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Summary points Reduced funding, rising student numbers, geographical dispersal, and increased competition in a complex global market have put medical schools under pressure to embrace computer assisted learning New technologies may have important educational advantages, but without support and training for staff and students they could prove an expensive disaster Expansion of computer assisted learning requires cultural change as well as careful strategic planning, resource sharing, staff incentives, active promotion of multidisciplinary working, and effective quality control Developing applications Computer assisted learning applications generally require the student to follow the content without immediate or direct supervision from the tutor. In the spirit of Dr Blunkett's collaborative e-university, a new form of academic commerce in off the shelf, web based course materials is beginning to emerge. 31 Agreements between universities (and countries) on sharing units of education may eventually lead to the awarding of a degree that cannot be identified with a single institution. 25 Funding of a medical degree may even begin to occur on a module by module basis and, arguably, is less likely to come from a single central source. 32 The medical school of the future may be one that can successfully offer (in collaboration with other educational providers) a flexible menu of both face to face and self study modules from which individual students can select to meet their own unique requirements.

Background Medical education must adapt to different health care contexts, including digitalized health care systems and a digital generation of students in a hyper-connected world. The aims of this study are to identify and synthesize the values that medical educators need to implement in the curricula and to introduce representative educational programs. Methods An integrative review was conducted to combine data from various research designs. We searched for articles on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO ERIC between 2011 and 2017. Key search terms were “undergraduate medical education,” “future,” “twenty-first century,” “millennium,” “curriculum,” “teaching,” “learning,” and “assessment.” We screened and extracted them according to inclusion and exclusion criteria from titles and abstracts. All authors read the full texts and discussed them to reach a consensus about the themes and subthemes. Data appraisal was performed using a modified Hawker ‘s evaluation form. Results Among the 7616 abstracts initially identified, 28 full-text articles were selected to reflect medical education trends and suggest suitable educational programs. The integrative themes and subthemes of future medical education are as follows: 1) a humanistic approach to patient safety that involves encouraging humanistic doctors and facilitating collaboration; 2) early experience and longitudinal integration by early exposure to patient-oriented integration and longitudinal integrated clerkships; 3) going beyond hospitals toward society by responding to changing community needs and showing respect for diversity; and 4) student-driven learning with advanced technology through active learning with individualization, social interaction, and resource accessibility. Conclusions This review integrated the trends in undergraduate medical education in readiness for the anticipated changes in medical environments. The detailed programs introduced in this study could be useful for medical educators in the development of curricula. Further research is required to integrate the educational trends into graduate and continuing medical education, and to investigate the status or effects of innovative educational programs in each medical school or environment.

Due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), school openings were postponed worldwide as a way to stop its spread. Most classes are moving online, and this includes medical school classes. The authors present their experience of running such online classes with offline clinical clerkship under pandemic conditions, and also present data on student satisfaction, academic performance, and preference. The medical school changed every first-year to fourth-year course to an online format except the clinical clerkship, clinical skills training, and basic laboratory classes such as anatomy lab sessions. Online courses were pre-recorded video lectures or live-streamed using video communication software. At the end of each course, students and professors were asked to report their satisfaction with the online course and comment on it. The authors also compared students' academic performance before and after the introduction of online courses. A total of 69.7% (318/456) of students and 35.2% (44/125) of professors answered the questionnaire. Students were generally satisfied with the online course and 62.2% of them preferred the online course to the offline course. The majority (84.3%) of the students wanted to maintain the online course after the end of COVID-19. In contrast, just 13.6% of professors preferred online lectures and half (52.3%) wanted to go back to the offline course. With the introduction of online classes, students' academic achievement did not change significantly in four subjects, but decreased in two subjects. The inevitable transformation of medical education caused by COVID-19 is still ongoing. As the safety of students and the training of competent physicians are the responsibilities of medical schools, further research into how future physicians will be educated is needed.

