The Increasing Significance of How to Learn Motor Skills

A comparison of the academic outcome of chiropractic students on full-time and full-time equivalent chiropractic education routes

OBJECTIVE

To compare the academic equivalence of full-time (FT) and full-time equivalent (FTE) delivery routes for chiropractic training and to assess nontraditional education delivery as a viable method for training chiropractors.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of student summative assessment data was undertaken on a total of 196 FT and FTE students studying for the master's in chiropractic degree at a UK chiropractic college between 2009 and graduating by 2017. The analysis consisted of within-group comparison and between-group comparisons using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

The demographics of the 2 student groups varied in terms of gender and age distribution. The analysis of summative data indicated no differences between the 2 routes of delivery. There was also no difference in the distribution of final degree classification outcome between the 2 routes.

CONCLUSIONS

While it is possible that demographic differences influence the outcomes in each training route, this preliminary study indicates that, based only on analysis of overall achievement, there is no difference in either FT or FTE programs in training chiropractors, allowing them to register with the UK regulatory body. It suggests that a nontraditional mode of delivery is an achievable route to qualification as a chiropractor, enabling a greater number of students to consider chiropractic as a career choice while managing other life commitments.

"The thyroidectomy story": comic books, graphic novels, and the novel approach to teaching head and neck surgery through the genre of the comic book

As surgical education changes, an instructive need arises to complement the complexity of hands-on manual and visuospatial skills acquired as a result of apprenticing in the operating room (OR) and adjusting to new technologies and robotics. Novel and innovative methods must be employed, not to replace the OR experience but rather to enhance it. Here, we present a fine arts merger with surgical education in the genre of the comic book and graphic novel to address visuospatial skills, motor skills (practice-based learning and improvement), and the narrative, humanistic component (patient care) necessary for a well-rounded surgical education. We examine the important goals of training residents with the development of an "experimental" comic book on the thryoidectomy procedure to enhance textbook and lecture material, where residents and nurses are introduced to technique, narrative, and medical illustration skills (interpersonal communication skills) to assist them in anticipating, reflecting, and potentially facilitating the very proficiency necessary to be successful in the OR while remaining curious and engaged in their craft.

Prenatal exposure to tobacco extract containing nicotinic alkaloids produces morphological and behavioral changes in newborn rats

Tobacco exposure is not only a health concern for adults but has also been shown to exert deleterious effects on the health of the fetus, newborn, child, and adolescent. Decreased cognitive function, lower Intellectual Quotient (IQ) and deficits in learning and memory in children have been associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy. In this study, we have studied the effect of a tobacco plant extract on the growth and development in the rat. The extract contained relative proportions of alkaloids, including nicotine, purified by chemical separation. Pregnant rats received oral doses of either control (NaCl) or tobacco extract during the entire gestational period. Offspring length and body weight were measured. Each day, the offspring were observed for the following physical parameters: hair growth, incisor eruption and eye opening. The day of appearance of these developments was recorded. Before weaning, the offspring were examined to test their cliff avoidance response (6 postnatal day (PN)), surface righting reflex (05, 07, 13 postnatal day), swimming development (10, 12 postnatal day), negative geotaxis response (7,9,13 and 17 postnatal day) and jumping down choice cage (15, 17 postnatal day). Administration of tobacco extract to dams during the entire gestation period affects behavior and development in pups. The observed effects were a delay in opening eyes, incisor eruption and hair appearance, behavioral developments and an alteration in the rate of success behavior. However, in the jumping down choice cage test there was no difference compared to control animals. The results suggest that tobacco extract has a significant effect on the development of behavioral patterns, orientation and motor coordination and function. They also suggest significant growth retardation and teratogenic effects.

Design Considerations for Delivering E-Learning to Surgical Trainees

Challenges remain in leveraging e-health technologies for continuous medical education/professional development. This study examines the interface design and learning process features related to the use of multimedia in providing effective support for the knowledge and practice of surgical skills. Twenty-one surgical trainees evaluated surgical content on a CD-ROM format based on 14 interface design and 11 learning process features using a questionnaire adapted from an established tool created to assess educational multimedia. Significant Spearman’s correlations were found for seven of the 14 interface design features – ‘Navigation’, ‘Learning demands’, ‘Videos’, ‘Media integration’, ‘Level of material’, ‘Information presentation’ and ‘Overall functionality’, explaining ratings of the learning process. The interplay of interface design and learning process features of educational multimedia highlight key design considerations in e-learning. An understanding of these features is relevant to the delivery of surgical training, reflecting the current state of the art in transferring static CD-ROM content to the dynamic web or creating CD/web hybrid models of education.

Expertise and Skill in Minimally Invasive Surgery

New attitudes to medical ethics and demands for efficiency have brought increased attention to surgical skills and training. It is important to characterize the expertise and skill involved in the multidimensional surgical profession. At a time of change, there is a need to discuss the nature of surgical expertise, and also the prospects for resident training, with special reference to new minimally invasive techniques (MIS).

In this paper, we selectively review knowledge on surgical expertise and the specific demands placed on a skilled MIS surgeon. In addition, the review contains a selection of studies from those areas that have been seen as important for the future of training in surgery.