Int. Med. Educ., Volume 4, Issue 3 (September 2025) – 12 articles

Sociology provides essential insights into the social and cultural determinants of health and is critical to holistic nursing education. However, its integration into Greek undergraduate nursing curricula remains underexplored. This study employed a qualitative content analysis of the curricula from the eight public university nursing departments in Greece to examine the inclusion of sociology-related courses. Findings show that seven out of eight curricula (87.5%) include dedicated sociology courses, indicating a strong incorporation of sociological content. Compared to medical curricula in Greece, where sociology is largely absent, nursing education demonstrates greater engagement with sociological frameworks. The results support the need for curriculum harmonization across institutions and more robust interdisciplinary collaboration and interprofessional care. Standardizing the inclusion of sociology in healthcare education can strengthen interprofessional collaboration between doctors and nurses to address health inequities and improve patient-centered care. Full article

Artificial intelligence is transforming higher education, particularly in flipped classroom settings, in which students learn independently prior to class and collaborate during in-person sessions. This study examines the role of ChatGPT as a virtual peer in a veterinary anatomy course centered on cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Over two academic years (2023–2025), 297 first-year veterinary students worked in small groups to explore anatomy through structured prompts in English and Spanish using ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4. Activities involved analyzing AI output, evaluating anatomical accuracy, and suggesting alternative names for vascular variations. Learning outcomes were assessed using Bloom’s Taxonomy-based questions, and student perceptions were captured via online surveys. Progressive performance improvement was noted across three instructional phases, particularly in higher-level cognitive tasks (Bloom level 4). Responses to English prompts were more accurate than those to Spanish prompts. While students appreciated ChatGPT’s role in reinforcing knowledge and sparking discussion, they also flagged inaccuracies and emphasized the need for critical evaluation. Peer collaboration was found to be more influential than chatbot input. Conclusions: ChatGPT can enrich flipped anatomy instruction when paired with structured guidance. It supports content review, fosters group learning and promotes reflective thinking. However, developing digital literacy and ensuring expert oversight are essential to maximizing the educational value of AI. Full article

(1) Background: Medical education is moving from a cognition-based to a competency-based model in Germany. Traditional learning activities (LAs) are questioned. Some stakeholders criticise traditional LAs for not facilitating deep learning or operational competency transfer required in practical contexts. This qualitative study aims to take a closer look at the role of lectures in competency-based medical education from a student’s point of view. (2) Methods: Three semi-structured group interviews were held with students from the family medicine curriculum in the summer semester of 2021. Questions focused on the three lectures in this family medicine curriculum and on students’ experiences with lectures in general. One additional expert interview was held with one of the lecturers. The video-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. (3) Results: Interview participants highlighted entertainment, the provision of a social and physical learning environment, and the completion of knowledge from books and educational websites as important roles of lectures. Lectures on demand were used by interviewees for time- and space-independent repetition. Lecturer-dependent qualitative differences between lectures were identified by interviewees. Important differences were the extent of interaction, as well as the enthusiasm and preparation of the lecturer. (4) Conclusions: Even though literature suggests that lectures may be a less effective learning activity, under certain circumstances, several aspects make them an essential element of modern curriculum development. By raising interest in a subject, providing a space for discussion and social interaction, interactive lectures appear to be a helpful link between knowledge acquisition and practical training of competencies. Full article

Recognizing and understanding the nuances of mental health and how issues can present at various levels of healthcare for both patients and the interprofessional (IP) healthcare team can be crucial for the success and well-being of team members, as well as for achieving positive patient outcomes. Learners from various allied healthcare disciplines participated in a Case-Based Learning-Sequential Disclosure Activity (CBL-SDA) to address navigating appropriate approaches to fostering wellness in the clinical encounter and within healthcare teams from a multidisciplinary perspective. The CBL-SDA was delivered to a cohort of allied health students (N = 90) using a 4-step process during an interprofessional education (IPE) event of (i) Orientation, (ii) Sequential Disclosure, (iii) IPE Forum, (iv) Wrap-up. Pre- and post-activity surveys were voluntarily collected to gauge participants’ perceptions of the content and delivery method, with a response rate of 90% (N = 81). Overall, participants reported gaining confidence in their understanding of wellness, in identifying and providing support for a person struggling with wellness, in having tools to promote wellness, and also rated their own wellness higher, following the one-hour training session. It can be concluded that IPE activities highlighting wellness and mental health are beneficial and necessary in allied health care training. Full article

