Evaluation of a vaccination seminar in regard to medical students' attitudes and their theoretical and practical vaccination-specific competencies

Aim: Despite having a generally positive attitude toward vaccinations, medical students show gaps in their own immunization histories and knowledge about vaccinations. Future practicing physicians will be confronted with the need to evaluate protective immunity and make vaccination recommendations. This study aims to investigate the extent to which a seminar on the topic of vaccination can improve students' attitudes, knowledge and practical skills in interpreting vaccination certificates. Project description: Two different one-hour seminars were developed and integrated into the required clinical curriculum. A third of the students attended a theory-based seminar; the other two-thirds completed a predominantly practice-based seminar. The theoretical seminar consisted of a lecture on the principles and theoretical aspects of immunization. In the practical seminar, the curricular content was case-based and taught using fictive examples of vaccination certificates. Before the seminar was held, a voluntary and anonymous survey of the students was conducted regarding their attitudes toward and knowledge of immunization. At the conclusion of the seminar, the students' ability to understand vaccination certificates was tested. After completing the seminar, all of the participants received a link to participate in a voluntary online survey to evaluate the seminar. Results: Of the 149 seminar attendees in the 2017/18 winter semester, 148 participated in the study. Attitude: Students have a positive attitude toward vaccinations. Regardless of the type of seminar attended, the agreement with statements on vaccination could be significantly increased primarily among students who already at the start of the seminar expressed a high degree of agreement. Students vaccinated against influenza showed significantly stronger agreement than unvaccinated students. Knowledge: Regardless of teaching format, students' knowledge about vaccination topics could be increased. For those vaccinated against influenza, the mean value for agreement with the statement, "The vaccination of healthcare workers prevents nosocomial transmission of diseases," saw an increase on a five-point Likert scale from 3.97 to 4.4 (p<0.001; R=0.67). For the unvaccinated students, the mean value rose from 4.04 to 4.19 (p=0.06; R=0.29). Practical skills: The students who attended the theory-based seminar tended to score higher on interpreting vaccination certificates than those who attended the practical seminar; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Seminar evaluation: The online evaluation was completed by 18% of the participants. The theoretical seminar received the grade of 2.9 based on the conventional German academic grading scale; the practical seminar received 1.9. This difference is statistically significant (p=0.02). Conclusion: Precisely for skeptical students it was only possible to minimally change existing views with a seminar that offers very brief instruction. Attendees of the theoretical seminar tended to score somewhat higher on interpreting vaccination certificates than those who took the practical seminar. The practical seminar was rated significantly better on the course evaluation than the theoretical one. The advantage that the students attending the theoretical seminar had can be explained best by the structured review of the current vaccination recommendations as part of the seminar, which should, as a consequence, be integrated into the practical seminar.

Advancing Research on the Complex Interrelations Between Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure: A Report From a US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Virtual Workshop

The interrelationships between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) are complex and poorly understood, yet the number of patients with AF and HF continues to increase worldwide. Thus, there is a need for initiatives that prioritize research on the intersection between AF and HF. This article summarizes the proceedings of a virtual workshop convened by the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to identify important research opportunities in AF and HF. Key knowledge gaps were reviewed and research priorities were proposed for characterizing the pathophysiological overlap and deleterious interactions between AF and HF; preventing HF in people with AF; preventing AF in individuals with HF; and addressing symptom burden and health status outcomes in AF and HF. These research priorities will hopefully help inform, encourage, and stimulate innovative, cost-efficient, and transformative studies to enhance the outcomes of patients with AF and HF.