Objectives(1) Understanding the characteristics of online learning experiences of Chinese undergraduate medical students; (2) Investigating students’ perceptions of ongoing online education developed in response to COVID-19 and (3) Exploring how prior online learning experiences are associated with students’ perceptions.DesignStudents’ familiarity with online learning modes and corresponding perceived usefulness (PU) according to their previous experiences were investigated using an online survey. The survey also collected data on students’ perceptions through their evaluation of and satisfaction with current online learning.SettingIn response to the educational challenges created by COVID-19, medical schools in China have adopted formal online courses for students.ParticipantsThe questionnaire was sent to 225 329 students, of whom 52.38% (118 080/225 329) replied, with valid data available for 44.18% (99 559/225 329).MethodsPearson correlations and t-tests were used to examine the relationship between familiarity and PU. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the impact of prior learning experiences and its interactions with gender, area, learning phase and academic performance on students’ perceptions.ResultsStudents’ PU had a significant positive correlation with their familiarity with online learning modes (p<0.01). Students’ evaluation of and satisfaction with their current online education were positively associated with their familiarity (β=0.46, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.48, p<0.01; OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.14, p<0.01) with and PU (β=3.11, 95% CI 2.92 to 3.30, p<0.01; OR 2.55, 95% CI 2.37 to 2.75, p<0.01) of online learning. Moreover, the higher the students’ learning phases, the lower the associations between PU and students’ evaluation of and satisfaction with ongoing online education.ConclusionsMedical students in China have experiences with various online learning modes. Prior learning experiences are positively associated with students’ evaluation of and satisfaction with current online education. Higher learning phases, in which clinical practices are crucial, and high academic performance led to lower evaluation and satisfaction scores.

Background Disaster medicine involves managing situations where medical needs exceed available resources. In Sweden, disaster medicine is not yet a mandatory component of the medical education. Since the introduction of a revised six-year medical curriculum in 2021, it is unclear how disaster medicine will be integrated into the new program. This study aimed to evaluate the status of undergraduate disaster medicine education in Swedish medical schools, the teaching methodologies employed, plans for future curriculum integration, and the extent of variation across universities. Methods We conducted a comprehensive review of syllabi from all Swedish medical programs to identify the inclusion of disaster medicine. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 representatives from all seven Swedish medical schools, including those responsible for disaster medicine education or members of the education boards. The interviews explored teaching methods, curriculum content, and plans for the new six-year program. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Disaster medicine is included in the curriculum of all Swedish medical programs; however, its content, extent, and teaching approaches vary. Lectures are the most common teaching method, with some schools incorporating case discussions, tabletop exercises, and disaster simulations. Most medical faculties plan to maintain or expand their disaster medicine curriculum. However, there is no formal collaboration between universities in developing or standardizing disaster medicine education for the new curriculum. Conclusion The current level of disaster medicine education in Swedish medical schools requires enhancement in both quality and scope. Variations between universities would need to be minimized to ensure a more consistent approach. Preliminary plans for the new six-year medical program suggest that disparities between universities may persist, underscoring the need for a coordinated effort in standardizing disaster medicine education at the undergraduate level.

Purpose: Advances in genomic technologies are transforming medical practice, necessitating the expertise of genomically-literate physicians. This study examined 2013–2014 trends in genetics curricula in US and Canadian medical schools to ascertain whether and how curricula are keeping pace with this rapid evolution. Methods: Medical genetics course directors received a 60-item electronic questionnaire covering curriculum design, assessment, remediation of failing grades, and inclusion of specific topics. Results: The response rate was 74%. Most schools teach the majority of genetics during the first 2 years, with an increase in the number of integrated curricula. Only 26% reported formal genetics teaching during years 3 and 4, and most respondents felt the amount of time spent on genetics was insufficient preparation for clinical practice. Most participants are using the Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics Core Curriculum 1 as a guide. Topics recently added include personalized medicine (21%) and direct-to-consumer testing (18%), whereas eugenics (17%), linkage analysis (16%), and evolutionary genetics (15%) have been recently eliminated. Remediation strategies were heterogeneous across institutions. Conclusion: These findings provide an important update on how genetics and genomics is taught at US and Canadian medical schools. Continuous improvement of educational initiatives will aid in producing genomically-literate physicians. Genet Med 17 11, 927–934.

