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Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences & Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 28846

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Valentina Lucia La Rosa

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Guest Editor

Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: psychology; clinical psychology; developmental psychology; education; mental health; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Elena Commodari

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Guest Editor

Department of Educational Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: emotion recognition; attention; pregnancy; attachment; learning disorders; mental imagery; COVID-19 consequences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to profound changes in medical and health education processes. Health professionals have had to adapt and innovate in order to meet the needs of students, patients, and the community. In particular, the lockdown measures that were necessary worldwide to contain the infection had a significant impact on all aspects of medical and health profession education, including curricula, teaching methods, student selection processes, educational outcomes, and student and teacher quality of life.

In this scenario, technology has played and continues to play a fundamental role, with differences between the various health professions, both those requiring specific psychomotor skills (such as surgery) and those relying more on the relationship with the patient (such as psychology and psychotherapy).

Consequently, educational and training processes of physicians and health professionals require constant updating in order to adequately respond to the changes that pandemic management has introduced.

Considering these elements, this Special Issue aims to publish updated and groundbreaking original research, as well as comprehensive reviews about the state of the art and advances in the field of medical and health profession education at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Space will also be given to contributions focusing on the impact of changes linked to the increasing use of technology in medical and health education models on the satisfaction, psychological wellbeing, and quality of training of medical and health profession students, as well as of professionals and patients.

Dr. Valentina Lucia La Rosa
Prof. Dr. Elena Commodari
Guest Editors

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

COVID-19
medicine
health professions
education
training
technology
satisfaction
quality of life

Related Special Issue

Medical and Health Professions Education: Are We Stepping Forward? in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (17 articles)

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 922 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acceptance of Smart Technologies in Blended Learning: Perspectives of Chinese Medical Students

by Muhammad Azeem Ashraf, Nadia Shabnam, Samson Maekele Tsegay and Guoqin Huang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2756; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032756 - 3 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2394

Abstract

Smart technologies are essential in improving higher education teaching and learning. The present study explores the factors that influence students’ behavioural intentions to adopt and use smart technologies in blended learning. Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model, a survey of 305 students was conducted to collect data. A structural equation model was applied to analyse the data. The findings show that adopting smart technologies requires appropriate social context and organizational support. Moreover, the data indicated that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and habit are vital in determining students’ behavioural intention to use smart technologies. However, facilitating conditions and price value were found to have no significant impact on the students’ behavioural intention to use smart technologies. The study contributes to a better understanding of the nexus of blended learning and smart technologies, thus improving students’ experiences in blended learning settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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20 pages, 570 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relational Competence, School Adjustment and Emotional Skills: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Group of Junior and High School Students of the Sicilian Hinterland

by Monica Pellerone, Juan Martinez Torvisco, Stesy Giuseppa Razza, Alessandra Lo Piccolo, Maria Guarnera, Valentina Lucia La Rosa and Elena Commodari

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2182; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032182 - 25 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1658

Abstract

Research has demonstrated the influence of emotional adjustment on the manifestation of problematic behaviors in adolescence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present research is to investigate the role of self-esteem and relational skills on school performance in a group of middle and high school students during the COVID-19 period. The research involved 392 students, aged between 11 and 20 (M = 13.78; S.D. = 2.56). Participants completed the following instruments: an anamnestic constructed ad hoc questionnaire; the Interpersonal Relationships Test, in order to evaluate the perception of adolescents concerning the quality of their relationships in social, family and school contexts; and the Multidimensional Test of Self-Esteem, structured in six scales, which coincide with the dimensions considered constitutive of self-esteem. The preliminary data have shown how the older girls, attending the high school, tend to manifest a higher level of social competence with peer group and teachers. Furthermore, the perception of a reduced emotional self-efficacy but an elevated environmental control and good interpersonal skills seem to predict the school adjustment. Understanding adolescents’ perceptions of difficulties and their social support networks can offer some insight into how major social changes can be associated with individual well-being, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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14 pages, 1928 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Undergraduate Learning Experiences in Pediatric Dentistry during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tamara Pawlaczyk-Kamieńska, Justyna Opydo-Szymaczek, Natalia Torlińska-Walkowiak, Beata Buraczyńska-Andrzejewska, Kinga Andrysiak-Karmińska, Dorota Burchardt and Karolina Gerreth