What are the links between evidence-based medicine and shared decision-making in training programs for junior doctors? A scoping review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Patient-centred care is pivotal to clinical practice and medical education. The practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and shared decision-making (SDM) are complementary aspects of patient-centred care, but they are frequently taught and reported as independent entities. To effectively perform all steps of EBM, clinicians need to include patients in SDM conversations, however, the uptake of this has been slow and inconsistent. A solution may be the incorporation of SDM into EBM training programmes, but such programmes do not routinely include SDM skills development. This scoping review will survey the literature on the kinds of EBM and SDM educational programmes that exist for recently qualified doctors, programmes that incorporate the teaching of both EBM and SDM skills, as well as identifying research gaps in the literature.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Literature searches will be conducted in the databases Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library. Bibliographies of key articles and their citing references will also be hand-searched and assessed for inclusion. Selected grey literature will be included. Papers must be written in English, or provide English abstracts, and date from 1996 to the present day.Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, check full texts of selected papers for eligibility and extract the data. Any disagreement will be resolved, and consensus reached, if necessary, with the assistance of a third reviewer. Qualitative and quantitative studies that address educational interventions for either EBM, SDM or both will be included. Data extraction tables will present bibliographic information, populations, interventions, context and outcomes. Data will be summarised using tables and figures and a description of findings.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This review will synthesise information from publicly available publications and does not require ethics approval. The results will be disseminated via conference presentations and publications in medical journals.

Asking young children to "do science" instead of "be scientists" increases science engagement in a randomized field experiment

Subtle features of common language can imply to young children that scientists are a special and distinct kind of person-a way of thinking that can interfere with the development of children's own engagement with science. We conducted a large field experiment (involving 45 prekindergarten schools, 130 teachers, and over 1,100 children) to test if targeting subtle properties of language can increase science engagement in children's daily lives. Despite strong tendencies to describe scientists as a special kind of person (in a baseline control condition), brief video-based training changed the language that teachers used to introduce science to their students. These changes in language were powerful enough to predict children's science interest and behavior days later. Thus, subtle features of language shape children's beliefs and behaviors as they unfold in real world environments. Harnessing these mechanisms could promote science engagement in early childhood.

'InUTERO': The effectiveness of an educational half day stillbirth awareness workshop for maternity care providers

BACKGROUND

There is a disconnect between what maternity care providers consider should be done and what they actually do with respect to talking with their pregnant clients about reducing their risk of stillbirth. This suggests that they would benefit from receiving up-to-date knowledge about stillbirth, alongside education that provides them with strategies for talking about stillbirth with pregnant women.

OBJECTIVES

To gain an understanding of maternity care provider (obstetricians and midwives) knowledge of stillbirth and determine whether delivering a half day workshop improves knowledge and results in intention to change practice.

DESIGN

A pre-post intervention study.

SETTING

Maternity care providers (Obstetricians, Midwives) working in the northern areas of Tasmania, Australia were asked, via questionnaire, about their knowledge of stillbirth both before and after attending a half-day workshop.

PARTICIPANTS

Maternity care providers (n = 51) attended the workshop and 30 (59%) completed both the pre-workshop and post-workshop surveys.

METHODS

A four hour interactive workshop grounded in understanding the stillbirth experience. Participants were given up-to-date information about stillbirth risks and current prevention research as well as provided with an actionable step wise approach to talking about stillbirth prevention in pregnancy.

RESULTS

Stillbirth knowledge scores (total of 8-points) significantly increased following the workshop (pre: mean = 2.9 ± 1.5; post: mean = 4.7 ± 1.4 points, t ₂₉ = 7.9, <0.001). Before the workshop, only 20% of participants responded that they "always" or usually" discussed the possibility stillbirth occurring with pregnant women in their care whereas, after the workshop, nearly all (88%) indicated that they planned to "always" discuss stillbirth with their pregnant clients.

CONCLUSIONS

Attending a stillbirth awareness for prevention education workshop resulted in significant knowledge improvement and self-reported intention to change practice in a group of Australian maternity care providers. While these results are promising, further study is needed to determine the presence and extent of actual practice change following such education.

