Dataset Information

Cooperative learning in the first year of undergraduate medical education.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite extensive research data indicating that cooperative learning promotes higher achievement, the creation of positive relationships, and greater psychological health for students at all levels in their education, cooperative learning as a teaching strategy is still underutilized in undergraduate medical education.

Methods

A cooperative learning task was introduced as part of the mandatory first Year undergraduate Pathology course. The task was to create an 8.5" x 11" poster summary of pre-assigned content in self-chosen groups of four or five students. On the designated "Poster Day," the posters were displayed and evaluated by the students using a group product evaluation. Students also completed an individual group process reflection survey. An objective evaluation of their understanding was gauged at the midterm examination by specific content-related questions.

Results

Majority (91-96%) of students judged the group products to be relevant, effective, easy-to-understand, and clearly communicated. The majority of the students (90-100%) agreed that their group process skills of time management, task collaboration, decision-making and task execution were effective in completing this exercise. This activity created a dynamic learning environment as was reflected in the students' positive, professional discussion, and evaluation of their posters. The content-related questions on the midterm examination were answered correctly by 70-92% of the students. This was a mutually enriching experience for the instructor and students.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that cooperative learning as a teaching strategy can be effectively incorporated to address both content and interpersonal skill development in the early years of undergraduate medical education.

SUBMITTER: Kanthan R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2217551 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Cooperative learning in the first year of undergraduate medical education.

Kanthan Rani R Mills Sheryl S

World journal of surgical oncology 20071128

<h4>Background</h4>Despite extensive research data indicating that cooperative learning promotes higher achievement, the creation of positive relationships, and greater psychological health for students at all levels in their education, cooperative learning as a teaching strategy is still underutilized in undergraduate medical education.<h4>Methods</h4>A cooperative learning task was introduced as part of the mandatory first Year undergraduate Pathology course. The task was to create an 8.5" x 1 ...[more]

PMID: 18045477

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Project description:BackgroundLearning communities (LCs) are intentionally designed groups that are actively engaged in learning with and from each other. While gaining prominence in US medical schools, LCs show significant variability in their characteristics across institutions, creating uncertainty about how best to measure their effects.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of medical school LCs by primary purpose, structures, and processes and lay the groundwork for future outcome studies and benchmarking for best practices.MethodsMedical school LC directors from programs affiliated with the Learning Communities Institute (LCI) were sent an online survey of program demographics and activities, and asked to upload a program description or summary of the LC's purpose, goals, and how it functions. Descriptive statistics were computed for survey responses and a qualitative content analysis was performed on program descriptions by 3 authors to identify and categorize emergent themes.ResultsOf 28 medical school LCs surveyed, 96% (27) responded, and 25 (89%) provided program descriptions for qualitative content analysis. All programs reported longitudinal relationships between students and faculty. Most frequently cited objectives were advising or mentoring (100%), professional development (96%), courses (96%), social activities (85%), and wellness (82%). Primary purpose themes were supporting students' professional development, fostering a sense of community, and creating a sense of wholeness. Structures included a community framework, subdivisions into smaller units, and governance by faculty and students. Process themes included longitudinal relationships, integrating faculty roles, and connecting students across class years.ConclusionsMedical school LCs represent a collection of high-impact educational practices characterized by community and small-group structures, relational continuity, and collaborative learning as a means to guide and holistically support students in their learning and development as physicians. In describing 27 medical school LCs, this study proposes a unifying framework to facilitate future educational outcomes studies across institutions.

Project description:Background: Demographic change and the medical imperative to accompany patients at all times and also in the case of illness leading to death require good basic knowledge of palliative care in large parts of the medical profession. Palliative care has been introduced into undergraduate medical education as a compulsory subject: "interdisciplinary subject 13 palliative care" (Q13). While course concepts for Q13 have already been positively evaluated, assessment of the consolidation and practical relevance of the knowledge taught is lacking. Methods: Assessment of the consolidation of the learning content from Q13 after the practical year (the "practical year" is the sixth and final year of undergraduate medical education in Germany) by means of a survey with a proven questionnaire and integrated qualitative free-text analysis of a cohort of medical students (n=176) who had already participated in an evaluation before and after Q13. Results: The response rate was 96% after Q13 and 45% after the practical year (PY). Teaching was predominantly perceived as more helpful than the PY (p<0.001). Compared to the status after Q13, students rated themselves as less competent after the PY in all areas surveyed, including drug-based pain therapy (p=0.0386). The certainty in informing patients about the incurability of the disease also decreased significantly after the PY (p=0.0117), although the preparation in Q13 was positively highlighted. Conclusion: The knowledge acquired in Q13 could not be anchored in the PY. On the contrary, after initial practical experiences, the students found it challenging to conduct conversations in cases of serious illness and to deal with their own uncertainty in the care of seriously ill patients. Structural factors regarding palliative care in the PY, as well as intrinsic motives of students, such as prior knowledge or motivation to learn, should be analyzed to identify ways to close the gap between theoretical and practical training in general palliative care. To generate samples that are sufficiently representative, future studies on teaching should be easily accessible to students and consider attractive forms of evaluation including electronic methods and social media.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Psychological distress in medical students is a global issue and poses a risk to their health, academic performance, and ability to care for patients as clinicians. There has been limited research on psychological distress levels in students prior to starting medicine and no direct comparison between undergraduate and graduate-entry students. METHODS:Psychological distress was assessed using the 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale in 168 undergraduate-entry and 84 graduate-entry medical students at two separated campuses of the same university in the orientation week prior to starting classes. Mean scores and severity proportions were compared between the two cohorts of students. Demographic data was also collected and compared to distress scores using subgroup analysis. RESULTS:The response rate for the study was 60.9%. The majority of undergraduate and graduate-entry medical students were within the normal limits for depression (67.2% versus 70.2%, p = 0.63), anxiety (56.5% versus 44.0%, p = 0.06), and stress scores (74.4% versus 64.2%, p = 0.10). There was no significant difference between severity groups except for severe stress (2.3% versus 9.5%, p = 0.01). The mean scores of the clinically distressed groups indicated moderate levels of depression, moderate anxiety, and moderate stress scores. There were no significant differences between undergraduate or graduate-entry students for depressive ([Formula: see text] = 17.02 versus 15.76, p = 0.43), anxiety ([Formula: see text] = 14.22 versus 13.28, p = 0.39), and stress scores ([Formula: see text] = 20.83 versus 22.46, p = 0.24). Female gender and self-believed financial concerns were found be associated with higher levels stress in graduate entry students. CONCLUSIONS:The majority of medical students enter medical school with normal levels of psychological distress. However, a large number of undergraduate and graduate-entry medical students have significant levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress levels, without a significant difference between undergraduate or graduate-entry students. There are several limitation of this study but the results suggest that education and intervention may be required to support students from the earliest weeks of medical school.

Dataset Information

Cooperative learning in the first year of undergraduate medical education.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Cooperative learning in the first year of undergraduate medical education.

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