搜索结果：Journal of medical education and curricular development

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is increasingly recognized as an essential bedside clinical skill and a valuable educational tool in undergraduate medical education. Although many medical schools worldwide have begun integrating POCUS into their curricula, the extent to which undergraduate POCUS education has been formally implemented and accredited in Japan remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the accreditation status and implementation of undergraduate POCUS curricula across Japanese medical schools. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, cross-sectional, web-based survey of all 82 Japanese medical schools between July and September 2025. The questionnaire addressed institutional characteristics, perceived educational need for POCUS, accreditation status of undergraduate POCUS curricula, curriculum structure and content, instructional methods, assessment strategies, and perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize findings, and reported barriers to implementation were compared between institutions with and without accredited curricula. RESULTS: Sixty valid responses were analyzed (response rate: 73.2%). Although 81.6% of respondents agreed that POCUS should be integrated into undergraduate medical education, only 12 institutions (20.0%) had a formally accredited POCUS curriculum. Among accredited programs, 58.3% implemented longitudinal curricula spanning multiple academic years, most commonly integrating POCUS into clinical clerkships and physical examination teaching. All programs included diagnostic POCUS, with abdominal applications being the most frequently taught, whereas procedural POCUS was included in fewer than half of programs. Post-training assessments were conducted in 58.3% of institutions, primarily through practical skill evaluations. Major barriers to implementation included shortages of trained faculty (75.0%), limited equipment and educational resources (66.7%), lack of institutional leadership to drive curriculum development (58.3%), and insufficient curricular time. No statistically significant differences in perceived barriers were observed between institutions with and without accredited curricula (χ2 test, all p values > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite broad recognition of the educational value of POCUS, formal accreditation and educational infrastructure remain limited in Japanese medical schools. Institutions that have adopted POCUS commonly employ longitudinal and clinically integrated approaches. These findings highlight a substantial gap between perceived educational need and practical implementation and provide actionable insights for educators and curriculum leaders to prioritize faculty development, resource allocation, and institutional support for undergraduate POCUS education.

Professionalism is a critical construct across the health professions, though learners and faculty report feeling underprepared to navigate difficult situations; education in professionalism is challenged by the absence of a universal definition, time constraints due to overcrowded curricula, and the lack of consistent messaging to learners and faculty. Professionalism in Practice (PiP) was developed to provide small doses (∼5 minutes) of case-based professionalism education as part of an existing educational forum (Grand Rounds) to optimize attendance of both learners and faculty. Each vignette highlighted a common professionalism challenge and was aligned with an AAMC professional competency. Sessions were facilitated by learners and faculty in the department, and introduced a consistent framework (i.e., pause, my perspective, other's perspective, collaboration) for navigating difficult situations. Post-session survey respondents (n=153 across 11 sessions) indicated that vignettes were relevant (93% [n = 142/153] agreed or strongly agreed), and that participants intended to change behavior (70% [n = 120/151] agreed or strongly agreed) and use the PiP framework in future practice (90% [n = 45/50] agreed or strongly agreed). Open-text comments revealed specific planned behavioral changes, such as pausing when frustrated or avoiding biased language in documentation. PiP addresses known challenges in professionalism education by adding case-based teaching to an existing educational forum attended by both learners and faculty, and by using a consistent definition of professionalism and framework for approaching common challenges. The initiative is adaptable to other institutions seeking to incorporate small doses of professionalism teaching as part of routine educational practices.

Learning mechanical ventilation principles can reduce patient complications. This study examined the effects of task-trainer simulation and peer education on nursing students' knowledge, clinical performance, and action speed related to basic principles of mechanical ventilation (BPMV). This three-arm randomized controlled trial (2023-2024) included 60 students in Tehran, Iran. Students who were purposively selected and randomly assigned to task-trainer simulator training (n=20), peer education (n=20), and control (n=20) groups. BPMV was taught to the first group using a task-trainer simulator by a researcher, and to the second by two trained peer students. Data were collected using validated knowledge and skill assessment tools for BPMV. The students' knowledge (P=.122) and performance (P=.149) mean scores in the experimental groups did not differ significantly immediately after the education, but one month after the intervention, the educational groups were higher than the control group (P<.0001). Also, immediately after the education, the speed of action of students in the simulation group was significantly higher than that of the peer education group (P<.0001). One month after the intervention, the speed of action of the simulation and peer education groups was higher than that of the control group (P<.0001). After the intervention, the average scores of knowledge, performance, and speed of action of students in the simulation group were better than those of the peer group, and the peer education group was better than the control group. Both task-trainer simulation and peer-based, student-centered training improve nursing students' knowledge, performance, and response speed in managing BPMV. However, simulation leads to faster, immediate action and greater overall gains than peer education in this setting. It is recommended to use these useful methods to increase learning outcomes.