Use of a flipped classroom in ophthalmology courses for nursing, dental and medical students: A quasi-experimental study using a mixed-methods approach

BACKGROUND

Traditional teaching is associated with dilemmas, such as low motivation to learn and passive learning. In contrast, use of a flipped classroom with the proper learning design has the potential to promote accelerated learning, bolster transmission of competencies (i.e., critical thinking, communication and problem-solving skills) and improve teamwork capacity, all of which are of great significance in professional healthcare practice, including nursing, dentistry and medicine.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of using a flipped classroom in ophthalmology courses for undergraduate nursing students, dental students and higher vocational medical students.

DESIGN

A quasi-experimental design was used with an intervention (n = 100) and a comparison group (n = 100), pre-/post-testing measures and a mixed-methods approach.

SETTING

A university in China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 200 students were included.

METHODS

Students' self-rated learning ability was measured before and after the courses, and skill exams were performed after the courses. In addition, interviews were conducted with the clinical medical students concerning their experiences of the flipped classroom.

RESULTS

Students' self-rated learning ability improved significantly more in the intervention than in the comparison group, for the total scale and the three factors 'learning goals', 'self-efficacy and social learning' and 'problem-solving'. Skill exam scores were statistically significantly better in the intervention than in the comparison group. On the whole, the clinical medicine students felt the flipped classroom had a positive impact and improved their learning ability as well as knowledge in ophthalmology.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of a flipped classroom for nursing, dental and clinical medical students in ophthalmology courses shows promising results in the form of students' skill exam scores and self-rated learning ability.

An Evaluation of a Continuing Education Workshop for Audiologists on the Assessment and Management of Tinnitus

INTRODUCTION

Tinnitus assessment and management is an important component of audiology. The benefits of continuing education (CE) workshops in the field of tinnitus have not been published. This study evaluated the outcomes of a workshop centered around a Sound Therapy and Aural Rehabilitation for Tinnitus (START) framework. Our hypotheses were that a CE workshop would (1) be useful, (2) improve clinician's knowledge and willingness to undertake tinnitus practice, and (3) result in learners using knowledge gained in their practice.

METHODS

Twenty-five participants attending a 3-day tinnitus workshop were invited to complete an evaluation immediately and 3 months after the workshop's completion. The workshop consisted of seminars and practical sessions. The pedagogical approaches employed were experiential (theory building, reflection, and testing) and community of practice (shared experiences).

RESULTS

Participants reported on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not useful-5 = excellent) a high level of satisfaction both immediately after the workshop (ratings of usefulness: mean, 4.8; SD, 0.4; willingness to practice: 4.6; SD. 0.6; ability to manage: 4.6; SD, 0.5; all "excellent" ratings) and 3 months later (ratings of usefulness: mean, 4.2; SD, 0.9, "very useful;" willingness to practice: 4.6; SD, 0.6, "excellent;" ability to manage: 4.1; SD. 0.5, "very useful"). Open-ended questions indicated participants made changes in their practice that reflected material provided in the CE.

CONCLUSION

The workshop was successful in improving knowledge and confidence of audiologists in undertaking tinnitus assessment and management, but the need for ongoing support and supervision was a common theme.

Challenges of one-year longitudinal follow-up of a prospective, observational cohort study using an anonymised database: recommendations for trainee research collaboratives

BACKGROUND

Trainee research collaboratives (TRCs) have pioneered high quality, prospective 'snap-shot' surgical cohort studies in the UK. Outcomes After Kidney injury in Surgery (OAKS) was the first TRC cohort study to attempt to collect one-year follow-up data. The aims of this study were to evaluate one-year follow-up and data completion rates, and to identify factors associated with improved follow-up rates.

