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Introduction: There is a paucity of research on conducting written formative assessment with constructive feedback for theory paper writing for postgraduates of Community Medicine in India. The concept of "Written Formative assessments with Peer-Assisted Learning Program" was implemented to improve the first 2 levels of Miller's Pyramid and assess its impact on the summative assessment. Materials and Methods: The program was conducted for 2 batches of postgraduate students in the Community Medicine enrolled for the academic session of 2016–2019 and 2017–2020. The written formative assessment was conducted every Saturday for 1 h from August to March month in 2018 and 2019. After each test, answer papers were evaluated by the peer and faculty from the department. Written and oral feedback was given by the peer. After IEC approval, we planned to assess the program's effect on level 1 and level 2 Kirkpatrick's framework. The data were analyzed using SPSS statistical package version 24 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Total 23 formative written assessments were conducted per year. The proportions of knowledge, comprehension, and analytical type of questions asked were 47%, 32%, and 21%, respectively. The mean attendance rate was 76.28% ±16.4%. There was no statistically significant difference in the average percentage of marks in formative (weekly test) and summative assessment (university final examination). There was a statistically significant positive co-relation of projected mean marks and summative assessment marks with the co-efficient of the determination being 22.6%. There was overall positive feedback of the formative and peer-assisted learning (PAL) from post graduate students. Conclusions: Written Formative Assessment with PAL program is one of the effective programs for postgraduate students to gain confidence in writing and presentation skills and to score higher in theory examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interactive teaching methods aid post graduate students in learning qualitative research. Four academic researchers from the United Kingdom had an opportunity to teach qualitative research methods, specifically consensus methods, to the Master of Public Health students (MPH) during a visit to India. This teaching formed part of a work package with All India Institute of Medical Sciences Rishikesh, India exploring the concept of family resilience among families with children under 6 years. Aims: To use the experiences of the MPH students to gain knowledge and create meaning about using the consensus methods. Participants: The participants were the MPH students. Methods: We used the workshop method to introduce the concept of family resilience by using the question, ‘What will be the three top public health priorities in India to support family resilience in the 21st century?’ as a central theme for all the workshops. Furthermore, we introduced qualitative research methods and hands on experience of consensus methods to the students. The students were introduced to Delphi and Group Concept Mapping (GCM) methods during workshop 1. Workshop 2 introduced Nominal Group Technique (NGT) through a short presentation followed by a practical hands on session using GCM data from workshop 1. The last workshop (3) focused on the World Café method. Results: The students evaluated the workshops highly and asked for online sessions on GCM, NGT, and World Café which will be planned in the future. Conclusion: We concluded that the post graduate curriculum for master’s in public health studies would benefit from teaching using interactive research methods which will enhance their critical thinking and autonomy. Second, although the MPH curriculum had quantitative methods in place, introducing qualitative consensus methods will open new avenues into future research. Finally, teaching using practical demonstration gives students a voice and makes learning effective and enjoyable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Properly constructed single best-answer multiple choice questions (MCQs) or items assess higher-order cognitive processing of Bloom's taxonomy and accurately discriminate between high and low achievers. However, guidelines for writing good test items are rarely followed, leading to generation and application of faulty MCQs. Materials and Methods: During lockdown period in 2020, internal assessment was taken through online mode using Google Forms. There were 60 'single response type' MCQs, each consisting of single stem and four options including one correct answer and three distractors. Each item was analyzed for difficulty index (Dif I), discrimination index (DI), and distractor efficiency (DE). Results: The mean of achieved marks was 42.92± (standard deviation [SD], 5.07). Dif I, DI, and DE were 47.95± (SD 16.39) in percentage, 0.12± (SD 0.10), and 18.42± (SD 15.35), respectively. 46.67% of the items were easy and 21.66% were of acceptable discrimination. Very weak negative correlation was found between Dif I and DI. Out of total 180 distractors, 51.66% were nonfunctional one. Conclusion: Item analysis and storage of MCQs with their indices provides opportunity for an examiner to select MCQs of appropriate difficulty level as per the need of assessment and decide their placement in the question paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the current COVID-19 global pandemic, the major efforts are channeled toward containing and minimizing the spread and maintaining the healthcare providers' safety. One of the major aspects of effective infection control and prevention is healthcare team training and system troubleshooting. Simulation-based education appears to be a practical and flexible instructional design to achieve variable levels of knowledge, skills, and attitude training. In this paper, we aim is to provide a brief scheme on how simulation-based training can be employed in COVID-19 pandemic preparedness efforts. In addition, we will be sharing our multidisciplinary simulation experience in critical care at the National Guard Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to revise the curriculum for the postgraduate course (M.D.) in Pharmacology has been perceived by the academicians in India since quite some time. The changing professional requirements of the graduating