Learning Activities and Third-Year Medical Student Ratings of High Quality Teaching Across Different Clerkships

Using Medicare Annual Wellness Visits and telehealth to enhance ambulatory geriatrics education among medical students

The Medicare Annual Wellness visit (AWV) was mandated as a fully covered benefit for older adults to enhance preventive care and improve healthcare outcomes. Although the benefit of conducting AWV is proven, its adoption in primary care is far from universal. The COVID-19 pandemic affected medical education and clinical care in unprecedented ways. Telehealth became a prominent way of delivering healthcare. Older adults, being significantly affected by the pandemic-related mortality and morbidity, were less likely to engage in preventive care with their healthcare providers. Amidst this considerable shift, we conceptualized a clinical experience for third-year medical students during their Ambulatory Care - Geriatrics clerkship that involved a telehealth interaction with an older adult to review AWV components, followed by an in-person office visit with the geriatrician preceptor. Post-session survey data highlighted the beneficial effect on student learning about older adult health maintenance, immunizations and geriatric syndrome assessment. It also facilitated self-directed learning and increased student-patient rapport. Preceptors appreciated the additional elements of care identified by the telehealth call that would otherwise not have been addressed in a time-limited office visit. This hybrid clinical experience reduced crowding in ambulatory clinical space during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet enhanced learning for students in geriatrics preventive care.

The frequency of using certain feedback methods in the teaching of medicine: a survey of teachers at the medical faculties in Baden-Wurttemberg

Objectives: Feedback is one of the most important methods for competency-based teaching. A survey was conducted to learn more about the use of feedback methods at five medical faculties. Methods: In the 2017 summer semester, teachers at Baden-Wurttemberg's medical schools in Freiburg, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Tuebingen and Ulm were invited to participate in the survey. The link to the questionnaire was sent to the teaching coordinators at the various departments at each of the five medical schools. The teaching coordinators were asked to forward the link to the questionnaire to all instructors in their department. At one location, all instructors were directly addressed. The data were collected online. Results: A total of 464 instructors participated in the survey. Most consider feedback in medical education as important (23%) or very important (72%). However, some feedback methods are hardly used. The reason for this is, in particular, that some of the feedback methods are unfamiliar, e.g. checklists (56%), or not considered necessary by the instructors, e.g. written feedback (31%). Fifty-five percent of the instructors would like to receive further education or information on feedback. Conclusion: The results show that the use of feedback methods in medical teaching is expandable and that teachers find feedback to be important. Accordingly, nothing should stand in the way of a greater use of feedback methods in teaching. However, in order for this to happen, it is important that instructors are made more familiar with feedback methods.

A systematic review of factors influencing student ratings in undergraduate medical education course evaluations

BACKGROUND

Student ratings are a popular source of course evaluations in undergraduate medical education. Data on the reliability and validity of such ratings have mostly been derived from studies unrelated to medical education. Since medical education differs considerably from other higher education settings, an analysis of factors influencing overall student ratings with a specific focus on medical education was needed.

METHODS

For the purpose of this systematic review, online databases (PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science) were searched up to August 1st, 2013. Original research articles on the use of student ratings in course evaluations in undergraduate medical education were eligible for inclusion. Included studies considered the format of evaluation tools and assessed the association of independent and dependent (i.e., overall course ratings) variables. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were checked by two independent reviewers, and results were synthesised in a narrative review.

RESULTS

Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative research (2 studies) indicated that overall course ratings are mainly influenced by student satisfaction with teaching and exam difficulty rather than objective determinants of high quality teaching. Quantitative research (23 studies) yielded various influencing factors related to four categories: student characteristics, exposure to teaching, satisfaction with examinations and the evaluation process itself. Female gender, greater initial interest in course content, higher exam scores and higher satisfaction with exams were associated with more positive overall course ratings.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the heterogeneity and methodological limitations of included studies, results must be interpreted with caution. Medical educators need to be aware of various influences on student ratings when developing data collection instruments and interpreting evaluation results. More research into the reliability and validity of overall course ratings as typically used in the evaluation of undergraduate medical education is warranted.