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2059; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032059 - 23 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1368

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze students’ opinions on the learning outcomes they achieved during clinical classes in pediatric dentistry. The classes were run in various periods: before the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic (onsite classes), in the first months of the pandemic (online classes), and in the following months of the pandemic (onsite classes with additional infection control and administrative changes in patients’ admission procedures). Material and methods. The research was conducted among fifth-year dentistry students at Poznan University of Medical Sciences. Students who completed the entire course and passed the diploma exam in pediatric dentistry were asked to complete the anonymous questionnaire providing their opinion. Results. The research results showed that, in the students’ opinion, clinical classes—regardless of their form—allowed them to achieve the knowledge necessary to perform pediatric dental procedures. However, the students appreciated onsite classes significantly more compared to information and communication technologies (ICT) classes in gaining practical skills and social competence. Conclusions. (1) The significant limitations introduced because of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impacted the development and implementation of modern online teaching techniques, which may very well be applied to convey theoretical knowledge after the pandemic has ended. (2) Skills and social competence, indispensable in the future dental practice of dental students, can only be obtained during onsite classes. (3) Medical universities should design standards of teaching to enable them to address a possible epidemiological threat in the future, which will enable rapid response and safe continuation of practical dental education during a pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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17 pages, 1148 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perceptions and Expectations of Academic Staff in Bucharest towards the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Dental Education

by Laura Iosif, Ana Maria Cristina Țâncu, Andreea Cristiana Didilescu, Marina Imre, Silviu Mirel Pițuru, Ecaterina Ionescu and Viorel Jinga

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1782; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031782 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1559

Abstract

Dental education was severely challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide. The evaluation of the viewpoint of the dental teachers of the Faculty of Dentistry at “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Romania, on these exceptional circumstances’ consequences was the objective of this paper. A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2022, on the academic staff who reported their perceptions of the emotional and educational impact of the pandemic by completing a Google Forms questionnaire. Although a significant emotional impact of the pandemic was reported by over a third of the participants (31.2%), most of them being teachers of fifth-year dental students (p = 0.019), the perceived stress had an impact on the teaching performance in few of them (14%), the quality of sleep remaining unaffected in most of them (53.7%), whereas the level of anxiety was low (57%). An educational impact regarding the techno difficulties during the online transition was mentioned by few respondents (16.1%), with male teaching staff facing the fewest problems (p = 0.024), as well as low levels of difficulties in transmitting academic information (11.9), with men also being the most unaffected (p = 0.006). More than half of the participants (59.1%) rather see digital and/or virtual education during the pandemic as having adverse effects on the educational system, the most sceptical being teachers of the fifth (p = 0.001) and sixth years (p = 0.001). The COVID-19 pandemic affected the academic staff of the Faculty of Dentistry at “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, Romania, not only at a personal level but also at a professional, pedagogical one, due to the introduction of the online teaching system followed by the hybrid one. Age group, gender, and teaching year differentiated the degree of emotional and educational impairment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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11 pages, 699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond the Digital Competencies of Medical Students: Concerns over Integrating Data Science Basics into the Medical Curriculum

by Diana Lungeanu, Alina Petrica, Raluca Lupusoru, Adina Maria Marza, Ovidiu Alexandru Mederle and Bogdan Timar

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15958; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315958 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1447

