Medical Education Commons^™

Is Cadaveric Dissection Essential In Medical Education? A Qualitative Survey Comparing Pre- And Post-Covid-19 Anatomy Courses, Smriti Kochhar, Tasfia Tasnim, Adarsh Gupta

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: With the surge of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]), the modality of teaching anatomy has shifted from in-person cadaveric dissection to virtual lessons for incoming first-year medical students. As a result, we aim to assess the impact that this curriculum change has on student perspectives.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to understand the relative effect of a virtual anatomy course implemented during the pandemic (2019-2020) on the confidence, skills, and perspectives of first-year medical students compared to medical students who had traditional in-person anatomy at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan SOM) in Stratford, New Jersey.

METHODS: The authors …

Comparative Assessment Of Grit In The Allopathic Versus Osteopathic Physician, Amber Cheesman, Meagan Vermeulen, Joanna Petrides, Charalampos Papachristou

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Matriculating into medical school is a strenuous process, including numerous roadblocks unique to both allopathic and osteopathic schools, with osteopathic applicants often jumping more hurdles in the journey.

Grit: passion and perseverance towards long term goals, especially in the setting of failure/adversity

High levels of grit correlate with low levels of burnout

Purpose: examine grit in allopathic versus osteopathic physician to help identify resources to prevent physician burnout

When Are Inpatient And Emergency Dermatology Consultations Appropriate?, Hershel Dobkin, Timothy Blackwell, Robin Ashinoff

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Hospitalists and emergency physicians continue to struggle with the assessment of dermatologic conditions, often consulting dermatology whenever a patient has a “rash” or skin concern. Dermatology is still not emphasized in medical education and often is taught to most medical students in an abbreviated fashion, which results in physicians feeling ill-equipped to deal with any dermatologic condition—either mundane or potentially life-threatening.

Better guidelines are needed for physicians in the ED and on inpatient units to guide them on appropriate use of dermatologic consultation outside the ambulatory office and the clinic. We constructed a consultation flowchart to help guide the triage …

Changing Internal Medicine Residents’ Perspectives On Social Determinants Of Health, Timsal Ghani, Diana Vargas, Yvette Wang

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Social determinants of health (SDOH)

- conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, play and worship

- affect wide range of health, functioning and quality of life

SDOH play enormous roles in health and well being

- annual US deaths attributable to SDOH equivalent to the number due to lung cancer

- place of birth, race and income all have strong influence on health outcomes

- place of birth is more strongly associated with life expectancy than race or genetics

There is growing awareness of importance of social factors in improving overall population health and wellbeing

- highlighted …

Challenging The Stigma Of Sex Work: Creating The Framework To Train Student Doctors In Providing Affirming Care, Noelle De Marco, Trishauna Bennett, Oghenerukevwe Inweh, Ali Harb

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The intention of this proposed intervention is to provide a foundation for medical students to include affirming care for sex workers in their future practice by understanding the complex institutional violence & discrimination experienced by this community. Additionally, dispelling misconceptions surrounding sex work is another of the foci of the service project. Future physicians can combat the stigma by providing patient care that centers sex worker agency, harm reduction, & judgement free strategies. Making the workshop guide open access allows other medical schools and special interests groups to incorporate a social justice framework into their medical practice.

Does Simulation-Based Education For Cardiac Auscultation Improve Competency And Retention Rate Compared With Traditional Education?, Harrison Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Bum Kim, Nils V. Brolis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cardiac auscultation is a critical part of clinical examination. Stethoscope allows for early detection of numerous important cardiac pathologies and appropriate referral for further management. Improper use of stethoscopes leads to inappropriate referral resulting in unnecessary financial stress or a delay in proper treatment of time-sensitive pathologies like VSD in children. Multiple studies have documented that competency among medical professionals in cardiac auscultation skills is in steady decline and this is due to the ineffective teaching method of cardiac auscultation starting in medical school.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of simulated education in cardiac auscultation.

