Editor’s Choice Articles

Background: Empathy, compassion, self-compassion, and resilience are essential to medical practice and education. While some evidence shows that these traits may decline during medical school, few studies have examined all these capacities in the same cohorts or trends within an academic year. This study examines first-year longitudinal findings on cohort and within-year changes in these constructs among medical students. Methods: 98 students (58.2% female; M_age = 26.34 (2.86); 37.8% White; MS1 25.5%, MS2 25.5%, MS3 20.4%, MS4 26.5%) from a large US school participated in at least one wave of an online survey distributed 4 times during the 2023–2024 academic year. Validated measures assessed empathy (IRI), compassion (SCBCS), self-compassion (Neff SCS), and resilience (CD-RISC-10). Linear mixed models analyzed between-cohort differences over time with gender and race/ethnicity as covariates. Results: Compared to MS4 students, MS2 and MS3 students had significantly lower cognitive empathy and self-compassion, with marginally lower compassion and higher resilience (p = 0.06). Women reported higher compassion toward others but lower self-compassion and resilience than men. Conclusions: Lower empathy and compassion were observed as early as the second year of medical school, suggesting erosion factors, such as academic pressure and standardized testing, may impact trainees earlier than previously reported. Full article

Learning objectives are a foundational component of undergraduate medical education and are widely assumed to guide students’ studying, planning, and self-assessment. Despite these assumptions, limited empirical work has examined how medical students actually use them in practice. This study examined learning objectives as strategic learning tools by contrasting educator-endorsed strategies identified through a scoping review with student-described practices derived from qualitative focus groups with pre-clerkship medical students. The scoping review identified educator-centered strategies emphasizing proactive planning, self-directed learning, and assessment alignment. Focus group findings revealed that students engaged with objectives selectively and reactively. Most often after learning events for self-testing, gap identification, and content triage; a pattern markedly different from educator assumptions of routine, front-end use. Two novel findings emerged: students’ use was shaped by conditional trust in objective quality and assessment alignment, and a subset of students independently developed technology-enabled adaptations (including AI-generated practice questions and flashcard conversion) not reflected in the existing educator literature. These findings highlight a meaningful gap between prescriptive guidance and student learning realities, and suggest that more learner-aligned approaches to supporting learning objective use are warranted. Full article

Simulation-based learning experiences (SBLE) are widely used in health professions education to enhance clinical skills, confidence, and decision-making in a safe environment. In Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, peer simulation offers a cost-effective alternative to high-fidelity simulation and standardized patients, though its effectiveness across different instructional formats remains underexplored. This study examined the differences in student confidence in outpatient physical therapy between cohorts of students from three educational delivery methods, which included face-to-face (F2F), virtual instruction (VI), and F2F combined with integrated clinical experiences (F2F + ICE), prior to their first clinical experience. Using a three-group comparative design, 107 students across three academic years (2019, 2020, and 2022) completed pre- and post-course surveys assessing confidence in four domains and interest in outpatient care. A two-way ANCOVA, controlling baseline interest, revealed significant differences in confidence across all cohorts between pre- and post-course assessment time periods (p < 0.001), with no significant differences between cohorts under the various delivery formats at post-course assessment. While the F2F + ICE group demonstrated higher baseline confidence, this difference was not found post-course. Findings suggest that peer simulation effectively improves perceived confidence in outpatient physical therapy regardless of delivery mode. These results support the integration of SBLE in DPT curricula to prepare students for clinical practice and highlight the need for further research across multiple programs. Full article

This pre–post study aimed to determine whether interprofessional education (IPE) combining online and in-person instruction enhanced medical students’ empathy. The IPE program was conducted during the academic years 2022 and 2023 for medical (n = 240) and other healthcare students. Subjects discussed a case scenario involving a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia, sharing their ideas within their team and with other teams. The medical students’ empathy was assessed before and after the IPE program using the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Health Professions Students (JSE-HPS). Medical students provided written responses to the question, “What do you think is necessary for the care of patients with cancer, besides medical skills and knowledge?” Empathy-related terms were identified using frequency and co-occurrence analyses. The frequencies before and after the IPE were compared. The median JSE-HPS score rose from 98.0 to 114.0 (p < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). The frequency of words categorized as demonstrating empathy increased from 37.9% to 52.9% after the IPE (p < 0.01, chi-square test). Our hybrid IPE program enhanced medical students’ empathy, which was supported by both quantitative and qualitative methods. Full article