Identifying knowledge gaps and predictors of performance are proven ways to implement changes to a curriculum. This cross-sectional study investigates the subjective and objective competency of 52 medical students at McGill University in musculoskeletal (MSK) medicine, with a focus on orthopaedic surgery. We surveyed medical students to assess their confidence levels in orthopaedic surgery and their perceptions of its teaching. The students then completed a 25-question orthopaedics-focused exam as an objective assessment of their knowledge. Descriptive statistics were calculated, exam performance was compared across academic years, predictors of exam scores were analyzed, and student self-assessment accuracy was evaluated. Students reported lower confidence in orthopaedic surgery than in many other specialties, exam scores varied significantly across academic years (p = 0.007), and predicted exam performance was the only significant predictor of test score in multiple linear regression (R² = 0.313, p = 0.025). Calibration analysis revealed a substantial miscalibration, where students with higher predicted scores tended to overestimate their performance, while those with lower predictions tended to underestimate themselves (intercept = 27.2, slope = 0.54). A Bland–Altman plot demonstrated wide limits of agreement between predicted and actual scores (mean bias −1.2%, 95% LoA −35.0% to +32.6%). These findings highlight meaningful orthopaedic knowledge gaps and miscalibrated self-assessment, emphasizing the need for targeted, structured educational interventions in the MSK curriculum. Full article

The integration of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (AI/R) in healthcare presents both opportunities and challenges, especially in developing countries. This study assessed the attitudes and perceptions of Vietnamese healthcare undergraduates towards AI/R applications in healthcare and elderly care. In 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1221 Vietnamese healthcare undergraduates. The questionnaire covered demographic, academic, social, and mental factors, as well as attitudes towards AI/R applications measured by a five-level Likert scale. Key findings revealed that respondents were primarily majoring in medicine (60.9%) and pharmacy (29.4%). Awareness and interest in AI/R were high (89.9% and 88.3%, respectively), but formal training was significantly lacking (5.9%). A substantial majority (89.9%) expressed a need for AI/R training. Respondents perceived considerable benefits of AI/R, particularly in data synchronization (mean [M] = 3.83), workload reduction for medical staff (M = 3.79), and delivering multiple healthcare benefits (M = 3.82). Moderate concerns were noted regarding security and privacy (M = 3.46), potential over-reliance on technology (M = 3.43), and AI/R potentially replacing medical staff (M = 3.38). Overall, perceived benefits (M = 3.67) outweighed concerns (M = 3.38), (p < 0.001). Additionally, participants aware of AI/R and those planning to study abroad showed greater interest and training needs in AI/R. Higher GPA and self-esteem were associated with a greater interest in AI/R research. The study highlights a significant gap in formal AI/R training, not only in availability but also in the absence of structured, outcome-based curricula, despite the strong interest among healthcare students in acquiring knowledge and skills in this area. These findings suggest the need for enhanced educational programs to train healthcare students with the necessary competencies to apply AI/R technologies effectively. Full article

Humor plays a vital role in human well-being and communication and is increasingly recognized as a beneficial resource in healthcare contexts. While prior studies have explored humor in general university populations, limited research has focused on nursing students, who face distinct interpersonal and emotional demands during their training. This pilot study aimed to describe multidimensional sense of humor among first-year nursing students in Spain using the validated Spanish version of the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS), which includes a three-dimension model: humor competence, humor as a coping mechanism, and social attitudes toward humor. A total of 78 students completed the MSHS questionnaire via an online survey. The overall mean score was 66.8 (SD = 13.1) out of 96, with the highest mean observed in the dimension of humor as a coping mechanism (mean = 22.2, SD = 4.0). Individual item analysis revealed strong agreement with positively worded statements such as “I like a good joke” (mean = 3.36, SD = 0.82) and “Humor is a lousy coping mechanism” (reverse scored; mean = 3.69, SD = 0.67). These findings suggest that humor is a relevant personal and interpersonal resource among future healthcare professionals. Incorporating humor-related competencies in nursing education may support student resilience and enhance patient-centered care. Further research is needed to examine humor’s longitudinal development and its role in clinical practice. Full article

Through semi-structured interviews with attending surgeons, this exploratory qualitative study examined ways in which eleven surgeons create conditions for residents to flourish in the clinical learning environment. We conducted interviews with a purposeful sample of eleven surgical faculty from across the United States. The transcripts were deductively coded using VanderWeele’s (2017) flourishing framework, which includes character and virtue, close social relationships, meaning and purpose, and life satisfaction. Through open coding and thematic analysis, we identified three interrelated themes: (1) acting to promote good through mattering, (2) deriving satisfaction from individualizing teaching, and (3) affirming the worth of residents as humans. Full article