students, the current scenario vis a vis animal experimentation and the emphasis of the Medical Council of India on a competency based curriculum has triggered this felt need. In spite of the fact that most medical institutions and universities in India offer postgraduate courses in pharmacology, the curriculum lacks uniformity with extreme variations observed at some places. This article attempts to analyze the existing curricula in pharmacology in India and suggest modifications that could be recommended to the suitable regulatory bodies for implementation. A revision of objectives in the three domains of learning, development of skills that help develop suitable competencies, adoption of teaching learning methods in addition to the conventional methods, and a rethink on the assessment methods have been recommended. Development and validation of alternatives skill-based modules in lieu of animal experiments are recommended. Additional skills like medical writing and communication skills, professionalism and ethics, multi and inter-disciplinary integration and collaboration and a wider exposure of students to the pharmaceutical, academic, regulatory and research institutions for onsite learning were also recommended to fulfill their future career requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competency-based medical education curriculum (CBME) has received traction worldwide. However, its adoption and implementation have significantly varied across the globe. The National Medical Commission, India (2019) has adopted CBME to improve the quality and content of training of medical students. However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has spawned several challenges implementing the CBME. Therefore, there is a need to reflect on using novel teaching and assessment methods to enrich medical and psychiatric training. In this paper, we aimed to study global trends and characteristics of competency-based psychiatry training programs and how these experiences can be utilized to overcome challenges and facilitate the implementation of CBME in Psychiatry in the Indian context. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The findings are presented narratively. Psychiatry training for medical students greatly vary across the globe. High-income countries mainly have implemented CBME and have incorporated psychiatry training during the foundation/pre-clerkship period itself. There is more reliance on skill development and flexible and learning-based training vs. time-based training. Various enrichment activities have been incorporated into the medical curriculum to promote and strengthen psychiatry training for medical students, particularly in developed nations, which have yielded positive results. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the medical student's training, it has reiterated the significance of skill-based education and opened novel avenues for implementing the CBME. Medical educationists need to adapt themselves to provide CBME to the students. Making structural, curricular changes, orienting teachers, and students about the CBME, mentoring teachers, adopting novel training and assessment methods, utilizing enrichment activities, collaborating with educational institutions and technology providers, periodically evaluating the implementation of the CBME, and making appropriate course corrections are essential. In addition, there is a need to address structural barriers, such as lack of workforce, for better realization of the CBME objectives.eriodically evaluating the implementation of the CBME, and making appropriate course corrections are essential. Additionally, there is a need to address structural barriers, such as lack of workforce, for better realization of the CBME objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of undergraduate medical research has been undermined in Indian medical education. Various studies show there is a drastic difference between the research output of Indian medical graduates in comparison to Western counterparts. With all the challenges identified, a student-oriented research committee was formed -Guidance, Education, Networking, and Empowerment-based Smart Initiative for Students (GENESIS) research in health care - A research modeling experience from a newly established medical college. The structure was established to serve the needs of students in the field of research. Problems were identified with the help of a survey, and steps were taken to address the issues through its 4-pronged strategy that includes conducting regular journal clubs. Journal clubs follow a peer-to-peer learning strategy and provide an open stage for discussion. Second, a research tracker which helps in increasing the sustainability of a research project. The third strategy includes a research live matchmaker which helps in bridging the gap between the students and the faculties. Lastly, involving alumni in the initiative will help students get guidance and acts as a gateway to opportunities at the national level. For maintaining the integrity and sustainability of the initiative, the involvement of students from all the batches is made sure. Inputs from faculties and administration are taken on a regular basis. Interinstitutional collaborations and regular assessment and evaluation are done to ensure positive outcomes. With its focus on peer-to-peer mentoring and attempt to eliminate the barriers for research enthusiasts, GENESIS has the potential to make a lasting impact in promoting research culture in colleges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Trichomonas vaginalis is a causative agent of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease. In the cytology course context, students are taught to identify the cytomorphological characteristics of this organism. However, the limited learning period hinders their ability to recognize this infection effectively. This study intended to evaluate the efficacy of gamification by utilizing a web-based online game to enhance students' capacity to recognize Trichomonas vaginalis infection in cytology. Materials and Methods: The study involved 50 Medical Laboratory Technology students who were randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 (G1) participants received an interactive web-based online game called CytoUniverse, which comprised three components: a story-based