METHODS

In this multicentre study, patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery were prospectively identified and followed up at one-year following surgery for six clinical outcomes. The primary outcome for this report was the follow-up rate for mortality at 1 year. The secondary outcome was the data completeness rate in those patients who were followed-up. An electronic survey was disseminated to investigators to identify strategies associated with improved follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 173 centres that collected baseline data, 126 centres registered to participate in one-year follow-up. Overall 62.3% (3482/5585) of patients were followed-up at 1 year; in centres registered to collect one-year outcomes, the follow-up rate was 82.6% (3482/4213). There were no differences in sex, comorbidity, operative urgency, or 7-day postoperative AKI rate between patients who were lost to follow-up and those who were successfully followed-up. In centres registered to collect one-year follow-up outcomes, overall data completeness was 83.1%, with 57.9% (73/126) of centres having ≥95% data completeness. Factors associated with increased likelihood of achieving ≥95% data completeness were total number of patients to be followed-up (77.4% in centres with < 15 patients, 59.0% with 15-29 patients, 51.4% with 30-59 patients, and 36.8% with > 60 patients, p = 0.030), and central versus local storage of patient identifiers (72.5% vs 48.0%, respectively, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

TRC methodology can be used to follow-up patients identified in prospective cohort studies at one-year. Follow-up rates are maximized by central storage of patient identifiers.

Attitudes of doctors and nurses to patient safety and errors in medical practice in the Gaza-Strip: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the attitudes of nurses and doctors to key patient safety concepts, evaluated differences and similarities between professional groups and assessed positive and negative attitudes to identify target areas for future training.

SETTING

Four major governmental hospitals in the Gaza-Strip.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of 424 nurses and 150 physicians working for at least 6 months in the study hospitals.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measures were mean scores with SD as measured for individual items and nine main patient safety domains assessed by the Attitudes to Patient Safety Questionnaire. Secondary outcome measures were the proportions of doctors and nurses, that gave a positive response to each item, represented as percentage of each group.

RESULTS

Nurses and doctors held moderately positive attitudes towards patient safety with five out of nine domain scores >3.5 of 5. Doctors showed slightly more positive attitudes than nurses, despite a smaller proportion of doctors having received patient safety training with 37.5% compared with 41.9% of nurses. Both professions displayed their most positive patient safety attitudes in the same domains ('team functioning' and 'working hours as a cause for error'), as well as their two most negative attitudes ('importance of patient safety in the curriculum' and 'professional incompetence as a cause of error'), demonstrating significant deficits in understanding medical errors. A specific challenge will be the negative attitudes of both professions towards patient safety training for wider dissemination of this content in the postgraduate curriculum.

CONCLUSION

Patient safety attitudes were moderately positive in both professional groups. Target of future patient safety training should be enhancing the understanding of error in medicine. Any training has to be motivating and relevant for clinicians, demonstrating its importance in ongoing professional learning.

Impact of co-curricular involvement on academic success of pharmacy students

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in co-curricular activities and academic performance of pharmacy students enrolled in a traditional PharmD program.

METHODS

Pharmacy students self-reported their activities in an online portfolio, allowing calculation of equivalent hours spent in co-curricular pursuits in a given academic year for each student during the six year period. Inferential statistics were used to elucidate the differences in co-curricular engagement by student rank, progression status, and leadership experience as well as differences in grade point average (GPA) by level of co-curricular participation and leadership experience.

RESULTS

Participation in co-curricular activities was less for students earning a deficiency than students with satisfactory academic performance. Students who were very engaged in co-curricular activities earned higher GPAs on average and were more likely to hold a leadership position. Leaders earned higher GPAs, were less likely to incur academic deficiencies, and were more involved in all types of co-curricular activities than students who did not hold a leadership position.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study offer evidence in support of the importance of co-curricular involvement to the development of the whole pharmacy student, including academic success. The provision of co-curricular opportunities by pharmacy programs provides personal and professional development opportunities to students and supports deep learning associated with improved academic performance and overall success.

Evaluation of peer-led study groups in a PharmD program

INTRODUCTION

Academic support in the form of formal, peer-led study groups was initiated at a four-year college of pharmacy utilizing paid group facilitators and a student program coordinator under the direction of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. This study's purpose was to assess the first year of this program from the viewpoints of the student participants, study group facilitators, and faculty.