Around the world, the presence of international medical graduates (IMGs) continues to grow. However, IMGs in Japan may face challenges in developing history-taking and physical examination (H&P) skills in Japanese. Although virtual reality (VR) offers potential for experiential, self-paced, and repeatable learning, its application to H&P skills among IMGs is underexamined. Here, we explored the effectiveness of VR-based education in fostering H&P skills among IMGs in Japan. We conducted a feasible one-group pretest-posttest study with IMGs enrolled in the International Medical Practitioners Education Program in Japan. From August to September 2025, the participants undertook a 1-month VR-based program using "VR for Objective Structured Clinical Examination." Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention. The questionnaire included: (1) the Japanese version of the Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use Questionnaire-Lite (J-USE-Lite; post) (2) confidence in H&P skills and motivation to learn them in Japanese (pre and post), and (3) free-text questions exploring perceived learning outcomes and culture-specific insights (pre and post). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests, while qualitative data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. The first 15 individuals who applied to participate in this study were enrolled. Mean J-USE-Lite score was 5.13/7. We found notable positive trends in confidence in H&P skills and motivation to learn them in Japanese. In qualitative analysis, while the pre-intervention questionnaire indicated challenges for IMGs in developing H&P skills in Japanese, the post-intervention questionnaire suggested perceived gains in H&P skill acquisition and culture-specific learning, such as patient-centered considerations. A 1-month, VR-based education program demonstrated good usability and appeared to enhance confidence and motivation to learn H&P skills among IMGs. Immersive and repeatable VR experiences may support practical skill acquisition and adaptation to Japan's clinical and cultural context. Confirmation in larger samples from diverse backgrounds using objective performance measures is warranted.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare by improving diagnostic accuracy, streamlining workflows, and supporting clinical decision-making. While global adoption is accelerating, successful integration depends on healthcare professionals' preparedness and acceptance. In low-resource settings such as Palestine, infrastructural limitations and lack of formal AI education may influence perceptions and readiness. This study evaluates the awareness, perceptions, and future expectations of Palestinian medical students and physicians regarding AI integration in healthcare. It also explores readiness for adoption and identifies educational gaps to support effective implementation. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 915 participants (689 students, 226 physicians) from five universities and healthcare institutions across the West Bank and Gaza between December 2024 and January 2025. A structured, self-administered questionnaire assessed demographics, AI awareness, perceptions, and future perspectives. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Ethical approval was obtained from Al-Azhar University. Of the 915 respondents (689 students, 226 physicians), most had limited AI exposure-85.8% never attended AI-related events and 93.3% lacked curriculum coverage. Physicians showed higher event attendance (24.3%) than students (10.9%) (&#x3c7;2(2) = 25.26, p < 0.001, Cram&#xe9;r's V = 0.17). While 82.3% were aware of AI's benefits, 78.4% couldn't name any medical AI software. Attitudes were generally positive: 59.3% agreed AI improves outcomes, and 83.6% supported formal AI training. Interest in AI careers was expressed by 40.8%, with radiology (54.6%) and health information management (60.6%) seen as key future applications. Palestinian medical students and physicians show growing interest in AI despite limited formal education and practical exposure. Both groups view AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for clinical judgment, while expressing concerns about ethical risks and technical limitations. Tailored educational strategies are essential to bridge knowledge gaps and promote responsible AI integration into medical practice.