Background: Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have produced ChatGPT-4o, a multimodal large language model (LLM) capable of processing both text and image inputs. Although ChatGPT has demonstrated usefulness in medical examinations, few studies have evaluated its image analysis performance. Methods: This study compared GPT-4o and GPT-4 using public questions from the 116th–118th Japanese National Medical Licensing Examinations (JNMLE), each consisting of 400 questions. Both models answered in Japanese using simple prompts, including screenshots for image-based questions. Accuracy was analyzed across essential, general, and clinical questions, with statistical comparisons by chi-square tests. Results: GPT-4o consistently outperformed GPT-4, achieving passing scores in all three examinations. In the 118th JNMLE, GPT-4o scored 457 points versus 425 for GPT-4. GPT-4o demonstrated higher accuracy for image-based questions in the 117th and 116th exams, though the difference in the 118th was not significant. For text-based questions, GPT-4o showed superior medical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and ethical response behavior, notably avoiding prohibited options. Conclusion: Overall, GPT-4o exceeded GPT-4 in both text and image domains, suggesting strong potential as a diagnostic aid and educational resource. Its balanced performance across modalities highlights its promise for integration into future medical education and clinical decision support. Full article

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare has reshaped medical education and clinical practice. While technological innovation is vital, soft skills are essential for preserving trust, ethical accountability, and humanistic care. This study explores the evolving role of soft skills in medical education in the AI era by examining definitional challenges, pedagogical strategies, and the integration of AI-related literacy. A narrative review methodology synthesized evidence across seven thematic domains, focusing on curricular integration, pedagogical strategies, and assessment approaches in medical education within AI-enabled learning environments. The findings demonstrated that soft skills improve patient adherence, satisfaction, safety, and trust; strengthen physicians’ professional identity, collaboration, and resilience; and enhance system-level outcomes, such as resilience, safety, and public trust. Experiential, reflective, and competency-based pedagogies remain the most effective instructional strategies, while AI-supported tools, including virtual patients, adaptive simulations, large language models (LLMs), and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems (RAG), offer complementary benefits by enhancing doctor-patient communication, providing real-time personalized feedback, and strengthening clinical reasoning. Soft skills function as an interconnected and synergistic ecosystem that is reinforced by cognitive, affective, humanistic, and ethical mechanisms. Integrating these competencies with AI literacy promotes theoretical clarity, supports programmatic assessment, and fosters responsible innovation, ensuring that technological advancement enhances rather than diminishes the humanistic foundations of medicine. Full article

Residents preparing for pathology board exams frequently use multiple-choice questions (MCQs) from question banks (QBs) like PathDojo and PathPrimer, which can be costly. ChatGPT, a free tool, has been used to generate MCQs for other tests like the SAT. This study compared the quality of pathology MCQs created by ChatGPT versus commercially available study questions for the American Board of Pathology’s (ABPath) certifying exams. A rubric adapted from the National Board of Medical Examiners’ (NBME) question writing guide was validated by two pathologists using commercially available pathology board exam questions. This rubric was then used to evaluate MCQs from commercially available pathology board study books as well as MCQs created by ChatGPT. The results compared the percentage of criteria met between ChatGPT and control MCQs using chi-square analysis with significance set at <0.05. While ChatGPT MCQs were less likely to be accurate compared to commercially available MCQs in four criteria (the best answer choice (82.5% vs. 100%), reflection of current practice (84.6% vs. 100%), error-free explanation (87.9% vs. 100%), and explanation reflecting current practice (87.9% vs. 100%)), the complexity of the ChatGPT-generated questions was higher (78.5% vs. 47.2%). At this time, ChatGPT-generated MCQs should not be used in the same way as commercially available study guides, however there is potential for learned language models (LLM)s to create quality study materials and exam questions with careful monitoring Full article

