Journal of Medical Education and Development

Empathy Level and its Related Factors in the Different Specialties of Medical Residents

Zakerkish M, Hafezi A, Shakurnia A , Maniati M — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:35:59 +0000

Introduction: Given the importance of empathy in the process of caring for patients, this study investigated the level of empathy and its associated factors among medical residents at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS).

Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at AJUMS in 2022. All 473 medical residents who were studying at AJUMS were included in the study using census method. Participants completed the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. This scale has 20 items that are scored based on a 7-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient.

Results: The number of medical residents who completed the questionnaires was 290 (response rate 61.3%). These medical residents' mean score of empathy was 102.81±12.75 (out of a total of 140 points). Empathy scores had no statistically significant relationship with sex, marital status, and entry year (p˃ 0.05). Pearson's correlation coefficient showed that there is a significant relationship between the level of empathy and age (r=0.223, p=0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between the empathy scores of medical residents of different specialties (p=0.0001, F=5.249), with the psychiatry residents having the highest mean empathy score (118.31±6.1) and the ophthalmology residents having the lowest (92.85±14.2).

Conclusion: The findings showed that the empathy score of the residents is at a moderate level, and given the significant difference between the empathy scores of residents of different specialties, it can be argued that empathy changes under the influence of the clinical education environment and is a teachable skill.

Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Training Workshop on Mindfulness in Clinical Encounters for Nursing Students of the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Khoshgoftar Z, Mousavizadeh SN, Asadi-Samani H , Hakimzadeh A — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:38:39 +0000

Abstract

Introduction: With the emergence of new and re-emerging diseases and their medical staff and students facing infectious diseases, it was felt necessary to support them regarding the stress and anxiety caused by the disease. Therefore, this study was conducted to design, implement, and evaluate a workshop on mindfulness in clinical encounters for nursing students.

Method: This educational research was conducted on 66 nursing students based on the Glasik criteria. First, the needs and goals were determined based on the literature review and expert panel; the workshop was designed with a focused group of student representatives, and then the implementation of the program began. For evaluation, the satisfaction form was used to measure learning, anxiety, and performance.

Results: The average satisfaction of the learners with the efficiency of the course was 32.3 and the satisfaction with the organization of the course was 25.6. The average work participation before the workshop was 19.33 ± 6.19, which after the workshop was 28.13 ± 4.69 and was significant (P < 0.001). The average anxiety before the workshop was 20.40 ± 10.73, but after the workshop decreased to 10.90 ± 13.64 and was significant (P < 0.001). The mean of mindfulness before the workshop was 89.46 ± 17.16, which reached 99.26 ± 18.70 after the workshop (P = 0.007).

Conclusion: The mindfulness workshop provides a suitable opportunity to practice techniques for dealing with stress and critical situations for undergraduate students who have fewer skills. It is suggested to investigate this intervention at other educational levels.

E-learning Quality Assessment Indicators: A Narrative Review

Sadeghi F, Fazaeli S , Kimiafar KH, Ameri F, Meraji M — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:46:30 +0000

Introduction: Due to the widespread use of this educational method in the universities of the world and Iran, there is a need to evaluate its quality using indicators and approaches. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the quality evaluation indicators of electronic education.

Method: The present study was conducted according to the guidelines of PRISMA. For this purpose, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Mogiran, Irandak and SID databases were searched in the period from 2018 to 2022. The search strategy included the concepts of "e-learning", "index" and "medical science students". The criteria for entering this study were original articles in Persian and English. After selecting the studies, data collection was done based on the data extraction form.

Results: A total of 77 articles were included in this review. From the review of studies, 37 indicators in 6 categories of factors related to students (5 indicators), factors related to professors (11 indicators), factors related to educational content (5 indicators), factors related to required facilities (7 indicators), factors related to Management (5 indicators) and factors related to laws and regulations (4 indicators) were obtained.

Conclusion: The results showed that six factors are involved in evaluating the quality of e-learning. Therefore, it is recommended that the managers of the educational systems to ensure the provision of high-quality training by identifying the weaknesses of the electronic learning software system and laying the foundation for their elimination.