Giving Feedback [To Residents And Students], Alan Lucerna, James Espinosa, Andrew Vasta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Advice for giving effective, constructive feedback to residents and students. Part of a Faculty Development Series.

Implementing Best Practices For Co-Prescribing Naloxone In Your Agency: A Guide For Healthcare Professions, Michael Anyanwu, Emmanuel Asenso Jr., Ahmad Hussein, Jessica Baaklini, Michael Sunderhauf

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

From April 2020 to April 2021, it has been recorded that there have been 75,673 opioid overdose-related deaths in the United States. This number is up almost 20,000 more from the last period that deaths were recorded, coming in at 56,064 from April 2019 to April 2020. The use of naloxone, has been proven to save the lives of overdose patients on opioids by reversing its effects. It has already shown significant reduction in opioid overdose related mortality. Pharmacists are now able to prescribe naloxone with opioid prescriptions without a script from a doctor. EMS units are active in communities …

The Value Of Peer Mentoring In A Service Learning Program, Ali Harb, Archana Salek

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Peer mentorship is a critical component of service learning programs (SLPs) at several medical institutions. The objectives of this project were:

• To explore the value of peer mentorship in SLPs within the setting of medical education
• To describe an effective mentorship structure that can be utilized in SLPs by employing reverse mentorship and a near-peer mentorship structure to positively impact participants

Income And Its Effects On Health Literacy: A Study Between A Student-Run Free Clinic And A Family Medicine Office, Shayna Peterzell, Sahil Parikh, Thomas Ruta, Rabiye Ayaz, Srujan Dadi, Emily Forester, Olivia Choi, Rachel Fletcher-Slater, Melodi Harfouche, John Cruz, Roma Padalkar, Sobiah Khan, Rebecca Moore

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

More than 1/3 of people nationwide (80+ million) have limited health literacy, which contributes to poor health outcomes and lifestyle choices. Health literacy is defined as the understanding and application of words, numbers & documents (i.e., medication labels, medical forms). The Rowan Community Health Center (RCHC), located in Lindenwold NJ, is a student-run clinic that wanted to assess the health literacy of our patients in order to further provide better care. RCHC provides cost-free primary care services regardless of income, insurance, or legal status. To assess health literacy, RCHC used the New Vital Signs (NVS) literacy assessment tool to investigate …

The Role Of Extracurricular Activities And Lectures In Mitigating Medical Student Burnout, Jennifer C Sepede, Joanna Petrides, Philip B Collins, Meredith C Jones, Nicole Cantor, Linda Boyd

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: Strong evidence throughout the literature highlights burnout as a significant and increasing problem among medical students, impacting students' ability to effectively care for and empathize with patients.

OBJECTIVES: To examine how involvement in extracurricular activities and attendance at burnout lectures can impact burnout among medical students.

METHODS: An anonymous digital survey including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was sent to all students (n=765) at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. The survey included questions regarding the number of burnout/wellness lectures respondents had attended, the number of clubs in which the respondents participated, the number of hours spent in these …

The Experiences Of Women As Latinx Osteopathic Medical Students, Dana L. Weiss

Theses and Dissertations

In existing literature, researchers have predominantly examined issues related to minoritized groups by juxtaposing differences and outcomes among groups without attention to the diversity of experiences, challenges and strengths. This has had a limiting focus on the experiences specific to women as Latinx medical students, and has created a gap which restricts knowledge about experiences of perceived support and barriers within osteopathic medical school. This research provided an opportunity to think more deeply and critically about the experiences for women as Latinx osteopathic medical students. The data collected in this qualitative phenomenological study was gathered from participants as they narrated …

Library’S Editing Service Popular With Rowansom Students, Lisa Price

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

WHY:

- Identified need for proofreading and editing assistance

- Librarian with writing and desktop publication experience and interest in clear, grammatically correct writing

RESPONSE:

