Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism
Volume:8 Issue: 3, Jul 2020

Trait emotional intelligence (EI) is the selfperceptionof emotional abilities. It is an important predictorof academic performance. Students’ self-assessment (SSA) ofknowledge gained from classroom teaching may help in theidentification of deficiencies in knowledge and provide scopefor further improvement. We aimed to evaluate the correlationbetween EI and SSA capability. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational studywith 56 first-year medical students recruited as a conveniencesample. We used the “Trait Emotional Intelligence QuestionnaireShort Form” to assess Trait EI. For assessment of SSA, we askedthe participants to write answers to a set of questions related tothe topic of the preceding 1-h lecture and to assess their marksthemselves. Three subject experts checked the answer sheetsand we took the mean as the expert assessment (EA) marks. Thecorrectness score of prediction was calculated by comparing SSAand EA marks. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was calculatedbetween EI scores and SSA correctness score. In all sessions, the students underpredicted their marks.SSA correctness score showed a positive correlation with wellbeing(r=0.33, P=0.01), self-control (r=0.57, P<0.01), emotionality(r=0.51, P<0.01), sociability (r=0.51, P<0.01), and total score(r=0.64, P<0.01) of trait EI. Underprediction of marks in formative assessment iscommon in 1st-year medical students. Students with higher levelsof EI may predict their knowledge gained from classroom betterthan the students with lower EI. This may be a potential reasonfor the better academic performance of students with higher EI.

Script concordance test (SCT) is an innovativetool to teach and assess the clinical reasoning skills of medicalstudents. It is the key aspect of clinical competency that enablesthe medical graduates to progress from novice to practicinggeneral practitioner. SCT was used the first time in pharmacologyto inculcate clinic reasoning skills in medical students by focusingon the topic of pharmacotherapy. A SCT with a total of 18 questions, with 15 questionshaving 3 items each, one having four items and two questionshaving two items each was administered to 170 second yearundergraduate medical students in the subject of pharmacologyto assess the clinical reasoning skills. It was an interventionalstudy conducted using convenience sampling technique with asample size of 170. Aggregate scoring method was used to dothe scoring obtained from the answers given by 10 expert-panelmembers in the field of pharmacology, which were used as ananswer key to do the final scoring of the students. Descriptivestatistics were computed using Students t test. SCT conductincluded a small-group feedback session to the students post-SCT. A feedback questionnaire was administered to the studentsone week after the feedback session. Reliability of the SCT andfeedback questionnaire was checked by calculating Cronbachalpha through Siegle reliability calculator. Content validity of thetest as well as feedback questionnaire was done by the panel ofexperts included in the study. Though the mean score of the students (27.68±4.59) wassignificantly lower than the expert panel (40.91±3.52), studentswere highly satisfied as they expressed that SCT enhanced theirperceived clinical reasoning skills (median value=5) and criticalthinking (median value=4). The Cronbach alpha for the test was0.76. The students were also highly satisfied with the feedbackgiven by the teachers after the SCT (median value=4). SCT enhances critical thinking and clinical reasoningskills of the students, as reported by them. With the conductof feedback session post-SCT, it can be used as assessment forlearning tool and can be well used in a para-clinical subject ofpharmacology.

Objective Structured Practical Examination(OSPE) is a comprehensive tool for assessment. We wanted toimprove our assessment methods and make it a more competencebasedevaluation. Thus this study was designed to compare theeffectiveness of Objective Structured Practical Examination withthat of Conventional Practical Examination. This interventional study was carried out in Departmentof Microbiology at CIMSH, Lucknow over six months fromOctober 2019 till March 2020. One hundred second year MBBSstudents were enrolled. The students were divided into twogroups of fifty for the conventional examination group (controls)and the OSPE group. On the first day, the cases appeared forOSPE while the controls for conventional examination. On thesecond day, the groups were crossed over. The students appearingfor OSPE were assessed by their scores at different stations.Feedback forms with a pre structured questionnaire were given tothe students and the examiners after OSPE on both days to recordtheir perceptions. Finally, the students’ scores were tabulated andcompared statistically. Microsoft Excel and SPSS were used fordata analysis. The data was presented as percentages, mean andstandard deviation. Student t test was used and the significancewas checked, using P value <0.05. Overall in OSPE, the students scored higher and theresult was statistically significant. The proportion of studentsin higher marks range was more for OSPE than that for theconventional method. The difference was statistically significant(P<0.001). Feedback taken from examiners as well as from thestudents in the form of a structured questionnaire to analyze theirperceptions was very encouraging. OSPE is a comprehensive assessment modality forpractical evaluation of MBBS students. OSPE proved to be aneffective tool that improved the students’ scores in microbiology.