Simulation is widely used in healthcare, with VR simulation replacing physical scenarios with virtual ones. Participants observe based on predefined learning objectives and reflect on them during debriefing sessions. De-escalation is recommended as the first-line response to potential aggression in mental healthcare. Staff in secure mental health units frequently face aggression, and training may enhance de-escalation skills. The study aimed to explore staff experiences with VR simulation as a supplement to physical simulation for de-escalation and examine differences between those with and without prior physical simulation experience. The study involved 58 frontline staff in a Norwegian high security secure mental health department. Twelve simulations were conducted, followed by a post-simulation questionnaire. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and appropriate statistical analyses. Departmental and data protection approvals were obtained, and participation was based on informed consent. Two themes emerged: (1) enhances situational understanding, and (2) lack of training for action readiness. Participants rated the simulation highly on most questions and perceived VR simulation as a valuable supplement to physical simulation. Those without prior simulation experience were more satisfied with the VR scenario (mean difference = 0.421, 2-sided 95%CI = 0.036–0.807, t = 2.188, p = 0.033), learned more from the VR simulation (mean difference = 0.725, 2-sided 95%CI = 0.045–1.406, t = 2.136, p = 0.037), experienced VR scenario which was more applicable to clinical work (mean difference = 0.645, 2-sided 95% CI = 0.161–1.128, t = 2.674, p = 0.010), and reflected that the VR simulation increased their experienced safety (mean difference = 1.133. 95%CI = 0.478–1.788, t = 3.468, p = 0.001). Greater benefits were yielded from the VR simulation for those without prior simulation experience than those with previous experience. Further studies are recommended. Full article

Pharmacy and nursing professions collaborate closely in healthcare settings. Effective interprofessional practice is now widely recognised as essential for achieving optimal patient care outcomes. Little has been published on nursing-pharmacy Interprofessional learning (IPL) in a simulated environment in Australian contexts. This study aimed to evaluate whether an IPL activity improved participants’ communication confidence, role understanding, clinical knowledge, and preparedness for hospital placement, while also assessing student satisfaction and identifying areas for improvement. A pedagogically structured teaching and learning model was developed, involving a high-fidelity on-campus simulated hospital ward, supplemented with a virtual online environment to immerse nursing and pharmacy students in a realistic clinical environment to achieve deep learning in preparation for safe practice. An online anonymous survey was conducted to evaluate participants’ experience and preparedness following the simulation. 280 students participated and 52 completed the evaluation. Most students reported that the experience boosted their confidence in communicating with other healthcare professionals (82%), increased clinical/therapeutic knowledge (86%), gave them a better understanding of the roles of nurses/pharmacists within the hospital setting (88%) and left them feeling better prepared for hospital placement (85%). Student free-text responses from the evaluation survey further supported the expansion of the IPL sessions in the future. IPL involving nursing and pharmacy students in a simulated hospital builds confidence in communicating and increases self-reported preparedness for placement. 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

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

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

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and mixed reality (MR) into orthopedic education has transformed learning. This review examines AI-powered platforms like Microsoft HoloLens, Apple Vision Pro, and HTC Vive Pro, which enhance anatomical visualization, surgical simulation, and clinical decision-making. These technologies improve the spatial understanding of musculoskeletal structures, refine procedural skills with haptic feedback, and personalize learning through AI-driven adaptive algorithms. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT further support knowledge retention and provide evidence-based insights on orthopedic topics. AI-enabled platforms and generative AI tools help address challenges in standardizing orthopedic education. However, we still face many barriers that relate to standardizing data, algorithm evaluation, ethics, and the curriculum. AI is used in preoperative planning and predictive analytics in the postoperative period that bridges theory and practice. AI and MR are key to supporting innovation and scalability in orthopedic education. However, technological innovation relies on collaborative partnerships to develop equitable, evidence-informed practices that can be implemented in orthopedic education. For sustained impact, innovation must be aligned with pedagogical theories and principles. We believe that orthopedic medical educators’ future critical role will be to enhance the next generation of competent clinicians. Full article

The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into health professions education (HPE) is rapidly transforming learning environments, raising questions about its impact on teaching and learning. This mixed methods study explores clinical educators’ and undergraduate students’ perceptions and attitudes about using GenAI tools in HPE at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as theoretical frameworks, we designed and administered a survey and conducted interviews to assess participants’ perceived usefulness, ease of use, and concerns related to GenAI adoption. Quantitative survey data were analyzed for frequencies and percentages, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Results showed that students demonstrated higher GenAI adoption rates (68.7%) compared to educators (38.5%), with GenAI perceived as valuable for efficiency, research, and personalized learning. However, concerns included over-reliance on GenAI, diminished critical thinking, and ethical implications. Educators emphasized the need for institutional guidelines and training to support responsible GenAI integration. Our findings suggest that while GenAI holds great potential for enhancing education, structured institutional policies and ethical oversight are crucial for its effective use. These insights contribute to the ongoing discourse on GenAI adoption in HPE. Full article