At the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, a significant component of the MD curriculum involves written narrative reflections on topics related to professional identity in medicine, with written feedback provided by their in-person longitudinal facilitators (LFs). However, it remains to be understood how generative artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT (GPT-4), augment the feedback process and how MD students perceive feedback provided by ChatGPT versus the feedback provided by their LFs. In this study, 15 MD students provided their written narrative reflections along with the feedback they received from their LFs. Their reflections were input into ChatGPT (GPT-4) to generate instantaneous personalized feedback. MD students rated both modalities of feedback using a Likert-scale survey, in addition to providing open-ended textual responses. Quantitative analysis involved mean comparisons and t-tests, while qualitative responses were coded for themes and representational quotations. The results showed that while the LF-provided feedback was rated slightly higher in six out of eight survey items, these differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, ChatGPT scored significantly higher in helping to identify strengths and areas for improvement, as well as in providing actionable steps for improvement. Criticisms of ChatGPT included a discernible “AI tone” and paraphrasing or misuse of quotations from the reflections. In addition, MD students valued LF feedback for being more personal and reflective of the real, in-person relationships formed with LFs. Overall, findings suggest that although skepticism regarding ChatGPT’s feedback exists amongst MD students, it represents a viable avenue for deepening reflective practice and easing some of the burden on LFs. Full article

To clarify the current status of physical assessment education in Japan, this study analyzed publicly available syllabi from nursing universities. Syllabi from 299 member universities of the Japan Association of Nursing Universities were analyzed, and data on course classification methods, learning content, and practice methods were tabulated. The Body System Approach was the most common classification (used by 244 universities). Implementation rates were high for core systems like the respiratory system (98.0%) and cardiovascular system (95.2%), but lower for others, such as the otolaryngology system (41.5%). The use of simulation was noted in 21.4% of courses, and in 71.0% of syllabi, the role of the patient in practice exercises was not described. A discrepancy exists between the implemented content and the Model Core Curriculum for Nursing Education, which includes a wider range of systems. Furthermore, few syllabi described specific teaching methods, indicating that future curriculum revisions will require re-evaluation to ensure educational quality. Full article

The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a well-established tool for assessing clinical skills, providing reliability, validity, and generalizability for high-stakes examinations. Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine (DMU-COM) adapted the OSCE for formative assessments in undergraduate medical education, focusing on interpersonal aspects in the primary care setting. Students are graded by standardized patients and faculty observers on interpersonal skills, history/physical examination, oral case presentation, and documentation. The purpose of the study is to establish the reliability and to identify sources of variation in the DMU-COM OSCE to aid medical educators in their understanding of the accuracy of clinical skills. We examined student performance data across five OSCE domains. We assessed intra- and inter-OSCE reliability by calculating KR20 values, determined sources of variation by multivariate regression analysis, and described relationships among observed variables through factor analysis. The results indicate that the OSCE captures student performance in three dimensions with low intra-OSCE reliability but acceptable longitudinal inter-OSCE reliability. Variance analysis shows significant measurement error in rubric-graded scores but negligible error in checklist-graded portions. Physical exam scores from patients and faculty showed no correlation, indicating value in having two different observers. We conclude that a series of formative OSCEs is a valid tool for assessing clinical skills in preclinical medical students. However, the low intra-assessment reliability cautions against using a single OSCE for summative clinical skills competency assessments. Full article

Background: Emergency medicine in Japan traditionally emphasizes critically ill patients, but recent trends show an increase in minor illness cases influenced by social factors. This study assessed integrating community nurse (CN) training into an emergency medicine elective to evaluate its effect on students’ self-achievement and communication skills. Methods: Medical students rotating in the emergency department participated. Those choosing the CN training spent one week in the community, while others remained hospital-based. Surveys evaluated self-achievement of Shimane University emergency medicine objectives and communication skills per the Model Core Curriculum. Analyses used t-tests. Results: Of 35 students, 21 (60%) completed surveys. Satisfaction levels did not differ significantly between CN and non-CN groups (4.0 ± 0.70 vs. 4.5 ± 0.63, p = 0.15). Regression analysis indicated satisfaction correlated only with online practice availability. No significant differences emerged for goals or communication items (all p > 0.05), although CN participants tended to rate higher on patient proximity, communication, and social engagement. Discussion: CN training maintained overall satisfaction and slightly enhanced communication and social aspects, aligning with shifts toward psychosocial care in emergency medicine. Conclusions: Integrating CN practice did not significantly impact emergency medicine knowledge or skill satisfaction but showed a trend toward improved communication and social purpose satisfaction. Larger-scale studies are needed for validation. Full article