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The global variation of medical student engagement in teaching: Implications for medical electives.

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION:International medical electives, whereby undergraduates visit an institution in a country other than their own, are a common part of medical training. Visiting students are often asked to provide local teaching, which may be acceptable where the visitor is acting within the bounds of their own competency and the normal practices of both their home and host institutions. However, the extent to which teaching is an accepted student activity globally has not previously been described. This study aims to address this using an international survey approach. METHODS:A voluntary electronic survey, created using the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES) framework, was distributed across established international medical student networks. This assessed the involvement of medical students in teaching and the educator training they receive, with the intention of comparing experiences between high-income countries (HICs) and low/middle-income countries (LMICs) to gauge the engagement of both "host" and "visiting" students. RESULTS:443 students from 61 countries completed the survey, with an equal proportion of respondents from LMICs (49.4%, 219/443) and HICs (50.6%, 224/443). Around two thirds of students reported providing teaching whilst at medical school, with most reporting teaching numerous times a year, mainly to more junior medical students. There was with no significant difference between LMICs and HICs. Around 30 per cent of all medical students reported having received no teacher training, including 40 per cent of those already providing teaching. CONCLUSION:This study suggests that students are engaged in teaching globally, with no difference between HIC and LMIC contexts. However, students are underprepared to act as educators in both settings. Providing teaching as part of an elective experience may be ethically acceptable to both host and home institutions, but needs to be supported by formal training in delivering teaching.

SUBMITTER: Wenlock RD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7039511 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The global variation of medical student engagement in teaching: Implications for medical electives.

Wenlock Rhys D RD Bath Michael F MF Bashford Tom T Kohler Katharina K Hutchinson Peter J PJ

PloS one 20200224 2

<h4>Introduction</h4>International medical electives, whereby undergraduates visit an institution in a country other than their own, are a common part of medical training. Visiting students are often asked to provide local teaching, which may be acceptable where the visitor is acting within the bounds of their own competency and the normal practices of both their home and host institutions. However, the extent to which teaching is an accepted student activity globally has not previously been des ...[more]

PMID: 32092102

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Project description:Medical schools are developing global health programmes, and medical students are requesting global health training and creating opportunities when these are not provided by medical schools. This article described the Wolisso Project (WP), a medical experience on clinical electives in Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by a collaboration between a student organisation and a Nongovernmental Organization (NGO). Preclinical medical students spent 4 weeks as part of a multidisciplinary medical team in Africa. Post-elective questionnaires were administered to all subjects who participated in the project. Of all, 141 students responded to the questionnaire. The participants came from 30 Italian universities. The main difficulties reported are due to the lack of resources for the exercise of the medical activity, and difficulties related to language and communication. The African experience had a positive impact on the progress of the studies upon return, with an increase in determination and motivation. The experience had also positive influences on the future professional choices and carriers. The experience seems to contribute not only to the professional growth, but also to the personal development. A key factor in the positive outcomes of this experience is it being implemented by an NGO with long-term working relationships with the African populations. Another is that the project is carried out in health facilities where NGO staff have been working for a long time. These factors reduce the potential risks connected with this type of experience. They ensure a satisfactory level of supervision, the lack of which has been a serious problem in many similar experiences. A well-structured, mentored experience in international health can have a positive impact on preclinical students' attitudes, including their compassion, volunteerism, and interest in serving underserved populations. Only a small number of Italian universities facilitate pre-graduate medical elective experiences in LMICs. The WP seems to be attempting to compensate for the lack of international experience in LMICs offered by universities. Italian medical schools should incorporate changes in their curricula to train socially responsible physicians.

Project description:BackgroundPharmacology is a cornerstone of medical education as it underlies safe prescribing practices. However, medical students have reported unease regarding their perceived proficiency in medical pharmacology. Despite the significant impetus to improve student outcomes, there is little analysis available of the techniques used by medical students to learn, retain and apply medical pharmacology knowledge.MethodsA mixed-methods, student-focused approach was conducted to design and evaluate specific resources developed to address gaps in pharmacology education. This methodology comprised an anonymised scoping survey, followed by semi-structured focus group interviews. We then developed a flashcard resource as an intervention to support long-term revision for academic and clinical success. This resource was released to a cohort of 100 graduate entry preclinical medical students who were invited at the end of year to evaluate the intervention via a subsequent anonymous survey.ResultsThe scoping survey received 103 complete responses. Surveys and focus group interviews revealed that only 50% of students engage in ongoing revision. Amongst our cohort, we identified that the evidence-based technique of spaced-repetition was particularly well regarded. Hence, we developed and evaluated a bespoke resource utilising Anki™, an open-source, spaced-repetition flashcard program. A total of 1208 flashcards spanning 156 distinct classes of drugs with supplementary summary tables, diagrams and explanatory video and summary guides were created. Designed as a strategic revision tool to reinforce learning, evaluation showed students greatly appreciated the "comprehensive" and "well formatted" Anki™ resource that supported existing teaching modalities, with a global rating of 3.8 out of 5.ConclusionsStrategic and personalised resources for medical pharmacology education that assist with in-semester revision and long-term retention are highly valued amongst students for examination preparation and preparedness for practice. Collectively, these results reflect a novel approach to identifying and addressing weaknesses in existing learning resources in a manner that is inclusive of, and acceptable to, medical students.

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The global variation of medical student engagement in teaching: Implications for medical electives.

Publications

The global variation of medical student engagement in teaching: Implications for medical electives.

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