The term continuing professional developmentencompasses competencies required to practice the high qualitymedicine, including medical, managerial, ethical, social, andpersonal skills, whereas continuing medical education refers onlyto expanding the knowledge and skills required by physicians. Thecompetencies for basic science faculty identified are managementand administration, teaching, assessments, curriculumdevelopment, and research. This study aimed to evaluate theoutcomes of faculty development initiatives at Avalon UniversitySchool of Medicine and examine the optimal approach to facultydevelopment activities. This is a survey-based quantitative study. A crosssectionalsurvey was conducted after implementing the facultydevelopment activities. We took thirteen basic science facultymembers as a unit and recruited them for different facultydevelopment activities from 2015. Faculty members were involvedin various faculty development courses, workshops, and trainingsessions. A survey was conducted among faculty membersusing a questionnaire on the Likert scale to identify if there areany increased knowledge or skills on teaching and assessmentmethods, educational scholarship, and scholarly activities afterimplementing faculty development initiatives. The facultyresponses were tabulated and quantified in the Excel sheet andanalyzed by SPSS software. All thirteen faculty members responded to thequestionnaire (100% response rate). There was an increased selfreportedknowledge and skills of faculty members. 70% of thefaculty agreed that they are able to get involved in designing theircourse learning objectives. 100% of the faculty were aware ofdifferent teaching methods, and 93% of them were implementingdifferent types of teaching methods, including small groupdiscussions, flipped classrooms, standardized patient-basedteaching, and problem-based learning. 100% of the faculty wereaware of different assessment methods and implementing them.There were self-reported and observed behavioral changes. Faculty development activities at Avalon UniversitySchool of Medicine have shown to be effective. At larger institutions,the department chair can lead the faculty development activities.

Previous research has shown that Balint groupis effective in the professional and personal development ofresidents. The aim of this study was to investigate the experienceof psychiatric residents about Balint groups. This is a qualitative study using a phenomenologicalapproach. Seven sessions of the Balint groups were held witha number of psychiatric residents at Mazandaran Universityof Medical Sciences. Two of the leaders were psychoanalyticpsychotherapist. Finally, eight in-depth semi-structuredinterviews and focused group interview were conducted. Datawere collected by tape recorded interviews. Data were analyzedusing MAXQDA-10 software. Three main themes were obtained from the interviewsthat included “Early experiences”, “Touching the Balint group”and “Relationship with Balint group”. The category of “Earlyexperiences” included three categories of “defenseless”, “fire underthe ashes” and “deep feeling”. Touching the Balint group themeincluded categories such as “Empathetic”, “I am not the only one...”, “Releasing”, “Reading story”, “This patient”, and “Gettingcloser”. The relationship with Balint group theme included threecategories of “first of all”, “attachment” and “courage and time”. Based on the findings of this study, while someaspects of Balint group are stressful but ultimately improve theemotions and better understanding of the patient. This researchshows incorporating Balint group into the educational programand curriculum of psychiatric residents in Iran might be helpful,but more qualitative and quantitative research is necessary.

The Corona-Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic has hada tremendous effect on medical education. It is also challengingthe medical educationists’ ability to adapt to this whole uniquesituation. Considering the hospital-based education, clinicalmentors, and students in all health professions are potentialcarriers.However, the current crisis is revitalizing the necessity foronline learning opportunities and virtual education. Mostmedical schools are following reacting to lockdown with a shiftto live online or video-based learning. Maintaining standardin medical education, keeping the clinical learning on stream,and minimizing the assessment disruption are unprecedentedchallenges under pandemic conditions. Adaptation to this newsituation is necessary to prepare future clinicians for practice.This commentary discusses how this pandemic may affectmedical education. In this commentary, the author highlights theimportance of virtual education and the potential implicationsof integrating virtual simulation technologies into medicaleducation for the future of clinical competency learning andassessment.