Utilizing learning communities to deliver an integrated undergraduate medical education curriculum

Preliminary Evaluation of a Questionnaire to Measure Program-Level Sense of Belonging Among Student Physical Therapists

INTRODUCTION

A greater sense of belonging has been found to correspond with better academic performance/motivation, retention, and general mental well-being among college students. As a result, it is important to be able to meaningfully assess student physical therapists' sense of belonging.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

While there are questionnaires available to assess sense of belonging at the university level, it is also important to be able to assess students' sense of belonging in a narrower context, such as within their program of study. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a program-specific tool, referred to as the Program Sense of Belonging (ProSB) questionnaire, that could be used to assess sense of belonging among student physical therapists. As part of this study, we examined the internal structure of the ProSB questionnaire items and assessed internal consistency.

SUBJECTS

One hundred twenty-four student physical therapists from 2 different physical therapist education programs completed the ProSB questionnaire.

METHODS

We conducted an exploratory factor analysis to examine the internal structure of the ProSB questionnaire and examined Cronbach's alpha to assess the internal consistency of the items associated with each retained factor.

RESULTS

For the final 10-item version of the ProSB questionnaire, 2 factors were retained, which explained 57.5% of the variance (factor 1 = 30.9%, factor 2 = 26.6%). The 5 items that loaded on factor 1 were related to "social acceptance," while the 5 items that loaded on factor 2 were related to "valued competence." Both subscales exhibited acceptable levels of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥0.84).

DISCUSSION

The ProSB questionnaire appears to capture different dimensions of student physical therapists' sense of belonging (social acceptance, valued competence) at the program level.

CONCLUSION

Based on our preliminary findings, the ProSB questionnaire appears to be a valid tool for assessing program-level sense of belonging among student physical therapists.

Thinking of Learning Communities? Here Are Some of the Ways They May Benefit Your Medical Students

Learning communities are designed to bring together students, faculty, and potentially other healthcare professionals, to learn with and from each other formally in teaching activities but also in the social domain. In recent years, learning communities have gained some recognition as an effective educational strategy but their use is still not widely seen in all medical schools. Numerous benefits of learning communities have been reported and these include improved academic performance, enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, increased student confidence, and improved communication skills. Learning communities also provide opportunities for personal growth, mentorship, and self-reflection, all of which contribute to a students' professional development.

Implementation and evaluation of a pharmacy family program to foster community and inclusion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Learning communities in the form of student-faculty families in pharmacy education provide a structure to foster community and inclusion. The purpose of this work is to describe how a new Pharmacy Family (PF) program was implemented and to evaluate the impact on students.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

Our PF program was developed with the goals of building community, promoting a sense of belonging, providing students with opportunities to share and receive advice, and providing a venue for surveillance of student concerns. Each family was comprised of one to two faculty/instructor leaders and three to four doctor of pharmacy students from each cohort and met longitudinally over the course of the academic year. Quantitative and qualitative survey data were collected to assess student perceptions and program satisfaction.

FINDINGS

A total of 233 students (66.2%) completed the survey and the majority (66%) were satisfied with the program. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions revealed four themes that contributed to students' satisfaction ratings: meeting content, relationships, atmosphere, and timing. Students with high satisfaction frequently noted that the program fostered connections, mentoring opportunities, and a safe space to share concerns. Students that were neutral or dissatisfied frequently commented on the timing of meetings and inability to form deeper connections.

SUMMARY

Student-faculty families can be implemented to improve community and engagement within pharmacy education. Our program was most successful in providing a venue for students to share concerns. Addressing meeting times and adjusting the structure to promote community building is warranted to achieve program goals.

Key Attributes of a Medical Learning Community Mentor at One Medical School: The Mentee Perspective

To assess the elements necessary to be a successful learning community (ClinCalc) mentor to medical students from the mentee's perspective. Few such studies have utilized the in-depth and richness of detail obtained in qualitative studies. This qualitative study analyzed four focus group discussions lasting 45-90 min conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, which has an established LC, in the year 2018. The groups included 14 pre-clerkship and 8 clerkship students. Investigators evaluated transcriptions of the focus group discussions using ATLAS.ti software. Three overarching categories of discussion emerged from the group discussions: (1) Relationship Competence, (2) Teaching Competence, and (3) Ethical and Compassionate Medical Practice Competence. Relationship Competence themes included "walk with me," relationship is most important, and one-on-one. Teaching Competence themes included above and beyond, recognize and address mentor limitations, and safe and enriching environment. Ethical and Compassionate Medical Practice Competence themes included ethical decision making and compassionate care for diverse patient populations. Mentees focused on various aspects of the mentor-mentee relationship as the single most essential competence. Themes mentees discussed as important qualities of a successful mentor may denote qualities to be prioritized in faculty development and mentor recruitment. Future studies could investigate how the LC environment informs former medical students and promotes patient outcomes.