Abstract

Introduction. Data science is becoming increasingly prominent in the medical profession, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting additional challenges and opportunities for medical education. We retrospectively appraised the existing biomedical informatics (BMI) and biostatistics courses taught to students enrolled in a six-year medical program. Methods. An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted among 121 students in their fourth year, with regard to the courses they previously attended, in contrast with the ongoing emergency medicine (EM) course during the first semester of the academic year 2020–2021, when all activities went online. The questionnaire included opinion items about courses and self-assessed knowledge, and questions probing into the respondents’ familiarity with the basics of data science. Results. Appreciation of the EM course was high, with a median (IQR) score of 9 (7–10) on a scale from 1 to 10. The overall scores for the BMI and biostatistics were 7 (5–9) and 8 (5–9), respectively. These latter scores were strongly correlated (Spearman correlation coefficient R = 0.869, p < 0.001). We found no correlation between measured and self-assessed knowledge of data science (R = 0.107, p = 0.246), but the latter was fairly and significantly correlated with the perceived usefulness of the courses. Conclusions. The keystone of this different perception of EM versus data science was the courses’ apparent value to the medical profession. The following conclusions could be drawn: (a) objective assessments of residual knowledge of the basics of data science do not necessarily correlate with the students’ subjective appraisal and opinion of the field or courses; (b) medical students need to see the explicit connection between interdisciplinary or complementary courses and the medical profession; and (c) courses on information technology and data science would better suit a distributed approach across the medical curriculum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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11 pages, 641 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flourishing or Languishing? Predictors of Positive Mental Health in Medical Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Carmen Concerto, Alessandro Rodolico, Valentina Lucia La Rosa, Barbara Aiello, Miriam Martinez, Sebastiano Stuto, Carmenrita Infortuna, Laura Fusar-Poli, Maria Salvina Signorelli, Elena Commodari, Fortunato Battaglia and Eugenio Aguglia

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15814; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315814 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2004

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students were burdened with high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The objective of the present study was to investigate predictors of positive mental health among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted an online survey from September 2021 to March 2022. We applied the snowball recruitment technique involving medical students from the University of Catania, Italy. We administered, anonymously, a questionnaire about demographic characteristics, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A), and the short form of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC-SF). Participants showed moderate anxiety, depression, and stress levels, and more than half had positive mental health status overall. This finding was inversely related to age, depression severity, cyclothymic, and depressive temperaments. Our results showed that medical students with depressive and cyclothymic temperaments were more at risk of worsening mental health status during the pandemic. Our findings may allow for further developments about the impact of personological characteristics on students’ mental health to enable more efficient support for the most vulnerable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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17 pages, 385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Preventive Activities on Stress Perception among Dentistry Students in the Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Elżbieta Joanna Zarzecka-Francica, Andrzej Gala, Krzysztof Gębczyński, Małgorzata Pihut and Grażyna Wyszyńska-Pawelec

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13129; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013129 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1511

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the strengthening of the earlier stressors and the appearance of new pandemic-related stressors. Many students of dentistry fit the profile of a group who are particularly susceptible to stress related to the pandemic. Thus, it was necessary to implement preventive activities, reducing their stress perception. This was understood as a means of significantly influencing the student’s well-being, thus improving the quality of education. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the impacts of implemented preventive activities on stress perception among students of dentistry during the pandemic, as well as their influence on this assessment of the selected students’ personal experiences regarding the pandemic. Methods: The study was performed one year after the outbreak of the pandemic on students of dentistry at Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. It consisted of the completion of a self-designed, voluntary, anonymous, online questionnaire. The respondent’s task was to assess the influences of implemented preventive activities on stress perception using a five-point scale. The activities were divided into external (national, global) and internal (institutional). The material was statistically analysed for all students, including pre-clinical and clinical groups. Additionally, the impact of the selected students’ personal experiences regarding the COVID-19 pandemic on the assessment was studied. Results: All preventive activities (in total) significantly reduced stress perception (p ≤ 0.001), but the intensity of their impacts (mean rank) was different. The most highly assessed activities were all external preventive activities, with the greatest intensity belonging to the prospect of receiving vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The remaining external activities were the prospect of developing an effective COVID-19 treatment and the increase in knowledge about SARS-CoV-2. The internal activities were assessed and ascribed lower positions, with the exception of the theoretical classes held online. This activity was placed slightly lower than the highest-rated activity, the prospect of receiving vaccination. Conclusions: The studied preventive activities reduced stress perception with different levels of intensity. The highest-ranked activities were external activities. One exception was the theoretical classes held online, an internal activity. Due to the lower impact of the internal activities and the ability to modify them by the educators, there is a need to strengthen their effectiveness. The possibility of monitoring and tailoring some preventive activities to the students’ needs was the practical aspect of the conducted study. Students’ personal experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their assessment of the preventive activities, in some cases significantly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