Clear communication and cohesive teamwork are critical for ensuring safe, high-quality patient care, especially within the demanding environment of the labor ward. Pakistan faces some of the worst pregnancy outcomes globally. The TeamSTEPPS&#xae; is a validated curriculum for teaching interprofessional communication to healthcare professionals. Given the unique contexts of maternity care in Pakistan, there is a need to test the effectiveness of the TeamSTEPPS&#xae; program in interprofessional team involved in provision of care. This quasi experimental study was conducted at Services Institute Medical Sciences/Services hospital Lahore, Pakistan. All the nursing students, pharmacist, obstetric, anesthesia and pediatric residents posted in labour room for two months were included. A core team of faculty taught the participants using TeamSTEPPS&#xae; framework. Participants knowledge, perceptions and attitudes were checked pre-training, one week and one month post-training using TeamSTEPPS&#xae; questionnaire of Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire, Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire and learning benchmarks. Team performance using Team Performance Observation Tool was also assessed after a month by simulation scenarios. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic characteristics and Chi-square test was applied to evaluate the association between pre- and post-intervention scores related to attitude, perception, benchmark and team performance. P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Total of 25 participants were imparted training. Significant improvements in team knowledge were seen in understanding the role of a team leader, shared mental model identifying the best method for conflict resolution at one week and one month post training (P<0.05). Changes in attitudes was observed in Team Structure, leadership and communication after one month (p<0.05). The intervention was effective in enhancing perceptions of team structure, situation monitoring, mutual support, and communication (p<0.05). The team performance assessment showed that all teams scored from acceptable to excellent implying that training had positive impact on their ability to work as interprofessional team. The study demonstrated improvements in knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and observed behaviors of healthcare professionals, affirming the relevance and effectiveness of structured teamwork training in a maternity care setting. This advocates for integration of TeamSTEPPS&#xae; into medical curricula, institutional policy, and national health programs.

This study aimed to examine the current status of psychological resilience among students in medical vocational colleges and its associations with professional identity, perceived stress, self-efficacy, and social support, and to test a mediation model involving professional identity. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,274 medical vocational college students. Standardized scales were used for measurement. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling. The average psychological resilience score among participants was moderate. Significant differences were observed across gender, grade level, and family background (p < 0.05). Psychological resilience showed significant associations with professional identity, self-efficacy, social support, and perceived stress. Multiple regression analysis revealed that self-efficacy and social support were the strongest predictors of resilience. Structural equation modeling further showed that professional identity partially mediated the association between ideological and political education experience and psychological resilience, with acceptable model fit (&#x3c7;2/df = 2.47, RMSEA = 0.053, GFI = 0.926, CFI = 0.938). Psychological resilience among medical vocational college students is influenced by individual, professional, and social factors. Targeted interventions to strengthen professional identity, self-efficacy, and social support may effectively improve students' resilience, thus promoting better mental health and academic performance.

Emotional intelligence (EI), empathy, and leadership are essential competencies in medical training, yet evidence from lower-middle-income countries such as Pakistan is limited. This study assessed EI among medical students and examined its association with empathy, authentic leadership, and sociodemographic factors. This cross-sectional study included 264 undergraduate medical students (years 2-5). EI was assessed using the Quick EI Scale measuring Emotional Awareness (EA), Emotional Management (EM), Social Emotional Awareness (SEA), and Relationship Management (RM). Empathy was evaluated using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version (JSE-S), and leadership was measured using the Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ALQ) assessing Self-Awareness (SA), Internalized Moral Perspective (IMP), Balanced Processing (BP), and Relational Transparency (RT). Associations were analyzed using chi-square tests, ANOVA, and Spearman's correlation (p<0.05). Participants showed balanced gender representation (male: 49.6%, female: 50.4%) and were predominantly aged 21-23 years. Age and ethnicity demonstrated significant effects across multiple EI domains, with younger students showing higher EA (p=0.05) and SEA (p<0.001), while ethnicity significantly influenced EA (p=0.05), SEA (p=0.01), and RM (p<0.001). Extracurricular participation improved EM (p=0.03) and RM (p=0.03). In leadership domains, age affected SA (p=0.05), and ethnicity significantly predicted SA (p=0.05). Extracurricular involvement strongly enhanced IMP, BP, and RT (all p<0.001). Empathy increased with age (p<0.001), was higher among females (p=0.01), and was associated with autonomous career choice (p<0.001) and extracurricular participation (p<0.001). Academic year affected EA and empathy (p<0.001), with a U-shaped pattern final year students achieved highest scores (106.99&#xb1;17.19) while fourth year showed lowest (93.89&#xb1;19.49). EI correlated strongly with leadership, SEA most with empathy, and SA, BP, RT were significantly linked to empathy. EI, empathy, and leadership are interrelated competencies shaped by demographic, academic, and extracurricular factors. Incorporating structured EI and leadership development into medical curricula may help cultivate compassionate, emotionally intelligent physician-leaders.