Background As medical education evolves, current teaching practices often remain misaligned with how today’s digitally native students prefer to learn. While the use of digital tools is widespread, there is limited clarity on students’ learning behaviors, particularly their preferences for self-paced, assessment-driven, and technology-supported strategies. This study explores these patterns using a mixed-methods approach to inform more responsive medical curricula. Methods A mixed-methods, cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students ( n  = 432) from three universities in the UAE and Jordan. A 23-item questionnaire, developed through literature review and expert validation, included both quantitative and qualitative components. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) were used to establish construct validity. Free-text responses were analyzed using thematic analysis to complement and contextualize the quantitative findings. Results CFA supported a five-factor, 17-item structure with good model fit (χ² = 180.02, df = 102, χ²/df = 1.77, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.04, SRMR = 0.053). The identified dimensions were: self-paced learning, exam-oriented learning, partnership in learning, collaborative learning, and AI-enhanced learning. Thematic analysis of 218 qualitative responses revealed eight key themes: flexible learning options, enhanced formative assessment, active teaching, study skills development, collaborative learning, use of technology, clinically focused learning, and resource accessibility. These qualitative themes reinforced and expanded upon the quantitative constructs. Conclusions Medical students in the AI era adopt a complex, multidimensional approach to learning that is personalized, flexible, and technology driven. The convergence of quantitative and qualitative data underscores the urgent need to align curricula with students’ preferences by promoting self-regulated, interactive, and AI-enhanced learning environments. These findings have critical implications for faculty development, curriculum reform, teaching, student assessment, and the future of learner-centered medical education.

[...]many institutes will have supplemented recordings with shorter, live question and answer styled sessions to confirm understanding, address any confusion and possibly of most importance, to see their students, check on well-being and simply talk to them. The disadvantages varied from place to place, but included: being unable to confirm the student’s attendance, difficulties in achieving active engagement of students, internet connectivity issues, deliberate or inadvertent disturbances i.e. unnecessary voices and annotations over the display screen, and there were a few students who were deprived of the education resource materials. Attempts have also been made to inculcate photographs of pathological features found during autopsy; radiographs to discuss forensic anthropology and age estimation; videos on forensic taphonomy; links illustrating mechanical injuries; recent news articles reporting medicolegal cases etc. for the purpose to gain knowledge over discussion with ethical considerations at all the stages. Institutional support was also extended to support increased subscription to various e-learning modules, e-books, e-library access, additional international journals, etc. to provide the students with multiple new learning modalities in their homes.

The purpose of the fourth year of medical school remains controversial. Competing demands during this transitional phase cause confusion for students and educators. In 2014, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) released 13 Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency (CEPAERs). A committee comprising members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine and the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine applied these principles to preparing students for internal medicine residencies. The authors propose a curricular framework based on five CEPAERs that were felt to be most relevant to residency preparation, informed by prior stakeholder surveys. The critical areas outlined include entering orders, forming and answering clinical questions, conducting patient care handovers, collaborating interprofessionally, and recognizing patients requiring urgent care and initiating that care. For each CEPAER, the authors offer suggestions about instruction and assessment of competency. The fourth year of medical school can be rewarding for students, while adequately preparing them to begin residency, by addressing important elements defined in the core entrustable activities. Thus prepared, new residents can function safely and competently in supervised postgraduate settings.

Background: During the evaluation of many instances of the same basic surgical skill, we observed that there were several errors that occurred frequently. Two studies were undertaken to examine the use of these errors for improving the instruction and evaluation of the skill. Material and methods: For both studies, two types of rater training videotapes were developed. One involved the use of examples of common errors (error) and the other demonstrated the skill being performed correctly (correct). A testing videotape was created consisting of 24 performances of the skill that ranged in quality of the performance. The first study was designed to assess the impact of error instruction on skill acquisition. In this study, a group of 30 senior medical students were randomly assigned to one of four different training groups: none, error only, correct only, and error+correct. Subjects were videotaped performing the skill before and after the training and three experts evaluated these performances independently using a 7-point rating scale. The second study was designed to assess the impact of error training on skill evaluation and was done using both novice and expert raters. The same group of 30 senior medical students used in the first study was used as novice raters. Following training in one of the four training groups, each subject rated the 24 performances on the testing videotape and interrater reliability was assessed for each group. Surgical faculty served as expert raters in this study and were randomly assigned to receive either error training or no training. Each subject viewed the testing videotape, rating the performances and giving “feedback” commentary. Interrater reliability was calculated for the two groups and the precision of the feedback was assessed. Results: Significant improvement in posttest performance scores was seen only in the “error+correct” training group. Interrater reliability was somewhat lower for the “correct only” and “error only” training groups in both the student and faculty studies. Faculty raters receiving error training had a higher proportion of specific comments than the group that received no training although this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Instruction about common errors, when combined with instruction about the correct performance enhanced the acquisition of this surgical skill. This suggests a role for the use of errors in surgical technical skill instruction. Our study provides no support for a role for error training in improving skill evaluation.