11 pages, 1246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modelling the Effect of Age, Semester of Study and Its Interaction on Self-Reflection of Competencies in Medical Students

by Jannis Achenbach and Thorsten Schäfer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9579; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159579 - 4 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1487

Abstract

Objectives: Accurate self-assessment and -reflection of competencies are crucial skills for all health professions. The National Competence-Based Learning Objectives Catalogue (NKLM) guiding medical faculties in Germany points out reflection as a non-technical skill and competency-based medical education (CBME) as important approaches. In this context, the role and structure of curricula and skills labs evolved. Especially in peer-assisted trainings, reflection of competencies is important to improve self-regulated learning. Traditionally, we assume self-reflection skills to evolve automatically with learners’ experience. This approach aims to find empirical evidence for this assumption and implements self-reflection of competencies in clinical skills education. Here, we quantify the influence of age and semester of study and its interaction on the concordant self-reflection of students’ own competencies. Methods: Investigation was based on a retrospective analysis of evaluation data from peer-assisted “first aid” and “physical examination” courses in the skills labs of the medical faculty at the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany. Participants were asked for self-assessed competencies before (pre) and after (post) the course. Additionally, they were asked to retrospectively re-rate their “before” competencies after completing the course (post-pre). Differences between pre and post-pre competencies were assessed as the concordant self-reflection in a moderated regression analysis. Group means and standard deviation were depicted using univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post-hoc Tukey HSD testing in IBM SPSS Statistics V.28. Moderated regression and simple slope analyses were conducted to calculate interaction effects of age and semester of study on the concordant self-reflection. Results: As expected, participants (n = 168) showed significant progress in subjective self-assessment (pre vs. post) in all 18 assessed domains in the course (all p < 0.001). Additionally, participants self-assessed their previous competencies after the course (post-pre) differently than before the course (pre) in 11 out of 18 domains. Hereby, the interaction of age and semester of study explained a significant part of variance in the first aid course (∆R² = 0.008, ∆F (1;1020) = 8.53, p < 0.005) and in the physical examination course (ΔR² = 0.03, ΔF (1;10,280) = 10.72, p < 0.001). Conclusions: We quantified that interaction of age and semester has a significant influence on concordant self-reflection skills using a moderated regression analysis. Assumed as an indicator, we conclude that advanced and older students show less differences in pre- vs. post-pre-ratings. This has implications for curriculum development, postulating that an exposure to self-reflection as a metacognitive process should be introduced early in order to train competencies in health professionals. Prospective studies with competency-based assessments are necessary to validate findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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22 pages, 403 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Promoting Cancer Health Equity: A Qualitative Study of Mentee and Mentor Perspectives of a Training Program for Underrepresented Scholars in Cancer Health Disparities

by Anastasia Rogova, Isabel Martinez Leal, Maggie Britton, Shine Chang, Kamisha H. Escoto, Kayce D. Solari Williams, Crystal Roberson, Lorna H. McNeill and Lorraine R. Reitzel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7512; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127512 - 19 Jun 2022

Viewed by 2053

Abstract

Racial and ethnic minorities, and women, experience stark disparities in cancer risk behaviors and mortality rates, yet often remain underrepresented in scientific research positions. We conducted an exploratory, qualitative study to examine the value of mentored research experience as part of an NCI-funded research training program designed to increase the representation of minority and women scientists in cancer disparities research. Using individual interviews, we explored 16 mentees’ and 7 mentors’ program experiences and perspectives to identify the most effective strategies to build strong mentoring relationships that could ultimately contribute to increased representation in health disparities research. Two expert analysts employed thematic analysis and constant comparison to code, categorize, and summarize the data into themes. Mentees and mentors shared five themes identifying contributions to program success: conditions for building successful mentoring relationships; role of mentor/mentee similarities or differences and their impact on effective collaboration; program elements that fostered developing knowledge, skills, and confidence; program supportive opportunities; and challenges and benefits of in-person vs. virtual program delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings contribute to improving the quality of training programs for historically excluded trainees to advance their cancer disparities research careers and offer a successful model that can guide similar programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

13 pages, 351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Research and Volunteering Activities among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study among Romanian and International Students from One Medical Faculty from Romania

by Andreea Iulia Pop, Simona Mirel, Mira Florea and Lucia Maria Lotrean

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7477; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127477 - 18 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1640