Shadowing is described as an interprofessional education (IPE) learning activity where a student of one discipline shadows a registered health professional or student of another discipline. To date, research examining the educational effectiveness of the shadowing learning activity has largely focused on students shadowing registered health professionals. This study explores if and what students learn, and the factors that influence their learning, when they shadow students from other disciplines. This ethnographic, case study observational research used indepth analysis to undertake a fine-grained examination of interprofessional learning gained through student's peer shadowing of each other in a 5-week IPE programme in a rural setting. Both the students who were shadowing and students who were being shadowed were observed to learn in the activity and this learning was multifaceted. It included learning about another discipline's roles, skills and philosophies and the different training programmes, as well as personal and professional concerns and also wider aspects of health care. Peer teaching resulted in active and sometimes reciprocal learning and students were for the most part confident and enthusiastic. Peer shadowing involving senior students of different disciplines where interaction and social engagement occur, promotes meaningful and comprehensive interprofessional learning, including enhancing understanding of interprofessional collaboration as well as other aspects of professional and social practice. It is important for educators to prebrief the students about the goals of peer shadowing and advise them to prepare themselves for the learning activity, but once done, incorporating peer shadowing within IPE curricula provides an effective learning activity in which all students benefit.

Simulation is commonly used in health education, but its role in competency assessment remains underrecognized. This study examined the experiences and perceptions of medical students and evaluators regarding the use of simulators during an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) to assess clinical competency. This qualitative study employed a conventional content analysis approach. Forty-three medical students and 2 evaluators from the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran were recruited through purposive sampling in 2024 to 2025. Data collection involved 3 focus group interviews (first: 15 students; second: 14 students; third: 14 students), 2 semistructured individual interviews, and field notes, with data collection continued until saturation was achieved. Data analysis was conducted using a method developed by Graneheim and Lundman. Six main categories were identified: (1) change management: resistance to change, stress from utilizing simulators, and positive adaptation to change; (2) facilitative role of the simulator: simulators overcome real-world limitations and act as facilitators rather than replacements for a clinical setting; (3) role of the human agent: the evaluator as a facilitator/interventionist, blended scoring, and feedback; (4) integration/coordination as the missing link: the simulator as a factor in vertical and horizontal integration; (5) challenges in utilizing a virtual patient simulator (VPS): lack of mastery learning before exams, insufficient time to use the simulator, absence of a holistic approach, low fidelity, and technical issues with VPS; and (6) progress toward enhancement: comparisons with past experiences, progress made, and the infrastructure and prerequisites of virtual OSCE. Although the use of simulators in OSCEs is a suitable method for clinical assessment, there are drawbacks in their implementation and training that require special attention. It is recommended that simulation-based assessment be more widely incorporated into the medical education curriculum.

Persistent health inequities exist in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of rheumatologic diseases among at-risk populations in Canada due to structural discrimination, provider bias, and limited guidance on equitable treatment. Prior research identified barriers and facilitators to rheumatology care access and proposed multi-level equity solutions. This informed the development of a 10-part, 3-module asynchronous online continuing medical education (CME) program for rheumatology clinicians. This study evaluates the program's acceptability and its impact on intended changes in provider practice. The CME was informed by input from seven communities at-risk for inequitable RA care and evidence-based CME practices. Modules address equity knowledge, community-specific challenges, and strategies for delivering equitable services. Offered nationally to Canadian Rheumatology Association members, the program evaluation assessed satisfaction, knowledge gains, and planned practice changes using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Forty-six participants enrolled, with nearly half completing the certification. High satisfaction was reported, with 87% indicating increased awareness and an enhanced ability to support equity in practice. Intended changes included enhancing accessibility to care, implementing trauma-informed and culturally safe practices, and delivering equitable clinical care. One domain highlighted the importance of ongoing professional development and collaboration with local health and social service networks. Participants recommended improvements such as downloadable one-page summaries and case-based content. The four identified action domains offer concrete strategies to reduce disparities in care among underserved populations. Their strong endorsement by participants indicates high acceptability of the program. Participant feedback will support further refinement and advancement of this educational equity initiative.