International medical graduates (IMGs) account for 25% of the physician workforce in the United States, yet little is known about their professional identity formation (PIF). This qualitative study explores the process of PIF in IMG residents with special attention to how they integrate their intersectional marginalized personal identities. Method: Using a social constructivist approach, the researchers conducted semi-structured individual interviews with 15 IMG resident physicians in the United States. The authors analyzed the data using a constant comparison approach and identified themes by consensus. Results: Participants described their PIF journey beginning before starting residencies in the US. Their PIF was challenging due to structural barriers associated with their immigrant status. Furthermore, participants reported more difficulties with PIF if they did not look white. When their pre-existing professional and personal identities clashed with the American professional norm, the residents suppressed or compartmentalized these pre-existing identities. However, participants also reported that their diverse personal identities could be assets to the provision of care for diverse patient populations. Conclusions: This study reveals the identity tension experienced by IMGs in their PIF journey and the different strategies they employed to navigate the conflicts with American professional norms. This study suggests reimagining PIF frameworks to cultivate a more diverse physician workforce. Full article

Through the pivot to emergency remote teaching during the pandemic, most universities have managed to become ‘digital’, at least in the delivery of educational programmes and business operations. And yet, the purposeful design and use of technology for education is far from the reality of such a pivot and remains difficult to achieve. While most universities outline some level of digital transformation as part of their innovation narrative and strategies, there is only a limited number of universities that adopt the culture of co-creation. This paper illustrates a bottom-up approach to the co-creation of a new digital and medical education strategy in a London-based Russell Group university to bring on change that is fit for purpose. The findings include the key insights, specifically, the five key values of what the community believed to be crucial—(i) broadening access to education, (ii) flexibility, efficiency and convenience, (iii) authentic learning, (iv) business proposition, and (v) pastoral care; and the eight areas of opportunities and challenges—(i) human relationships, (ii) co-creation, (iii) digital engagement, (iv) digital pedagogy, (v) digital literacy, (vi) edtech and IT infrastructure, (vii) support, and (viii) digital assessment and feedback. This paper also outlines the strategic project plans that were generated and since implemented as a result of the co-creation process. The limitations and future directions of this study are also noted. Full article

Background: Clinical reasoning (CR) is fundamental in medical education. However, the Italian curriculum has not incorporated a structured CR format yet. Therefore, we introduced the Clinical Case Discussions (CCD), to medical students attending the University of Bologna as a tool for developing CR abilities. CCDs are a case-based peer-teaching format, simulating the diagnostic process using published patient cases. Methods: Students of all clinical years of the University of Bologna Medical School were invited to voluntarily participate in a two-day CCD training program. They completed pre- and post-training questionnaires assessing their expectations before and impressions after the training and comparing learning outcomes to their usual classes. Results: Twenty-one students participated in this pilot program. Before the training, more than half of the participants expressed either interest or a strong interest in all proposed learning objectives. Afterward, 84.6% of the students stated that the training much exceeded (63.5%) or exceeded (23.1%) their expectations considering its utility for their future medical activities. A total of 92.3% strongly agreed (84.6%) or agreed (7.7%) to have improved their CR. Conclusions: Although this pilot program had some intrinsic limitations, the students’ positive feedback on this CCD format (combining the benefits of case-based learning and peer teaching) encourages further research on its potential role in the Italian curriculum. Full article

Suboptimal knowledge of clinical pharmacology, therapeutics, and toxicology (CPT) and poor-quality prescribing are threats to patient safety. Our previous national survey of medical faculty identified limited confidence in medical student graduates’ ability to safely prescribe, as well as an interest in a national prescribing competence assessment. Given the in-person challenges posed by the restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to re-evaluate opinions and gauge the interest in e-learning resources and assessments. Using public sources, a sampling frame of medical school leaders from all 17 Canadian medical schools, including deans, vice-deans, and program directors for clerkship, residency, and e-learning, were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Survey questions were finalized after several rounds of testing, and analyses were descriptive. Of 1448 invitations, 411 (28.4%) individuals reviewed the survey, and, among them, 278 (67.6%) completed at least one survey question, with representation from all schools. While more than 90% of respondents agreed that medical students should meet a minimum standard of prescribing competence, only 17 (7.9%) could vouch for their school meeting objectives in CPT, and many had significant concerns about their own or other schools’ recent graduate prescribing abilities. Given the lack of local CPT e-curricula resources, there was strong interest in a national online course and assessment in CPT. Our national survey results suggest an ongoing inadequacy of medical trainees’ prescribing competence, and also provide a strong endorsement for both a national online CPT course and assessment during medical school. Full article