Abstract

Introduction: This study focuses on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students in their last year of study at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It analyzes the impact of social distance limits on the conduct of research activities required for the development of the graduation thesis, as well as assesses sixth-year students’ attitudes and behaviors toward volunteer activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June–July 2021 among sixth-year students. It used an anonymous online questionnaire and was sent to all students from the Faculty of Medicine studying in the Romanian, English, or French sections (n = 606). The response rate was 38.28%, resulting in a final sample of 232 students from both Romanian and international sections. Results: The findings demonstrate that two-thirds of the students in the survey agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a substantial impact on their research. Some of the students had to choose another subject for their graduation thesis, while about a quarter of the students gave up collecting personal data, 25% of respondents stated that it was difficult to contact research participants, one-third of them linked the difficulty of doing activities at the hospital to the present outbreak, and almost 30% of the students had difficulty communicating with the coordinator. The disturbance of the research activity seems to be higher among international students in comparison with the Romanian students, while there are limited gender differences. One out of five medical students has been involved in volunteer activities during the pandemic. Most have opted to volunteer at hospitals (especially international students) and contribute to health education activities (especially women). Conclusions: This is the first study from Romania and one of the few from Europe that presents data regarding the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on research and volunteering activities among medical students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

15 pages, 841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Planning a Collection of Virtual Patients to Train Clinical Reasoning: A Blueprint Representative of the European Population

by Anja Mayer, Vital Da Silva Domingues, Inga Hege, Andrzej A. Kononowicz, Marcos Larrosa, Begoña Martínez-Jarreta, Daloha Rodriguez-Molina, Bernardo Sousa-Pinto, Małgorzata Sudacka and Luc Morin

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6175; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106175 - 19 May 2022

Viewed by 1829

Abstract

Background: Virtual patients (VPs) are a suitable method for students to train their clinical reasoning abilities. We describe a process of developing a blueprint for a diverse and realistic VP collection (prior to VP creation) that facilitates deliberate practice of clinical reasoning and meets educational requirements of medical schools. Methods: An international and interdisciplinary partnership of five European countries developed a blueprint for a collection of 200 VPs in four steps: (1) Defining the criteria (e.g., key symptoms, age, sex) and categorizing them into disease-, patient-, encounter- and learner-related, (2) Identifying data sources for assessing the representativeness of the collection, (3) Populating the blueprint, and (4) Refining and reaching consensus. Results: The blueprint is publicly available and covers 29 key symptoms and 176 final diagnoses including the most prevalent medical conditions in Europe. Moreover, our analyses showed that the blueprint appears to be representative of the European population. Conclusions: The development of the blueprint required a stepwise approach, which can be replicated for the creation of other VP or case collections. We consider the blueprint an appropriate starting point for the actual creation of the VPs, but constant updating and refining is needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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19 pages, 1191 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Evaluation of Interactive Flipped e-Learning (iFEEL) for Pharmacy Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Ahmad A. Shahba, Zaid Alashban, Ibrahim Sales, Abdelrahman Y. Sherif and Osman Yusuf

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 3902; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073902 - 25 Mar 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2443

Abstract

Background: Distance learning has come to the forefront of educational delivery throughout the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Presently, there is a paucity of studies that have utilized interactive e-lectures as a model for remote flipped learning. Objectives: To compare educational outcomes for the remote interactive flipped e-learning (iFEEL) activity versus paper-based in-class group learning (PICkLE). Methods: During the spring 2021 semester, tutorials in pharmaceutical quality control and good manufacturing practice were remotely delivered to students by two different approaches: PICkLE and iFEEL. In the latter activity, interactive e-lectures were software-designed and included several audiovisual enhanced illustrations to encourage students to interact with the lecture material prior to attending the virtual class. The class time was reserved for in-class quizzes and discussion. Mean exam scores were compared and voluntary questionnaires were distributed among the participating students as well as healthcare faculty members in 29 Saudi universities. Data from the remotely-delivered course was compared with data from previous course offerings (2018–2020) that used the live PICkLE method. Results: The mean score of post-lecture tests significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared to pre-lecture tests in remote PICkLE and iFEEL, respectively. iFEEL activity showed higher mean post-tests score (95.2%) compared to live PICkLE (90.2%, p = 0.08) and remote PICkLE (93.5%, p = 0.658). Mean comprehensive exam scores increased from 83.8% for remote PICkLE to 89.2% for iFEEL (p = 0.449). On average, 92% of students and 85% of faculty members reported positive feedback on the five quality attributes of the e-lecture. Over 75% of students preferred the iFEEL over PICkLE activity for future course offerings and 84% of faculty members recommend the integration of interactive e-lectures in their future courses. Conclusion: iFEEL represents a novel model of remote flipped learning and shows promising potential to be incorporated into live blended-learning classroom activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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12 pages, 319 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Clinical Reasoning Needs to Be Explicitly Addressed in Health Professions Curricula: Recommendations from a European Consortium