- Popular , especially with students applying for residency

- Anticipate continuing this service

Do You K Now D.O.?: Pre Medical Students’ Knowledge Of Osteopathic Medicine And Its Relation To Burnout, Philip Collins, Laura Collins, Gianna Bowler Darrow, Jennifer C Sepede

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

It is estimated that in the near future there will be a shortage of physicians available to keep up with the needs of a growing older population. To try to account for this, medical schools are expanding class sizes and new schools are being created. While both allopathic and osteopathic schools are expanding, osteopathic schools are doing so a much faster rate. Unfortunately, it seems many students enter their undergraduate careers unaware of osteopathic medicine despite having an interest in medical school. Undergraduate student interest in becoming a medical doctor continues to rise, but so too does the difficulty of …

Acupuncture And Its Effects On Chronic Pain, Pavan Patel, Michael Sabia, Jashen Patheja, Rohan Kapoor, Tiffany Mathias, Tameem Murtaza

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Abstract

Acupuncture is an complementary form of medicine that has relatively recently become a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It involves the application of thin needles at specific points throughout the body, although initially, general areas instead of points were used. There are estimated to be about 395 different points that can be utilized, and the technique behind using these points can vary widely between practitioners. In addition to acupuncture points, TCM is said to use meridians or pathways along with qi, or energy flows. In terms of acupunctures’ utility, it has been known to treat a variety of …

The Psychiatry Milestones 2.0: How Did We Get From 1.0 To 2.0 And What Can Users Expect?, Matthew Macaluso, Mark Kinzie, Deborah Cowley, Lillian J Houston, Sandra Dejong, Furhut Janssen, Adrienne Bentman, Laura Edgar, Brittany Campbell, Lynneice Bowen, Jeffery Aronowitz, Elie Aoun, Patcho Santiago, George Keepers

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Graduate medical education (GME) in psychiatry, like other medical specialties, has been transitioning to competency-based training and assessment. Competency-based medical education was born from a desire to certify physicians based on training outcomes, rather than training inputs such as the amount of time one spends in training [1]. The transition to a focus on training outcomes has been at least 25 years in the making

Creating And Teaching An Annotated Bibliography Class To Medical Students, Kevin R. Block

Libraries Scholarship

Background: A new curriculum implemented at the medical school for the 2019/2020 academic year includes a medical scholarship requirement. The scholarship course designed to support this requirement runs throughout the 4 years of medical school and culminates in a Capstone project. Goals for the course include exposing students to scientific inquiry, developing scientific literacy, and cultivating basic competency in written and oral scientific communication. In support of these goals Librarians were tasked during the first semester with teaching students sessions on formulating research questions, selecting and searching appropriate databases, using EndNote, and creating an annotated bibliography on a preselected topic. …

Advancing Health Policy And Advocacy Education In Medical School Through A Student-Run Elective, Michael J. Luke, Sara J. Abrahams, Danielle Llanos, Danielle A. L. Howell, Lauren Block

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Introduction: Training medical students in the policy topics of healthcare economics, delivery systems, disparities, and reform helps to prepare them for the growing role of advocacy in medicine. We used a near-peer educational model to create an elective to advance learners’ policy knowledge and advocacy skills, while simultaneously offering student directors hands-on experience in educational program development.

Methods: The 4-week elective for fourth year medical students included weekly readings, policy seminars, advocacy workshops, and journal clubs. Longitudinally, students prepared for a policy debate and prepared a research project or Op-Ed article on a healthcare disparity topic of their choice. The …

An Innovative Editing Service For Medical Students, Lisa Price

Libraries Scholarship

Background: The Library serves students, staff and faculty of the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and related Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students face the daunting yet crucial tasks of preparing Personal Statements for residency, scholarship and other applications. Students and residents are also encouraged to seek publication opportunities. We recognized a need for proofreading and editing assistance, and one of our librarians had the background and experience to provide such a service.