METHODS

Student, study group facilitator, and faculty perceptions of the study group initiative were collected following the first year of operation via cross-sectional surveys and qualitative content analysis. Surveys addressed the perceived value of study groups and their impact on study habits, supportive relationships, and professional growth. A five-point Likert scale was used to note participants' level of agreement with each survey item, while open-ended questions gathered subjective feedback. The mean, standard deviation, and frequency were calculated for each survey item across the three participant groups and qualitative themes from free-responses were identified.

RESULTS

Student survey responses overwhelmingly supported the value and continuation of study groups (93% to 100% agreed or strongly agreed), with both participants and facilitators expressing enthusiasm for the program. Facilitators felt adequately trained (85.7%) and that their roles positively influenced their professional development (85.7% to 100%). Faculty respondents agreed that the program was valuable and should be continued.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, students and facilitators perceived study groups to be valuable in supporting the academic success of pharmacy students.

Implementation of an interviewing skills workshop for pharmacy students

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To describe the implementation and effect of an interviewing skills workshop (ISW) on student confidence on various interviewing techniques.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

A student directed ISW was offered to student pharmacists of all years within the doctor of pharmacy curriculum. There were five stations that student pharmacists rotated through every 12 min: a panel interview, group interview, teleconference interview, video conference interview, and a case station where student pharmacists were given a clinical or ethical case. Stations were staffed by faculty, alumni, and pharmacy residents. Student pharmacists completed a survey directly following the workshop to rate their confidence with the stations prior to and after the activity. Feedback on the activity was solicited from the student pharmacists and those who participated as interviewers.

FINDINGS

Twenty-eight student pharmacists participated in the ISW with an 85.7% response rate to the survey (n = 24). All students reported wanting to pursue a career requiring a residency and found the ISW to be beneficial. Average student confidence improved significantly from neutral to confident. Students reported positive themes of feedback and practice while requesting more time for each session and practice with group interviews and ethical situations. Interviewers noted building positive relationships with students and other faculty members. Opportunities for improvement included timing and providing more background information about the student pharmacists.

SUMMARY

A student-led ISW was found to be beneficial in improving confidence in student pharmacists. Student pharmacists' confidence increased in all types of interviews and with the clinical case.

Presentation of scientific poster information: Lessons learned from evaluating the impact of content arrangement and use of infographics

BACKGROUND

Scientific poster content and delivery methodology have evolved in recent years. The objective of this observational cross-sectional survey-based study was to evaluate pharmacists' preferences of two different scientific poster formats conducted at a conference in May 2017. Two posters on the same topic were developed and presented utilizing different formatting; one in the traditional, text-based format and the other in an infographic-based format. Study participants (n = 61) included 23 (38%) preceptors and 37 (61%) residents. Preceptors and residents scored clarity and comprehensibility similarly for both poster formats respectively, but rated aesthetic appeal higher for the infographic format. Both groups found more detailed information to be missing from the infographic poster format. Overall, residents did not prefer one poster format to another, while preceptors overwhelmingly preferred the infographic poster format over the traditional poster format.

IMPACT

Several key confounders limit the interpretations of the study results. These confounders include lack of large and well-distributed sample size, inability to control for the effect of preference on comprehension scores, and differences between resident and preceptor experience that may ultimately influence preferences and results.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In repeating this study, investigators should consider capturing a national and larger sample size to increase applicability of results, design questions to assess comprehension, and collect participant baseline characteristics.

DISCUSSION

Variations in preferences and perceptions for optimal scientific poster content and design among pharmacists exist. The findings of this study suggest infographic poster formats are more aesthetically appealing, but demonstrate similar clarity and comprehensibility as a traditional poster format.

Evaluating program effects: Conceptualizing and demonstrating a typology

Outcome evaluation is very important for program evaluation and has been becoming increasingly so in the age of accountability. Typically, outcome evaluation is conducted for a single program from a single perspective. However, in a real-life situation, many programs exist in a system, and the effects could be viewed from various perspectives. The authors illustrate a typology of program effects in a system. It moves from the paradigm of a single program's single effect to that of a set of programs' multiple effects. Methodological implications are discussed.

