, 22.1%). Conclusion: This study suggests that students who have never been pregnant in medical school believe there is a greater decrease in ability than those that have experienced pregnancy while in medical school.Item STUDENT PHARMACIST PERCEPTIONS OF A TRANSITION TO A VIRTUAL CURRICULUM AND MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATION(2021) Muilenburg, Katherine; Howell, Crystal; White, Annesha; Garcia, LuisPurpose The primary aim of this study was to assess student pharmacist satisfaction with the emergent transition to a remote pharmacy curriculum in the setting of a national pandemic. Methods This was a descriptive, cross sectional study conducted in Fall 2020. An email invitation was sent to an academic leader at each of the pharmacy schools in the United States to have students participate in a survey based on virtual learning changes, potential barriers to success, future solutions, mental health implications, and including a validated stress survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results A total of 488 students responded to the survey. Overall, the majority were from CDC regions 2, 5 and 6, female (78%), between the ages of 25 and 30 years (68%) and racially and ethnically diverse. The majority of students (68%) reported having to change their study habits and 68.5% reported their grades were affected by the transition. Feelings of isolation were reported by 62% and motivation to study decreased by 76.8%. There was a statistically significant decline in mental health for each question of the adapted Perceived Stress Scale. Conclusion As pharmacy educators and student pharmacists continue to evolve with the pandemic, the results of this study provide insight into barriers to success within a pharmacy curriculum and potential solutions post-pandemic. In addition, this study highlighted that mental health resources and advocacy will continue to be crucial to student pharmacist success.