Traditional approaches to marking short-answer questions face limitations in timeliness, scalability, inter-rater reliability, and faculty time costs. Harnessing generative artificial intelligence (AI) to address some of these shortcomings is attractive. This study aims to validate the use of ChatGPT for evaluating short-answer assessments in an undergraduate medical program. Ten questions from the pre-clerkship medical curriculum were randomly chosen, and for each, six previously marked student answers were collected. These sixty answers were evaluated by ChatGPT in July 2023 under four conditions: with both a rubric and standard, with only a standard, with only a rubric, and with neither. ChatGPT displayed good Spearman correlations with a single human assessor (r = 0.6–0.7, p < 0.001) across all conditions, with the absence of a standard or rubric yielding the best correlation. Scoring differences were common (65–80%), but score adjustments of more than one point were less frequent (20–38%). Notably, the absence of a rubric resulted in systematically higher scores (p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.33). Our findings demonstrate that ChatGPT is a viable, though imperfect, assistant to human assessment, performing comparably to a single expert assessor. This study serves as a foundation for future research on AI-based assessment techniques with potential for further optimization and increased reliability. Full article

Recently, study abroad and elective programs have been facilitated via university partnerships based on student-exchange agreements. This study examined international medical student exchange agreements, focusing on reciprocity and stratification in the Japanese context. An empirical analysis was conducted using 581 agreements involving student exchanges with medical institutions in foreign countries based on a survey conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Education. We found that the average reciprocity rate via mutual tuition waivers was 52.84%: equivalent in Asia, slightly lower in Europe (49.61%), and higher in North America (58.06%). Europe has a balanced inbound and outbound exchange, Asia has a higher inbound exchange, and North America has an excess of outbound exchange from Japan. Moreover, selective institutions, such as former imperial or medical universities, have more than twice the number of agreements per university compared to others. In conclusion, it can be observed that international medical university partnerships are stratified, and reciprocity is intertwined with tuition waivers and the number of exchange students in the partnering institutions. As the results highlight the distinct characteristics of international education partnerships in Japan’s medical field compared to partnerships in all academic fields, it is necessary to investigate and develop international partnerships separately by field. Full article

Artificial intelligence-powered generative language models (GLMs), such as ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, and Google Bard, have the potential to provide personalized learning, unlimited practice opportunities, and interactive engagement 24/7, with immediate feedback. However, to fully utilize GLMs, properly formulated instructions are essential. Prompt engineering is a systematic approach to effectively communicating with GLMs to achieve the desired results. Well-crafted prompts yield good responses from the GLM, while poorly constructed prompts will lead to unsatisfactory responses. Besides the challenges of prompt engineering, significant concerns are associated with using GLMs in medical education, including ensuring accuracy, mitigating bias, maintaining privacy, and avoiding excessive reliance on technology. Future directions involve developing more sophisticated prompt engineering techniques, integrating GLMs with other technologies, creating personalized learning pathways, and researching the effectiveness of GLMs in medical education. Full article

(1) Background: This qualitative study aimed to identify and describe course components which affect a student’s motivation to learn within a blended-learning competency-based curriculum. (2) Methods: The data were gathered via two consecutive semi-structured group interviews. The participants were purposefully sampled from medical students attending the Family Medicine (FM) class at Saarland University (UdS) in Winter 2020. The two interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed using content analysis. (3) Results: Three categories of curricular components that affected motivation were inductively formed: (a) the provision of structure (curriculum design), where providing external learning milestones to self-regulated learning positively influenced an interviewee’s learning motivation; (b) the provision of interpersonal interactions and emotional relatedness by staff, where constructive feedback and enthusiasm from a teacher facilitated intrinsic motivation and real-life examples helped the students to remember content more easily; and (c) perceived gain in self-efficacy, where a participant’s motivation to learn a particular subject area was especially high if it appeared to be highly relevant to practice or exams and the applicability of the knowledge gained was readily apparent. (4) Conclusions: It is important for educators to be aware of how they influence a student’s motivation. This study may help to provide an orientation on what to avoid and what to include in a curriculum design project to purposefully foster motivation in students. Full article

Background: As a contribution to developing interprofessional education (IPE) synergy between medical education systems in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), this review aims to describe the IPE experiences for undergraduate medical students implemented in EHEA member countries. Methods: This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was conducted on SCOUPS and MEDLINE databases. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed English language articles about undergraduate medical students, interprofessional education, and EHEA countries, published January 2000–September 2022. Results: The 32 included studies were from 14 of the 49 EHEA countries. In most of the studies, the theoretical background leading the intervention was not reported (n = 25), and in several studies (n = 16) the students were from two professions only. The reported outcomes were related to self-assessment knowledge about IPE and satisfaction about the program. In 24 studies, the assessment was based on the study’s ad hoc measures only. Limitations ranged from selection bias to lack of objective measures. Conclusion: Future directions should envision developing IPE among EHEA countries, including agreement and consistency across EHEA countries in reporting theories, educational methods, and standardized IPE evaluation measures. Full article