Description: We developed a flyer announcing available services and distributed it within the library, at student and residency orientations, committee meetings and other appropriate campus events. …

Is There A Relationship Between Having Residency Application Personal Statements Reviewed By The Library's Editing Service And Medical Students' Match Into Their Preferred Residency Specialty?, Lisa Price, Jamie L. Pelley

Libraries Scholarship

Objectives: This study investigates whether there is a relationship between Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine's fourth-year medical students' acceptance into their preferred specialty for residency and their submission of the Personal Statement portion of their residency application for review/edit by the Library's editing service. We hope that our results will aid other institutions which may be considering whether to provide a similar service.

Methods: This case-control study reviews Match records for the years 2018 and 2019 (the years for which data was available) and compares the Match rates into the preferred residency specialty of those who submitted their Personal …

The Ten Commandments Of The Residency Interview, Warren R. Heymann, Annette Reboli

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Securing a residency position has become increasingly competitive, thereby making the interview crucial in matching successfully. In this commentary, what I consider “Ten Commandments” of a successful interview are elaborated. Although this is geared to those applying in dermatology, the principles are applicable for any medical student applying for a residency program.

Where Have All The Female Md, Phd Applicants Gone?, Kathryn Behling

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Letter to the Editor: In Reply to "Factors Influencing Graduate Program Choice Among Undergraduate Women," Cooper Rowan Medical Journal: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 5.

Factors Influencing Graduate Program Choice Among Undergraduate Women, Bryna J. Harrington, Halei C. Benefield, Brooke C. Matson, Rebecca E. Hamlin, Jennifer E. L. Diaz, Grace E. Mosley, Rushina Cholera, Audrey R. Verde

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

Context: Despite equal enrollment proportions in MD and PhD programs, there are fewer women than men in MD-PhD programs and academic medicine. Factors important in degree program selection, including the perception of gender disparities, among undergraduate students were characterized.

Methods: In 2017, pre-health students at four public North Carolina universities were invited to participate in an online survey regarding career plans, decision factors, and perceptions of gender disparities in MD, PhD and MD-PhD pathways. The authors characterized factors important to program selection, and evaluated the association of intended graduate program with perceived gender disparities using Fisher’s exact tests.

Results: …

Addressing Lapses In Medical Education In Relation To Lgbtqia+ Healthcare Disparities, Daniel Pinto, Aubrey Olson

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

As the LGBT community gains more visibility and acceptance, the individuals identifying as LGBTQIA+ have been increasing. Unfortunately for this community, healthcare disparities for LGBT individuals continue. In fact in a national online survey done with LGBTQIA+ physicians, 65% had heard discriminatory comments made towards LGBTQIA+ patients, and 34% witnessed discriminatory care given to LGBTQIA+ patients. (Bonvinci) Rose Chapman, a senior lecturer at Curtin University Nursing School, contributed this discomfort that medical professionals seem to have with LGBTQIA+ families with socioeconomic background such as religious beliefs or familiarity with the topic. (Chapman) Nevertheless, another study published by the Medical Journal …

Creation And Implementation Of A Flipped Jigsaw Activity To Stimulate Interest In Biochemistry Among Medical Students, Charlene Williams, Susan Perlis, John Gaughan, Sangita Phadtare

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Learner-centered pedagogical methods that are based on clinical application of basic science concepts through active learning and problem solving are shown to be effective for improving knowledge retention. As the clinical relevance of biochemistry is not always apparent to health-profession students, effective teaching of medical biochemistry should highlight the implications of biochemical concepts in pathology, minimize memorization, and make the concepts memorable for long-term retention.