Innovative pedagogical practices in higher education: An integrative literature review

BACKGROUND

Higher education teachers are increasingly challenged to adopt student-centered approaches.

AIMS

To determine the strategic guidelines which promote a conceptual change in higher education students, in the context of student-centered approaches to teaching.

METHODOLOGY

Integrative literature review, using the PICO method, applied to the ERIC and EBSCO electronic databases. We analyzed 10 articles that were published between 2012 and 2016.

RESULTS

We identified four thematic categories: dissonance between concepts and approaches to teaching; mixed approaches with ICTs association; digital simulation; approaches employed in large classes.

CONCLUSION

The use of new pedagogical practices promotes the involvement of students, improves critical and creative thinking, reduces apathy and contributes to peer-learning.

Educating for Equity Care Framework: Addressing social barriers of Indigenous patients with type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To present a clinical framework for addressing critical social elements for Indigenous patients with type 2 diabetes.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The Educating for Equity (E4E) Care Framework was developed through a rigorous analysis of qualitative research that included the perspectives of Indigenous patients (n = 32), physicians (n = 28), and Indigenous health curriculum developers (n = 5) across Canada. A national advisory group of Indigenous health experts, educators, leaders, physicians, and community members provided feedback on integrating analysis from primary research into recommendations for physicians. Systematic literature reviews were conducted and a nominal group technique process helped forge research team consensus around the framework's themes and recommendations.

MAIN MESSAGE

For Indigenous patients with type 2 diabetes, social factors arising from the legacy of colonization are often barriers to improved diabetes outcomes, while culture is often not recognized as a facilitator in diabetes management. Structural competency in balance with cultural safety should be central to the clinical process when negotiating diabetes management with Indigenous patients. The E4E Care Framework presented in this article provides recommendations to navigate this terrain.

CONCLUSION

A focus on social and cultural elements is fundamental to effective diabetes care among Indigenous patients. The E4E Care Framework is a resource that can help clinicians improve Indigenous patients' capacity for change in a way that acknowledges the social factors that affect the increasing diabetes rates, while using a cultural lens to facilitate improved outcomes.

Rehab Concepts and Discharge Dispositions: Workshop for Medical Students

Introduction

Safe transitions of care are an essential component of safety and quality for the patient community. It is imperative that providers choose appropriate discharge settings to reduce avoidable hospital readmissions. Additionally, providers must also ensure that the multifaceted needs of each patient are met with every discharge recommendation. There is often a lack of formal instruction in medical school on the various discharge dispositions, indications for rehab, and clinical indications for each setting. This is problematic for new interns who are tasked with entering discharge orders and relaying critical information between lead physicians and the interprofessional team.

Methods

A 60-minute workshop with both didactic and experiential components provided medical students with opportunities to gain an overview of discharge dispositions while also exercising critical thinking using case examples. The workshop was part of a 2-week Transition to Residency course at a single institution.

Results

Twenty-two fourth-year medical students participated in the workshop. Following the workshop, 100% of the participants stated that they had learned something new and that they intended to use the content in practice as interns. Subjective responses indicated that workshop content ought to be incorporated earlier in medical training.

Discussion

These results suggest that a 60-minute workshop including didactic instruction as well as experiential and inquiry-based learning can impact medical student knowledge and intent for practice change in regard to providing safe transitions of care for the patient community.

Design, implementation, and evaluation of educational workshop on management of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease patients for third-year pharmacy students

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Increasing aging populations in the United States means an increasing number of persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) requiring competent pharmaceutical care. The workshop was designed and implemented to integrate pharmacology and therapeutics in management of PD and AD, and evaluate efficacy of students' high-cognitive thinking, and self-rated knowledge improvement, confidence, and interest in the subject.