by Ioannis Parodis, Lina Andersson, Steven J. Durning, Inga Hege, Jure Knez, Andrzej A. Kononowicz, Marie Lidskog, Tadej Petreski, Magdalena Szopa and Samuel Edelbring

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11202; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111202 - 25 Oct 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3724

Abstract

Clinical reasoning entails the application of knowledge and skills to collect and integrate information, typically with the goal of arriving at a diagnosis and management plan based on the patient’s unique circumstances and preferences. Evidence-informed, structured, and explicit teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning in educational programs of medical and other health professions remain unmet needs. We herein summarize recommendations for clinical reasoning learning objectives (LOs), as derived from a consensus approach among European and US researchers and health professions educators. A four-step consensus approach was followed: (1) identification of a convenience sample of the most relevant and applied national LO catalogues for health professions educational programs (N = 9) from European and US countries, (2) extraction of LOs related to clinical reasoning and translation into English, (3) mapping of LOs into predefined categories developed within the Erasmus+ Developing, implementing, and disseminating an adaptive clinical reasoning curriculum for healthcare students and educators (DID-ACT) consortium, and (4) synthesis of analysis findings into recommendations for how LOs related to clinical reasoning could be presented and incorporated in LO catalogues, upon consensus. Three distinct recommendations were formulated: (1) make clinical reasoning explicit, (2) emphasize interprofessional and collaboration aspects of clinical reasoning, and (3) include aspects of teaching and assessment of clinical reasoning. In addition, the consortium understood that implementation of bilingual catalogues with English as a common language might contribute to lower heterogeneity regarding amount, structure, and level of granularity of clinical reasoning LOs across countries. These recommendations will hopefully motivate and guide initiatives towards the implementation of LOs related to clinical reasoning in existing and future LO catalogues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

Review

Jump to: Research

12 pages, 347 KiB

Open AccessReview

Distance Learning in Pandemic Age: Lessons from a (No Longer) Emergency

by Loredana Addimando

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16302; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316302 - 5 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1862

Abstract

For the first time in the history of the global school system, the adoption of distance education modalities became necessary in response to the measures and restrictions implemented to stem the global pandemic generated by COVID-19. Online learning is not a new topic in education; it refers to studying for a certificate using online platforms that offer online courses rather than visiting lectures. Distance learning is a type of training that involves online learning under the supervision of a classroom teacher, but it can still be a little-known modality for both teachers and students. Preparing students for interactions and emotion management is essential in any teaching mode to maximize the learning and participation of the entire class group. This issue becomes even more critical in distance learning because it lacks those aspects of immediacy and concreteness typical of face-to-face interaction. The present article attempts to review the impact of distance learning versus traditional education brought about by the forced experience of distance learning due to the pandemic. In summary, this research has provided some initial findings about distant learning research during the pandemic age. To have a successful learning experience, students must be aware of their responsibilities and master their areas of autonomy, emotions, and feelings. Teaching at a distance is a challenge. As a general rule, learning activities that are successful in a traditional classroom may be adapted to the distance learning setting, but this will take more than a few minor tweaks to the slides or handouts. In order to engage pupils and maintain their attention and motivation levels, these techniques will probably call for more imaginative and inventive ways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends)

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Medical and Health Professions Education at the Time of COVID-19: Current Perspectives and New Trends

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