Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated th... more Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated the use of interactive theater and role play with professional actors in teaching breaking bad news to medical students. The objectives were to explore the contexts, approaches, experiences, and reactions in giving and receiving bad news. Second-year medical students participated in a required educational session that utilized interactive theater which helps students learn about the issues of breaking bad news to a patient with cancer. Following the interactive theater piece, professional actors provided students role play experiences in small groups with breaking bad news. Anonymous evaluation surveys were given out to all second-year medical students at the conclusion of the breaking bad news session. Surveys contained quantitative and qualitative responses. Three years of evaluations were analyzed. A total of 451 (88 %) students completed the evaluations. Comments were thematically anal...
within and between the 2 years are noteworthy. First, some students may have ironically been inti... more within and between the 2 years are noteworthy. First, some students may have ironically been intimidated by their peers’ eloquent and thoughtful posts and did not want to submit what they worried were inferior posts. Second, some students may not frequent Facebook and prefer second-generation platforms such as Instagram or SnapChat that require minimal text comments. Third, comparatively fewer contact hours with second-year students may have contributed to less engagement outside of the classroom. Nonetheless, utilising only three existing course facilitators to promote engagement and critical thinking for up to 600 students, the Facebook group did not require extensive curriculum changes and was an efficient pedagogical platform. These lessons serve as useful ideas for further research and pedagogical initiatives on online professionalism and student engagement.
patient safety, physicians must be able to work in ‘fluid’ teams with flattened hierarchies, wher... more patient safety, physicians must be able to work in ‘fluid’ teams with flattened hierarchies, where membership adjustments occur frequently. Pre-clerkship learning teams offer opportunities to develop shared leadership and followership knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) required to work effectively in fluid teams with flat hierarchies. We studied what effect, if any, requiring students to share leadership within a learning team and to rotate through various shared leadership roles would have on learners’ perceptions of the value of these teamworktraining activities. What was tried? During their first 18 months of medical school, 156 students worked in six-member team-based learning (TBL) teams. In TBL, individual and group readiness assurance tests (IRAT and GRAT) are administered to incentivise learners to master relevant content through preparatory selfstudy. Teams also work on group application exercises (GAE), solving realistic problems before engaging in inter-team discussi...
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Nov 1, 2016
Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-... more Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-are increasingly common in U.S. medical schools. However, systematic, data-driven program development methods have not been described. The authors examined scholarly concentration programs at U.S. medical schools that U.S. News & World Report ranked as top 25 for research or primary care (n = 43 institutions), coding concentrations and mission statements. Subsequently, the authors conducted a targeted needs assessment via a student-led, institution-wide survey, eliciting learners' preferences for 10 "Pathways" (i.e., concentrations) and 30 "Topics" (i.e., potential content) augmenting core curricula at their institution. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a capacity optimization algorithm characterized best institutional options for learner-focused Pathway development. The authors identified scholarly concentration programs at 32 of 43 medical schools (74%), co...
We explored comfort levels of third-year medical (M3) students through two health behavior counse... more We explored comfort levels of third-year medical (M3) students through two health behavior counseling (HBC) interactions with Standardized Patient Instructors (SPIs) in tobacco cessation (TCC) and nutrition and physical activity (NPA). Nearly 200 M3s participated in two SPI HBC interactions; including a role-play interview and subsequent feedback session on performance. Students completed a 5-point Likert scale evaluation measuring pre- and post-comfort level on two HBC sessions. Both interactions resulted in statistically significant increases in student's pre- and post-interaction comfort levels. A paired-sample t-test revealed a mean increase of 0.91 for TCC (t = 14.01, df = 197, p<0.001), and a mean increase of 0.69 for NPA (t = 12.65, df = 198, p<0.001). The use of SPIs is a viable approach to exposing medical students and future doctors to health behavior counseling, and increasing comfort level with such skills. The SPI experience ensures that HBC opportunities are available and contain meaningful feedback on performance. Encouraging patient behavior modification is a skill that can be developed during undergraduate medical training. Combining HBC with SPI sessions and traditional learning approaches could prove effective in a curriculum intended to teach students strategies that improve patient health behavior.
Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated th... more Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated the use of interactive theater and role play with professional actors in teaching breaking bad news to medical students. The objectives were to explore the contexts, approaches, experiences, and reactions in giving and receiving bad news. Second-year medical students participated in a required educational session that utilized interactive theater which helps students learn about the issues of breaking bad news to a patient with cancer. Following the interactive theater piece, professional actors provided students role play experiences in small groups with breaking bad news. Anonymous evaluation surveys were given out to all second-year medical students at the conclusion of the breaking bad news session. Surveys contained quantitative and qualitative responses. Three years of evaluations were analyzed. A total of 451 (88 %) students completed the evaluations. Comments were thematically analyzed. Ninety-four percent agreed that the theater piece prompted reflection on patient-provider communications, and 89 % agreed that it stimulated discussion on complex issues with breaking bad news. The two most common themes in student comments concerned the importance of realism in the theater piece, and the value of experiencing multiple perspectives. Use of professional actors during the role play exercises enhances the realism and pushed the students out of their own "comfort zones" in ways that may more closely approximate real life clinical situations. Interactive theater can be a potentially powerful tool to teach breaking bad news during medical school.
Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated th... more Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated the use of interactive theater and role play with professional actors in teaching breaking bad news to medical students. The objectives were to explore the contexts, approaches, experiences, and reactions in giving and receiving bad news. Second-year medical students participated in a required educational session that utilized interactive theater which helps students learn about the issues of breaking bad news to a patient with cancer. Following the interactive theater piece, professional actors provided students role play experiences in small groups with breaking bad news. Anonymous evaluation surveys were given out to all second-year medical students at the conclusion of the breaking bad news session. Surveys contained quantitative and qualitative responses. Three years of evaluations were analyzed. A total of 451 (88 %) students completed the evaluations. Comments were thematically anal...
within and between the 2 years are noteworthy. First, some students may have ironically been inti... more within and between the 2 years are noteworthy. First, some students may have ironically been intimidated by their peers’ eloquent and thoughtful posts and did not want to submit what they worried were inferior posts. Second, some students may not frequent Facebook and prefer second-generation platforms such as Instagram or SnapChat that require minimal text comments. Third, comparatively fewer contact hours with second-year students may have contributed to less engagement outside of the classroom. Nonetheless, utilising only three existing course facilitators to promote engagement and critical thinking for up to 600 students, the Facebook group did not require extensive curriculum changes and was an efficient pedagogical platform. These lessons serve as useful ideas for further research and pedagogical initiatives on online professionalism and student engagement.
patient safety, physicians must be able to work in ‘fluid’ teams with flattened hierarchies, wher... more patient safety, physicians must be able to work in ‘fluid’ teams with flattened hierarchies, where membership adjustments occur frequently. Pre-clerkship learning teams offer opportunities to develop shared leadership and followership knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) required to work effectively in fluid teams with flat hierarchies. We studied what effect, if any, requiring students to share leadership within a learning team and to rotate through various shared leadership roles would have on learners’ perceptions of the value of these teamworktraining activities. What was tried? During their first 18 months of medical school, 156 students worked in six-member team-based learning (TBL) teams. In TBL, individual and group readiness assurance tests (IRAT and GRAT) are administered to incentivise learners to master relevant content through preparatory selfstudy. Teams also work on group application exercises (GAE), solving realistic problems before engaging in inter-team discussi...
Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Nov 1, 2016
Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-... more Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-are increasingly common in U.S. medical schools. However, systematic, data-driven program development methods have not been described. The authors examined scholarly concentration programs at U.S. medical schools that U.S. News & World Report ranked as top 25 for research or primary care (n = 43 institutions), coding concentrations and mission statements. Subsequently, the authors conducted a targeted needs assessment via a student-led, institution-wide survey, eliciting learners' preferences for 10 "Pathways" (i.e., concentrations) and 30 "Topics" (i.e., potential content) augmenting core curricula at their institution. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a capacity optimization algorithm characterized best institutional options for learner-focused Pathway development. The authors identified scholarly concentration programs at 32 of 43 medical schools (74%), co...
We explored comfort levels of third-year medical (M3) students through two health behavior counse... more We explored comfort levels of third-year medical (M3) students through two health behavior counseling (HBC) interactions with Standardized Patient Instructors (SPIs) in tobacco cessation (TCC) and nutrition and physical activity (NPA). Nearly 200 M3s participated in two SPI HBC interactions; including a role-play interview and subsequent feedback session on performance. Students completed a 5-point Likert scale evaluation measuring pre- and post-comfort level on two HBC sessions. Both interactions resulted in statistically significant increases in student's pre- and post-interaction comfort levels. A paired-sample t-test revealed a mean increase of 0.91 for TCC (t = 14.01, df = 197, p<0.001), and a mean increase of 0.69 for NPA (t = 12.65, df = 198, p<0.001). The use of SPIs is a viable approach to exposing medical students and future doctors to health behavior counseling, and increasing comfort level with such skills. The SPI experience ensures that HBC opportunities are available and contain meaningful feedback on performance. Encouraging patient behavior modification is a skill that can be developed during undergraduate medical training. Combining HBC with SPI sessions and traditional learning approaches could prove effective in a curriculum intended to teach students strategies that improve patient health behavior.
Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated th... more Creative arts have been increasingly implemented in medical education. This study investigated the use of interactive theater and role play with professional actors in teaching breaking bad news to medical students. The objectives were to explore the contexts, approaches, experiences, and reactions in giving and receiving bad news. Second-year medical students participated in a required educational session that utilized interactive theater which helps students learn about the issues of breaking bad news to a patient with cancer. Following the interactive theater piece, professional actors provided students role play experiences in small groups with breaking bad news. Anonymous evaluation surveys were given out to all second-year medical students at the conclusion of the breaking bad news session. Surveys contained quantitative and qualitative responses. Three years of evaluations were analyzed. A total of 451 (88 %) students completed the evaluations. Comments were thematically analyzed. Ninety-four percent agreed that the theater piece prompted reflection on patient-provider communications, and 89 % agreed that it stimulated discussion on complex issues with breaking bad news. The two most common themes in student comments concerned the importance of realism in the theater piece, and the value of experiencing multiple perspectives. Use of professional actors during the role play exercises enhances the realism and pushed the students out of their own "comfort zones" in ways that may more closely approximate real life clinical situations. Interactive theater can be a potentially powerful tool to teach breaking bad news during medical school.
Uploads
Papers by Heather Wagenschutz