EDUCATION ACTIVITY AND SETTING

Third-year pharmacy students participated in a three-hour workshop comprised of a foundational knowledge quiz from pathophysiology, pharmacology and therapeutics, performance on high-cognitive thinking in clinical scenarios, and hands-on activities in pharmacology and therapeutics related to PD and AD care. Pre- and post-education, Likert-style questions assessed students' self-rated confidence, interest and knowledge improvement. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and chi-square analyses were performed using Stata 10.1 statistical software (College Station, TX: Stata Corp LP).

FINDINGS

Eighty-four of 93 students (90.3%) completed all workshop activities. Students' ability to apply knowledge in complex case mediation problems was not associated with performance on baseline quiz questions (Pearson r: 0.03-0.17). Completion of structured, hands-on active learning integrating clinical pharmacology and therapeutics had measurable immediate benefit solving high-cognitive order problems in clinical scenarios (p < 0.05). Hands-on activity also increased mean self-rated confidence (p < 0.01). Students (85.6%) reported knowledge improved "somewhat" or "very much" after the activity. Mean scores before and after hands-on activity were not associated with interest in the topic.

SUMMARY

Structured, hands-on workshops can aid comprehension of taught/lectured material and its application to PD and AD, and is a way for instructors to close gaps between didactic lecture and clinical practice.

Impact of an interprofessional medication error workshop on healthcare student perceptions

BACKGROUND

The integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into health professional curricula is critical to ensuring safe and efficient delivery of patient care. The intent of this manuscript is to describe the results of a pilot study designed to evaluate the impact of a large-scale interprofessional medication error prevention workshop on student perceptions of team-based patient care in the prevention of medication errors.

INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ACTIVITY

Pharmacy, medical, and physician assistant students' perceptions of the role of multidisciplinary patient care teams in preventing medication errors were evaluated before and after participating in a three-hour interprofessional medication errors prevention workshop utilizing a modified version of the validated Attitudes Towards Health Care Teams Scale.

DISCUSSION

When comparing student attitudes among the three schools, statistically significant differences in student perceptions across the items and subscales (e.g., quality of care/process and physician centrality) captured in the instrument utilized were identified. Additionally, differences in the responses of pharmacy, medical, and physician-assistant students were found, highlighting the areas where healthcare education can be targeted to bridge the gap in opinion.

IMPLICATIONS

We demonstrated an overall positive impact of an interprofessional medication errors prevention-themed workshop on the attitudes of the participating healthcare students. Future directions and research initiatives focusing on the role of IPE and the influence of IPE workshops on team-based performance are indicated to validate the influence of this method of education on the attitudes of post-graduate healthcare trainees and healthcare practitioners.

Interesting Gross Case Workshop to Remedy Disconnect in Surgical Pathology Curriculum

INTRODUCTION

This workshop was created by pathologists' assistants (PAs) who undertake specialized training programs heavily focused on grossing, which is the macroscopic inspection, evaluation, and sampling of pathology specimens for histologic evaluation by a surgical pathologist. Typically, pathologists or their trainees, during training, focus upon microscopic features, with less emphasis on the macroscopic appearance of disease.

METHODS

We developed monthly hour-long "interesting gross case workshops" (IGCWs) led by PAs to aid in the process of educating and refining pathology residents' grossing skills and abilities to diagnose at a macroscopic level. Our workshops include gross photography, grossing vocabulary, reference to standardized sampling manuals, and viewing of a specimen library to reinforce subject matter. This workshop was designed to train multilevel pathology providers including PA students, residents, fellows, and medical students, in addition to actively practicing PAs. This resource offers the audience preparation materials to host a workshop in any medical training facility.

RESULTS

Our use of the IGCWs has been evaluated positively over a 3-year period, with 78 of 150 participants stating they have increased confidence and capabilities to accurately assess and diagnose at the macroscopic level.

DISCUSSION

Utilizing this workshop can be valuable to teach the importance of a thorough gross description and tissue sampling for the diagnostic process. Future work includes expansion to additional pathology learners, improving photography database quantity and quality, and incorporating microscopic correlation when necessary.