Using the Peer Learning Method in the E-learning Process: Creating a Support-Motivational Mechanism for the Parasitology MS Students in Shahid Sadougi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:56:33 +0000

Introduction: Specialized training is the most crucial turning point of education in obtaining the professions related to medical sciences. Peer learning has advantages, including saving time and eliminating the limitations of traditional education. The purpose of current educational program during the COVID₁₉ pandemic was to reduce students’ stress and more accepted in the parasitology PhD exam.

Method: Faculty members and MsC Students in the Department of Medical Parasitology, Yazd medical university, performed the present developmental study based on the reference books and curriculum. First, a training virtual platform was designe using a topic, picture, video of a parasite or parasitic diseases between the learners under the supervision of all the scientific members. Learners designed questions and their answers for each title in the virtual platform. In the end, to help the students to participate in the PhD exam, two virtual pre-exams were also designed. Finally, the satisfaction level of faculty members and students, as wll as their stress level's was evaluate using Excel software.

Results: Of 25 student participants, six succeeded in the first stage and finally, three of them were accepted in the second stage of the parasitology Ph.D. exam in the 2021-2022 academic years. Implementation of this peer learning method was also effective in reducing the stress level of students in the Ph.D. exam.

Conclusion: Considering the success of the peer learning program using virtual learning in current study and more passing in the Ph.D. exam, it suggests that this plan will be implemented in other educational groups with postgraduate education.

The Impact of Data-Driven Learning on Medical Students' English Academic Writing

Dehghan A, Fazilatfar AM, Jabbari AK — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 05:59:34 +0000

Introduction: Data-driven learning has emerged as a powerful method in language teaching and has drastically changed the traditional methods of teaching and learning, especially in academic writing. So, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of data-driven learning on the English academic writing of medical students.

Method: In this quasi-experimental intervention study, 29 MSc students of different fields of medical sciences participated in a training intervention program using a data-driven learning approach focusing on self-generated corpora of academic articles related to their fields of study. Students were asked to write an academic text related to their fields at the beginning and end of the course. Written texts were graded based on the Hemp-Lyons academic writing rubric, and the data collected from the pre-and post-test assessments were analyzed using the paired-sample t-test.

Results: Comparison of pre-test scores with a mean of 59 (SD = 2.26) and post-test scores with a mean of 78.53 (SD = 2.33) indicated a significant improvement in the writing of the participants of this study (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: In light of confirming the educational suitability of the data-driven approach and recognizing the need for students to engage in English article writing and publication, these findings serve as a valuable aid to MSc students studying medical sciences, facilitating their academic writing in English.

Explaining Medical Students' Experiences of the Challenges of Clinical Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Qualitative Content Analysis

Sat, 16 Mar 2024 06:07:52 +0000

Introduction: The conditions of the COVID-19 disease epidemic have had an undeniable role in the education of students, especially health students, including nurses, and it can potentially affect the clinical competence of these students as a workforce in the future. Therefore, the current study will be conducted to explain the medical students' experiences of the challenges they have experienced in their clinical education during this period.

Method: The present qualitative study was conducted using the contractual content analysis method in 2023 in Saveh Medical Sciences Faculty. 17 students were selected purposefully and, the data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Granheim and Lundman's approach.

Results: Interviews with participants were conducted individually with 17 students during 3 months. The average duration of the interview was 30 minutes. The findings included one category (lost learning) and five subcategories (fear preventing learning, limitations of the educational system, confusion in interactions and communication, limited clinical learning, and discouragement towards educational conditions).

Conclusion: Considering that it is impossible to teach in the hospital environment without encountering infectious diseases, it is necessary to prevent harm to the learning of students of various fields by formulating rules and guidelines. Also, the use of educational methods such as movies and animations, as well as other methods of virtual education, can help to improve the level of students' learning in cases where they can't be present at the patient's bedside.

Game-Based Learning for Soft Skills

Hamid Yazdaninejad, Ali Reyhanian — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 06:10:28 +0000

The Article Abstract is not available.

ChatGPT in writing scientific articles: friend or foe?

Safiyehsadat Heydari — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 06:12:18 +0000

The Article Abstract is not Available.