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an active learning technique that promotes a life-long learning approach to understanding and using the principles of clinical medicine. It does so by helping learners hone their critical thinking skills in a team-based environment. It was originally developed for use in live, in-person settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has had to be rapidly adapted for online delivery. In this article, we first highlight the key challenges faced by educators and learners in making this transition. We then share five lessons for effectively translating in-person PBL curricula to online and hybrid learning formats. Full article

Background: Delivering impactful feedback is a skill that is difficult to measure. To date there is no generalizable assessment instrument which measures the quality of medical education feedback. The purpose of the present study was to create an instrument for measuring educator feedback skills. Methods: Building on pilot work, we refined an assessment instrument and addressed content and construct validity using expert validation (qualitative and quantitative). This was followed by cognitive interviews of faculty from several clinical departments, which were transcribed and analyzed using ATLAS.ti qualitative software. A research team revised and improved the assessment instrument. Results: Expert validation and cognitive interviews resulted in the Educator Feedback Skills Assessment, a scale with 10 items and three response options for each. Conclusions: Building on the contemporary medical education literature and empiric pilot work, we created and refined an assessment instrument for measuring educator feedback skills. We also started the argument on validity and addressed content validity. Full article

Immersive technology is a growing field in healthcare education—attracting educationalists to evaluate its utility. There has been a trend of increasing research in this field; however, a lack of quality assurance surrounding the literature prompted the narrative review. Web Of Science database searches were undertaken from 2002 to the beginning of 2022. The studies were divided into three mixed reality groups: virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 360 videos, and learning theory subgroups. Appraising 246 studies with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) indicated a gap in the validation of measures used to evaluate the technology. Although, those conducted in VR or those detailing learning theories scored higher according to MERSQI. There is an educational benefit to immersive technology in the healthcare setting. However, there needs to be caution in how the findings are interpreted for application beyond the initial study and a greater emphasis on research methods. Full article

Superstition is a belief that is not based on scientific knowledge. Traditional healers usually use superstition in their practices to manage human health problems and diseases; such practices create a conflict with the medical profession and its evidence-based practices. Medical professionals confirm that this kind of practice is unsafe as it is performed by untrained people (e.g., traditional healers) utilizing unsterilized instruments within unhygienic environments. Most of the cases eventually develop a variety of complications, which are sometimes fatal. Female genital mutilation, uvulectomy, oral mutilation (tooth bud extraction to cure “Ibyinyo”), and eyebrow incisions are examples of the many different types of superstitious practices which occur commonly in other parts of the world. We describe how these traditional practices of superstition have been and continue to be performed in various parts of the world, their complications on oral and general health, and how such practices hinder modern medical practices and highlight huge inequalities and disparities in healthcare-seeking behavior among different social groups. This paper aims to increase health literacy and awareness of these superstition-driven traditional and potentially harmful practices by promoting the importance of evidence-based medical practices. Full article

Background: The urgency for heightened levels of the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) awareness is due to their estimated face-to-face participation in the COVID-19 pandemic and similar pandemics. The unavailability of updated pandemic information is a significant challenge. There is no available data or previous studies undertaken to investigate the level of pandemic awareness of medical students in Trinidad, Tobago, or the wider Caribbean. Methods: A cross-sectional study of medical students, years one to five, at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine campus, Faculty of Medical Sciences, was conducted using random sampling. Data was collected using a 20-item questionnaire structured to test awareness. Chi-square analysis was done using SPSS version 28.0.1.0 (142). Results: Of the 137 participants, 100% claimed to be aware of the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly via social media and the Ministry of Health press conferences. Though all claimed to be aware, 98.5% were aware of COVID-19 being a viral infection, whilst 87.6% were aware of the modes of transmission. Less than half of the population (45.3%) stated they were prepared to be a frontline worker exposed to and treating COVID-19 patients, while the majority (76.6%) were worried about exposure to the virus. Conclusions: The data collected in this research indicated that the level of awareness increases with higher levels of education, whereas age has no effect. Additionally, it was determined that undergraduate medical students had an average knowledge base of COVID-19 but would need training programs to increase their preparedness as future healthcare professionals. Lastly, it was discovered that the two top sources of information were social media and press conferences held by the government. Full article