game, a cytomorphology game, and a quiz focusing on Trichomonas vaginalis infection in cytology. Group 2 (G2) participants received the same information from a video lecture. Group 3 (G3) received both the web-based online game and the video lecture. The participants were assessed before the intervention (T1) and after the intervention (T2) to measure the effectiveness of the respective learning methods. IBM SPSS version 28 and GraphPad Prism version 9.0 were used to collect, tabulate, and analyze the data. By using descriptive analysis, the normality of the data was checked. Knowledge score and age were described as mean and standard deviation (SD) for numerical data. On the contrary, the categorical data, such as gender and group categories, were reported as frequencies and percentages. Fisher's exact test, paired f-test, and one-way ANOVA test were used in this study to determine the significance between groups. Results: The study's results indicated a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) in knowledge scores at T2 compared to T1 for both G1 and G2 when compared to G3. However, there were no significant differences in knowledge scores between all groups for T1 or T2. Conclusions: In conclusion, gamification through a web-based online game may improve understanding of Trichomonas vaginalis infection. It looks to be a promising strategy for boosting students' knowledge and awareness to recognize Trichomonas vaginalis infection in cytology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning resources refer to the tools, materials, and approaches that are employed to support teaching and facilitate learning in terms of acquisition of knowledge and skills. The purpose of the current review is to explore the importance of learning resources, understand the role of teachers as a learning resource developer, and identify the challenges and propose potential solutions to overcome them. An extensive search of all materials related to the topic was carried out on the PubMed and Google Scholar search engines, and a total of 34 articles were selected based on their suitability with the current review objectives and analyzed. Keywords used in the search include learning resources in the title alone only. Medical teachers play a key role in the development of learning resources for different cohorts of medical students. In today's era, as teachers are involved in the development of learning resources, technology plays a significant role in augmenting the quality, improving the accessibility, and effectiveness of learning materials by making them more engaging. In conclusion, the role of medical teachers as learning resource developers is crucial and has far-reaching implications for both educators and medical students. Teachers while designing learning resources can pay specific attention to their alignment with curriculum objectives, meet the needs of students with different learning styles, and also embrace technology. However, we must understand that this process is dynamic and continues to evolve in a rapidly changing world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Academic sessions require active participation and attendance to ensure effective knowledge dissemination. In this context, we aim to investigate the influence of playful titles and posters on learners’ interest in attending educational sessions at our radiology department. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was distributed to the department staff gauging their opinions on topics for the grand rounds of the radiology department for the academic year 2021–2022. It contains demographics, responses to “Formal” and “Playful” posters across ten pairs of radiology-related topics, and factors that could affect their attendance. Results: Forty-three department staff participated in the survey, with a mean age of 33 ± 7 years. Participants found the “Playful” posters more amusing compared to “Formal” posters. With the “Playful” posters, there were no significant differences in the agreement levels between the interest in attendance and finding the poster amusing unlike most of the “Formal” posters. There were no significant differences in participants’ interest in attendance between the “Playful” and “Formal” posters. Using linear regression analysis, the “poster interest score” was a statistically significant predictor of the “attendance score” with both styles. However, the “Formal” posters were more appropriate predictors when both analysis models were compared. Sixty-five percent of participants indicated that a topic relevant to their specialty would increase their interest in attendance, with higher agreement in older age groups. In addition, male participants preferred playful titles, those provoking curiosity and utilizing visual aids. Conclusion: The interest in posters is a strong predictor of interest in attendance, with formal posters explaining this relationship better in our cohort. Age and sex influence the preference for title presentation and playful posters. Educators should tailor their educational methods accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Team-based learning (TBL) refers to the application of an active-learning method that has gained popularity across all health-care disciplines. This study aimed to assess nutrition students' perceptions of the roles of student versus faculty facilitators. Methods: Participants in the study included, 117 2nd-year nutrition students registered in the "Introduction to Medicine" course in the 2022 academic year at a Japanese university. The first TBL session was faculty-led, whereas three students served as facilitators in the second. Upon completion of the course, learners and student facilitators completed a questionnaire on the student-led TBL. Responses to close-ended questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and those to open-ended questions were categorized into common themes. Results: A total of 114 learners and 3 student facilitators responded to the questions. Learners found student-led TBL to be just as or more effective than faculty-led TBL in three respects: comprehension (93.0%), active participation (96.5%), and expectation of academic performance improvement (93.9%). According to student facilitators, it improved their knowledge, confidence, communication skills, and leadership abilities. Learners and facilitators indicated that student-led TBL was significantly more effective than faculty-led TBL. Thus, student-led TBL can enhance the ability of all students at different academic levels. Discussion: Student-led TBL appears to be an effective learning strategy in higher education and further shifts toward student-centered learning in the course curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: To shift the paradigm from passive tutor driven tutorials to more responsible active learning by the students, a co operative teaching learning method could be a good alternative. The Jigsaw approach, a model of co operative learning, focuses on learning in groups with fellow learner co operation and reassures team work. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of jigsaw strategy in comparison to tutorials in enhancing cognitive skills among the medical students in microbiology. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out at microbiology department for 50 consenting MBBS students of professional year II and 50 consenting B.Sc nursing students of 2nd years. Students were randomly divided into two batches: Aand B of 25 students each. They were prepared for either a jigsaw (Experimental) or tutorial (Control) a week prior on predecided topics. The same groups were crossed over for another topic. Students' performance was assessed by pretest, posttest, academic achievement level, and retention test by prevalidated multiple choice questionnaires. The student perception on TL methods was evaluated by using learning experience questionnaires. Results: Posttest scores of both groups were found to be significant at the level of P < 0.05. Among medical students, mean of posttest scores in the jigsaw is more than tutorial (12.4 v/s 9.7, crossover 13.3 v/s 11.2) and in nursing students (11.7 v/s 8.2, crossover 11.6 v/s 9.9). Mean retention tests scores and absolute achievement level were high in jigsaw groups. The students preferred jigsaw over the tutorial. Conclusion: Jigsaw strategy is a robust instructional tool, well perceived by the students to enhance cognitive skills as inferred by the results and can be tailored to the needs of varied topics across different disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 has led to economic slowdown, loss of life, loss of livelihood, health complications, poor quality of life, deteriorated mental health, and poor education. One of the critical issues is decreased mental health among adolescents. Mental health was indeed a problem even before COVID-19, and the pandemic has substantially raised or catalyzed it to another level. Teachers reported that many college students who came to college after a long period of lockdown seem to be very confused, anxious, emotionally exhausted, and stressed. Parents are of the opinion that their children show irritation, anger, and frustrations at home. This study is an offshoot of this concern. Aim: This study aims to know the immediate effect of gratitude journals on mental well-being. Settings and Design: The study was conducted at the University Institute of Technology (UIT), Karuvatta, Alappuzha, Kerala. The experimental design was used for the study. Materials and Methods: One hundred and eight college students (F = 50 and M = 58) aged between 18 and 25 years from UIT, Alappuzha, Kerala, were selected randomly for this study. Students were divided equally into two groups, experimental group (n = 54) and control group (n = 54); both groups were tested to analyze mental well-being using Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. Experimental group was made to fill the gratitude journal immediately after the pretest and the control group was allowed to do their daily routine. Posttest was conducted to find if there was any significant difference in the experimental group. Statistical Analysis Used: Paired sample "t"-test and ANCOVA were used for the statistical analysis. Results: It shows a significant difference at a 0.05 level. When the outcome was compared between experimental and control group, the experimental group showed an increase in their mental well-being score (P < 0.01), whereas the control group did not show any difference in mental well-being, (P = 0.540). Conclusions: This implies that a gratitude journal could be a good intervention even in short run to improve the mental well-being among college students and hence students can be better prepared for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the world continues facing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), life has been challenging. Throughout the world, the most commonly practiced method of prevention from COVID-19 infection has been isolation and social distancing. Since January 2020, most of the countries started implementing lockdowns locally or nationwide as a containment measure. Consequently, there has been a closure of schools. Although there exist several studies on how challenges are being met in mainstream education during COVID-19, little focus has been toward students with disabilities who need supportive services like occupational therapy to aid in their learning. It is imperative to look at the gaps and the methods in which occupational therapists can provide creative and innovative solutions to aid students with disabilities. Hence, this scoping review was undertaken for the innovative occupational therapy methods for supporting those students with disabilities during COVID-19. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify barriers in the context of learning for students with disabilities in COVID-19 and to identify innovative methods in occupational therapy to aid learning for students with disabilities. Study Design: This was a scoping review. Methods: The methodological framework for scoping reviews by Arksey and O'Malley was used in reporting findings. The overarching question: "What are the innovative occupational therapy strategies used to support students with disabilities during COVID-19" was addressed. Using the search terms related to "occupational therapy," "students with disabilities/special needs" and COVID-19" for the duration of December 2019 to August 2021 in various databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched. Only those studies pertaining to learning outcomes within school occupational therapy were included. The data collected were charted. Finally, it was collated and summarized and the results were reported. Results: As per the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews, 1188 studies related to the topic were found. After using filters such as full text, English language, and gray literature, 115 studies were identified. Finally, after full-text screening and selecting studies pertaining to learning outcomes within school OT, 5 studies were identified for synthesis. Conclusion: There are a number of studies which prove that telehealth OT in health-related context is successful. In this study, it has been found that telehealth is also emerging as a crucial method of service delivery in occupational therapy for students with disabilities in the learning context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The interest in life skills education programs in schools is growing. Yet, there is limited evidence on implementation indicators for such programs in low-income countries. Aim: We present a qualitative evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of the Heartfulness Way program—a secondary school-based social-emotional program, based on mindfulness techniques delivered by teachers in India. Methods: This qualitative study collected data from 12 schools in four Indian cities, namely, Chennai, Hyderabad, Prayagraj, and Pune. Data collection included focus group discussions with adolescents (n = 24) and teachers (n = 12), semistructured interviews with school principals (n = 12), program delivering teachers (n = 7), and program staff (n = 4). A thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 12. Results: Overall, the mindfulness-based classroom curriculum was strongly supported by participants. Acceptability was determined by positive responses, prosocial behavior, self-acceptance, and supportive bonds, according to students. Several themes of perceived benefits of the program including, improved relationships among peers and between students and teachers were identified. In general, the teachers' interviews indicated that there was a high level of satisfaction with the training and curriculum provided by the program. Teachers were able to provide high coverage (75%–80%) of the program activities, but several potential barriers were also identified, including insufficient training for teachers and the need for direct supervision. Conclusion: The Heartfulness Way program, a social-emotional learning intervention, has shown strong support for acceptance and delivery by school communities. Future studies are needed to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of this program for improving the health and well-being of school-aged adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Blended learning forms the natural evolution of learning in the contemporary time to cope with current challenges to meet the educational needs of students. Objectives To determine the factors that affect students' use of blended learning during coronavirus disease 2019 at Assiut University. Study design Descriptive cross-sectional. Settings Ten colleges that were selected by simple random sampling from each sector (medical and nonmedical). Participants One thousand six hundred forty university students. Patients and methods One tool divided into two parts: part I: student personal data; part II: scale to examine the factors influencing blended learning use. Results Lecturer's factor had the high moderate mean±SD 3.11±0.95, followed by technical support 3.00±0.99, while usability and information quality with low medium mean ±SD (2.87±0.99 and 2.87±0.96, respectively). Also, there was statistically significance differences between factors influencing blended learning use and college type, age of students, and class with P value of 0.000. Conclusion Factors of lecturers, technical support, and information quality had valuable effect on the university students' use of blended learning. Recommendation The university staff should encourage their students to use blended learning as a preferable approach for enhancing their interaction and communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the first MBBS batch admitted under the new National Medical Commission (NMC) undergraduate curriculum entering pediatric clinical posting soon, creation of a Pediatric logbook in consonance with this competency-based curriculum was felt to be a need of the hour. No such document is yet available in the public domain. The logbook template, created after enormous brainstorming amongst authors, includes 176 Shows (S), Shows How (SH) and Perform (P) level competencies. These were further segregated into certifiable (23), affective domain (25) and clinic/field visits (9) leaving 51 as documentable competencies. The institutions may use this template to build their own institute-specific logbook based on the infrastructure, faculty strength, clinical patient load, student intake and preferred assessment method(s). It would also be worthwhile to integrate this with the internship logbook (and later the postgraduate one for students opting for post-graduation in pediatrics) to provide a longitudinal record of each student's trajectory of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously, we had a course in epidemiology for medical undergraduates that was based on traditional lecture methods with no formal formative assessment (FA). We found poor uptake of our course in terms of learning and attendance by students. Objective: The objective was to assess the effect of improved course (interactive lectures and formal FA) in epidemiology on student learning and attendance. Materials and Methods: It was a triangulation type of mixed-methods program evaluation, where both quantitative (quasi-experimental design) and qualitative (open-ended responses) analysis was done. This study was carried out in the department of community medicine in a tertiary care teaching hospital, Puducherry. We improved the quality of the course material, interaction in lectures and included formal structured FA in the last course. Kirkpatrick's framework was used for the course evaluation. We compared the performance of three batches to check the effect of our revisions on students' learning and their attendance. Results: Student's learning outcome was measured using end-of-course assessment scores (Level-2). The percentage of students successfully completing the course improved from 39% to 81% and attendance status of ≥90% improved from 50% to 57%. Learner's immediate reactions (Level-1) were captured using open-ended questions, and content analysis was done. Students appreciated the course material, FAs, and in-class activity. Conclusions: Little improvement in a traditional epidemiology course for undergraduates in the form of interactive lectures and formative feedback and providing the student with course material led to significant gains in students' knowledge and attendance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strategies for teaching in clinical rounds are dispersed. There is a need to comprehensively collate bedside strategies to enhance teaching and learning and make clinical rounds more effective. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of English articles using Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane library was conducted. Relevant keywords for teaching rounds/medical teachers/medical students/strategies and their synonyms were used accordingly. Additional studies were identified by searching reference lists of retrieved articles. All searches were conducted within a 10 day period from May 25, 2017, to June 3, 2017. In this systematic review, studies with any design on the subject of strategies for clinical rounds from clinical teachers' and medical students' perspectives were identified. Our search strategy yielded 524 articles. After removing duplicates, 337 articles remained. Based on the title and abstract review, 37 articles were obtained for further review and finally 18 entered the study. Data were extracted from the included studies. Two authors independently screened and scored the studies. We used inductive content analysis, and categories of strategies were derived from the data. Results: Content analysis yielded identification of strategies for clinical rounds in nine categories named: system issues, advance planning, a preround huddle, patient issues, teachable moments, teacher issues, student issues, atmosphere issues, and a postround huddle. These were classified as "before rounds," "during rounds," and "after rounds" activities. Quality assessment scores for the research studies ranged from 5 to 14 (possible range, 1-16). Fourteen (77.8%) studies received quality scores at or above 10, and 4 (22.2%) studies received quality scores below 10. Conclusion: Due to the importance of clinical rounds in students' learning, medical teachers should divide their teaching session into activities before, during, and after rounds. These strategies on rounding practices can improve teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Addiction is a growing public health problem which affects the person, the whole family, and society. The primary care physician (PCP) is often the first point of contact in the health care and can play a significant role in the early detection and intervention. It is well established that early intervention is associated with better outcomes. In the formal medical training, PCPs receive no formal training on drug addiction management. In this pilot study, we developed an innovative telementoring model and looked at feasibility as well as acceptability among remote PCPs on drug addiction management. Materials and Methods: The telementoring model consists of both synchronous and asynchronous components. The synchronous component consists of National Institute of Mental Health And Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) academic center Hub and remote district level primary care physician Spokes, and is implemented by using low-cost multipoint videoconference based tele-ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcome) clinics. During the tele-ECHO clinics, held fortnightly, the remote PCPs used Internet-enabled smartphones to connect as well as present the patient case summaries to the multidisciplinary expert team of NIMHANS HUB. The asynchronous component consists of mobile-based ubiquitous e-learning integrated to a course completion certificate. We evaluated this innovative telementoring program on participant engagement, learning, confidence, and satisfaction. A pre-post design and e-learning assignments were used to measure the outcomes. Results: Of the proposed 21 tele-ECHO clinics, 11 were held till the end of August 2017. All the PCPs were able to virtually join at least one tele-ECHO clinic. Out of 38 participants, two participated in all the tele-ECHO clinics and 47.36% (n = 18) attended more than six (>60% of total) tele-ECHO clinics. About 76.31% (n = 29) of the PCPs presented 41 patient case summaries. Among 38 PCPs, a cumulative of 89.47% completed three e-Learning assignments. The majority of participants (80%) used smartphone with 4G connections to join the tele-ECHO clinics. There was a significant change in knowledge gained over the time duration of 1-month (3.00 ± 0.86, P < 0.001) and 3-month (3.16 ± 0.90, P < 0.001) assessments compared to the baseline (1.77 ± 1.02). About 32.25% (n = 10) reported improved confidence level in managing a case of substance use disorder on a 10-point scale. Conclusion: It has been feasible to connect an academic hub, i.e., NIMHANS to the PCPs of 36 remote districts of Bihar and conduct multipoint videoconference-based tele-ECHO clinics. The results indicate high participant retention. The learners are comfortable in adapting new technology-based learning as evidenced by high rate of e-learning assignment completion. These findings suggest that this new innovative learning model using technology can be an important modality for effective training to address management of drug addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spacing effect is the observation that information presented using spaced repetitions is better remembered than information presented via massed repetitions (Challis, 1993). Many studies of spacing effect reported positive effect on motor learning, but there is a limited application of spacing strategies for the people with stroke which could potentially result in a significant improvement in balance and gait training for everyday functioning. The aim of this study was to determine whether spaced learning improves motor learning as regards balance and gait in people with stroke. Objectives: The aim of this study is to study the effect of spacing technique in improving balance and gait in patients with stroke. Study Design: This study is in pretest-posttest experimental study design. Methods: Thirty patients with stroke were selected and randomly assigned to Experimental and Control groups. Experimental group consists of 15 patients with 9 males and 6 females patients who received conventional therapy along with spaced exercise protocol thrice a week for 8 weeks. Control group consists of 15 patients with 12 male and 3 female patients who received conventional therapy. Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (TPOMA) was used as an outcome measure. Results: Statistical analysis showed that there was significant improvement in the Experimental group, measured with TPOMA on Mann-Whitney U-test where the result shows U = 14 which corresponds to P = 0.000 along with 95% confidence interval (0.000, 0.095). Conclusions: The study concluded that application of the spacing technique program with conventional therapy improves balance and gait more effectively than only with the conventional therapy. Thus, spacing effect or spaced interval practice along with conventional therapy should be considered during the management of stroke population to improve balance and gait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, students with top academic performance and high intellectual capacity usually opt to study medicine. However, once students get enrolled, their academic performance varies widely. Such variations appear to be determined by various factors, one of them being types of learning strategies adopted by students. The learning strategies utilized by the students with better academic performance are likely to be more effective learning strategies. Aims and Objectives: The objective is to identify effective learning strategies used by medical students. Methodology: This study was carried out among the MBBS students of Final Professional Part I. Students were categorized into three groups namely: high, average, and low rankers based on overall academic performance in second Professional University examination. First, a questionnaire consisting of closed- and open-ended questions was administered to students, to find their learning strategies. Subsequently, focus group discussion and in-depth interviews were conducted for high- and low-rankers. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Key statements were highlighted, collated, and categorized into general themes and sub-themes. Results: Evident themes which emerged as effective strategies were hard work in the form of regularity of studies, meticulous preparation of notes, constructive use of time, utilization of e-learning, learning styles and deep learning approach and regular ward visits. Intrinsic motivation, family support, balancing physical activities and studies, guidance by seniors, teachers, dealing with nonacademic issues such as language barriers and stress were also identified as important strategies. Conclusions: Disseminating effective learning strategies in a systematic manner may be helpful to students in achieving better academic outcomes. Furthermore, educationists need to modulate their teaching strategies based on students- feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The traditional teaching learning methods involve a one way process of transmission of knowledge leaving the students lacking behind in creative abilities. Medical schools need to change their teaching strategies to keep the interest of students and empower them for future self- learning and critical thinking. Objective: To assess the impact of mind mapping technique in information retrieval among medical college students in Puducherry. Methods: A pilot study was conducted using experimental study design among sixth semester MBBS students (n = 64) at a medical college in Puducherry, India. One group (n = 32) followed the text reading method and another group (n = 32) followed the mind mapping technique to learn the same passage given to them. The knowledge about the topic was assessed using a pre designed questionnaire at baseline, day 0 and day 7. The knowledge gain is the primary outcome variable and is compared between two groups. The feedback regarding the teaching methods was obtained from the participants. Results: Mean knowledge score in the text group was lesser than the mind map group at baseline (2.6 Vs 3.5; p = 0.08). On Day 0, the mean score in text group was slightly lesser than the mind map group (8.7 Vs 9.0; p = 0.26). On Day 7, the mean score in mind map group is significantly more than the text group (8.9 Vs 8.5; p = 0.03). Conclusion: The mind mapping technique is an innovative and effective method in remembering things better than the routine way of reading texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the impact of the internet on child mental health, education, and social communication in India. Topics discussed include the estimated number of internet subscribers in the country according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the definition of electronic media learning, and the establishment of interpersonal connection of adolescents with their peers, parents, siblings, and other adults outside the family unit.

Background: Learning pathology is fundamental for a successful medical practice. In recent years, medical education has undergone a profound transformation toward the development of an integrated curriculum incorporating both basic science and clinical material. Simultaneously, there has been a shift from a magisterial teaching approach to one centered around problem-based learning. Now-a-days, informatics tools are expected to help better implement these strategies. Aim: We applied and evaluated a new teaching method based on an active combination of clinical problems, gross pathology, histopathology, and autopsy pathology, all given through informatics tools, to teach a group of medical students at the Universidad de Santander, Colombia. Design: Ninety-four medical students were followed in two consecutive semesters. Students were randomized to receive teaching either through traditional methodology or through the new integrated approach. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention group and the control group at baseline. At the end of the study, the scores in the intervention group were significantly higher compared to the control group (3.91/5.0 vs. 3.33/5.0, P = 0.0008). Students and tutors endorsed the benefits of the integrated approach. Participants were very satisfied with this training approach and rated the program an 8.7 out of 10, on average. Conclusion: This study confirms that an integrated curriculum utilizing informatics systems provides an excellent opportunity to associate pathology with clinical medicine early in training of medical students. This can be possible with the use of virtual microscopy and digital imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In India, as in some other neighboring Asian countries, students and teachers are generally unaware of the differences in the learning styles among learners, which can handicap students with learning styles alien to the common teaching/learning modality within the institution. Th is study aims to find out whether making students aware of their learning styles and then using the Appreciative Inquiry approach to help them discover learning strategies that worked for them and others with similar learning styles within the institution made them perceive that this experience improved their learning and performance in exams. Methods: The visual, auditory, read-write, and kinesthetic (VARK) inventory of learning styles questionnaire was administered to all 100 first-year medical students of the Father Muller's Medical College in Mangalore India to make them aware of their individual learning styles. An Appreciate Inquiry intervention was administered to 62 student volunteers who were counseled about the diff erent learning styles and their adaptive strategies. Pre and post intervention change in student's perception about usefulness of knowing learning styles on their learning, learning behavior, and performance in examinations was collected from the students using a prevalidated questionnaire. Results: Post intervention mean scores showed a significant change (P < 0.0001) in student's self-perceptions about usefulness of knowing one's learning style and discovering strategies that worked within the institutional environment. Th ere was agreement among students that the intervention helped them become more confident in learning (84%), facilitating learning in general (100%), and in understanding concepts (100%). However, only 29% of the students agreed that the intervention has brought about their capability improvement in application of learning and 31% felt it improved their performance in exams. Discussion: Appreciate Inquiry was perceived as useful in helping students discover learning strategies that work for diff erent individual learning styles and sharing them within the group helped students choose strategies to help overcome the handicap presented by the school's teaching methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a selection of titles from other journals that may be of interest to readers of "Education for Health" journal. "Student Perceptions of Effective Small Group Teaching," by Yvonne Steinert in "Medical Education"; "A Controlled Trial of Active Versus Passive Learning Strategies in a Large Group Setting," by Paul Haidet and colleagues, published in "Advances in Health Sciences Education"; "The Clinical Teacher," by P.J. McLeod and colleagues, published in "Medical Teacher" journal.

The article discusses some initiatives and outcome that was tried to maximize the psychiatry training for undergraduates in India as of 2015. It discusses the success of the theory classes at the Adichunchanagiri Institution of Medical Sciences in Karnataka. It also emphasizes the need for more discussion on various approaches in undergraduate training of psychiatry across the country.

Background: Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is the ability of the brain to change, throughout an individual's life, for example, brain activity associated with the given function can be transferred to different locations, the proportion of grey matter can change, and synapses may strengthen and weaken over time. Research in the latter half ofthe 20th century showed that many aspects ofthe brain can be altered even throughout adulthood. This notion is in contrast with the previous scientific studies that the brain develops during our critical period in the early childhood and then remains relatively unchanged. Objectives: To find out the impact of yoga, meditation, aerobics, physical activity, and cognitive training as the constituents of occupational therapy protocol on students to gain immediate training effects enhancing plasticity in cognitive functions. Study Design: This is a randomized controlled trial. Methods: The total strength of students was 105 of which 70 were volunteered for participation in the research. Of 70 students, only 50 were included based on the inclusion criteria as they had <26 scores in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Among them, 25 were randomly assigned to a training group and 25 to a control group. The individuals fulfilling the inclusion criteria were recognized as having into training group. Exclusion criteria were individuals diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or any other psychiatric, surgical, medical, or orthopedic condition. Both the genders were included in the study. Results: Difference between the experimental and control groups is tested using a paired f-test. Further, independent f-test was used for testing the difference between the two groups with respect to improvement after giving the intervention to the experimental group. The mean improvement in the experiment group is 7.6 (standard deviation = 2.6) and in the control group is 0. The difference between the groups is statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Thus, the results of this study justify that training in basic cognitive skills through holistic approach as an occupational therapy intervention in students can make a significant improvement. This research design did not have within its scope, to analyze which of the skills included in the training is responsible for improvements of cognition. This study concludes that the experimental group receiving holistic approach has shown significant outcomes when measured on parameters of MoCA (cognitive domains visuospatial/ executive, naming, memory, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, and orientation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]