Here, we report the creation and successful implementation of a flipped jigsaw activity that was developed to stimulate interest in learning biochemistry among medical students. The activity combined the elements of a flipped classroom for …

Multinational Comparative Cross-Sectional Survey Of Views Of Medical Students About Acceptable Terminology And Subgroups In Schizophrenia, Shanaya Rathod, Muhammad Irfan, Rachna Bhargava, Narsimha Pinninti, Joseph Scott, Haifa Mohammad Algahtani, Zhihua Guo, Rishab Gupta, Pallavi Nadkarni, Farooq Naeem, Fleur Howells, Katherine Sorsdahi, Kerensa Thorne, Victoria Osman-Hicks, Sasee Pallikadavath, Peter Phiri, Hannah Carr, Lizi Graves, David Kingdon

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

AIM: The aim of this study was to inform thinking around the terminology for 'schizophrenia' in different countries.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to investigate: (1) whether medical students view alternative terminology (psychosis subgroups), derived from vulnerability-stress models of schizophrenia, as acceptable and less stigmatising than the term schizophrenia; (2) if there are differences in attitudes to the different terminology across countries with different cultures and (3) whether clinical training has an impact in reducing stigma.

DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional survey that examined the attitudes of medical students towards schizophrenia and the alternative subgroups.

SETTING: The study …

Maps-Snma Shad.O.W D.O. Day Rowan Som Pipeline Program: A Pilot Study, Taiwo Ajumobi, K. Millar, Hina Mujadad, Yessica Manzo, Tashawni Channer, Cassandra Ramirez, Nkechiyere Eboka, Paula Watkins, Linda Boyd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Prior to being a medical student, a majority of pre-medical students have not encountered the course load intensity, academic rigor, and time management required by a medical school curriculum. Diversifying the workforce has been shown to have benefits, especially at the micro or patient level, since having racial or ethnic concordance between providers and patients has been associated with increased levels of satisfaction and improvements in certain clinical outcomes. The number of MDs increased to 841,321 or 91.8% versus 72,961 DOs or 8.0% creating the need for minorities to be knowledgeable of both MD and DO paths to becoming a …

The United States Medical Licensing Exam (Usmle) And Medical Student Wellness: An Ethnographic Qualitative Study At Cooper Medical School Of Rowan University, Patricia Davis Vanston

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that medical students experience unusually high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and loss of empathy while in medical school. As the number of medical students rises and residency positions remain stagnant, the USMLE receives greater emphasis as a barometer to determine residency placement and future career paths thereby increasing levels of stress among students. Stress is associated with diminished self-care, potentially leading to a negative impact on well-being. This ethnographic, qualitative study sought to examine the extent to which the anticipation of, preparation for, and implications of the USMLE contribute to medical student stress, wellness, and self-care. Through …

Fostering Humanism In Medicine: A Mixed Methods Study On The Influence Of Humanism In Medicine Workshops On Medical Student Empathy, Marion J. Lombardi

Theses and Dissertations

Medicine has evolved to encompass an alliance between the doctor and patient, in which the doctor must understand the patient holistically (Kaba & Sooriakumaran, 2007). Research suggests that doctor-patient relationship focused training has a meaningful effect on measured health outcomes in patients with conditions such as obesity, diabetes, asthma or osteoarthritis (Reiss & Reinero, 2014). Therefore, the humanistic qualities of medicine, encompassing honesty, integrity, caring, compassion, altruism, empathy, and respect for self, patients, and others are more important than ever in cultivating a strong doctor-patient relationship (Weissmann et al., 2006).

Existing research suggests an underlying capacity for emotional intelligence (EI) …

Medical Students' Perceptions Of Dementia After Participation In Poetry Workshop With People With Dementia., Alaina J Garrie, Shruti Goel, Martin M Forsberg

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

Purpose. Researchers assessed whether medical students' participation in a poetry workshop with people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) affected their attitudes towards persons with ADRD. Objective. To add to the growing body of research summarizing the impact of nonclinical interventions on medical students' perspectives about people with ADRD. Design. Researchers used dementia attitudes scale (DAS) and interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyze participants' attitudes. Setting. Osteopathic medical school and dementia care unit in the state of New Jersey. Participants. Eleven out of fourteen medical students completed the study. Measurements. Emerging themes were classified from the postintervention semistructured interviews …