Radiology is important in modern medicine; therefore, adequate inclusion of radiology education in undergraduate medical schools is vital. This study aimed to (1) evaluate Palestinian medical students' and interns' perceptions of the adequacy of radiology training (curriculum content, mentorship, and integration into clinical practice) and (2) assess their self-reported confidence in applying core radiological skills (eg, image interpretation and selecting imaging modalities). A survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 431 medical students and interns from 5 Palestinian medical faculties. An online questionnaire was created, reviewed for content validity, and shared with the recruited participants. Medical students and interns rated their perception of radiology training adequacy and self-reported confidence in applying radiological skills using a 15-item perception score and an 11-item confidence scale. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. The mean perception score was 10.19&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.92 (68% of total), with 50.6% meeting the predefined threshold for adequate perceived training (&#x2265;11/15). Although 96.8% believed physicians should possess basic radiological skills, only 43.2% considered their training sufficient. Confidence was low, with 93.5% scoring below the predefined benchmark (>35/44). Clinical students demonstrated higher confidence than interns (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.014). Perception and confidence were weakly but significantly correlated (r&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.309, P&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001). Palestinian medical students and interns acknowledge radiology's importance but believe they were inadequately trained in radiology and displayed low confidence levels in applying radiological skills. Improving radiology curricula, enhancing mentorship, and the inclusion of simulation-based learning are recommended to increase students' confidence in applying radiological skills.

Despite growing recognition of the critical importance of physician leadership in delivering safe healthcare, especially in light of the 2023 medical crisis and professional resistance in Korea, existing studies on leadership education have focused predominantly on countries with long-established leadership curricula. This study aims to assess the curricular content of Korean medical schools to provide a quantitative and qualitative baseline of medical leadership training in the undergraduate curriculum. We conducted a content analysis of undergraduate medical curricula from 19 Korean medical schools using the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) as a guiding framework. Survey questionnaires were distributed to designated faculty at each institution, and 270 courses were analyzed, yielding 504 leadership-related codes that were categorized thematically across the five MLCF domains and by academic year. Our analysis revealed that 228 codes (45.2%) fell within "Demonstrating personal qualities" and 75 codes (14.8%) within "Setting direction," with predominant emphasis on medical ethics and law. Training in systems-based practice, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and team-based approaches was relatively limited. Substantial institutional variation existed, with only eight of 19 schools offering curricula covering all five MLCF domains. Most leadership content was delivered through isolated, single- semester courses rather than longitudinally integrated programs. While Korean medical schools recognize certain leadership competencies, there is a need for more comprehensive and consistent integration of leadership development, particularly in teamwork and systems-based practice. We recommend longitudinal integration of leadership education across pre-clinical and clinical years to address evolving competencies at different training stages.

Snakebite envenomation remains a critical health challenge across the culturally and ecologically diverse sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study examined healthcare providers' (HCPs') knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), and their determinants towards snakebite envenomation. A cross-sectional study was conducted across nine SSA countries using the validated Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Snake Envenomation - Healthcare Providers Questionnaire (KAPSE-HCPQ). The fractional logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors associated with KAP. A total of 3,544 HCPs were enrolled through professional and digital networks. General practitioners represented approximately half of the participants (50.1%), whereas toxicologists were 3.2%. Considerable variations were reported across sub-Saharan countries. Uganda and Sierra Leone attained perfect median knowledge scores (100%, range: 93-100, 73-100, respectively) yet both demonstrated marked deficiencies in practice (range: 0-25% and 0-75%, respectively). Attitude scores ranged from the lowest in Ethiopia (79%, range: 75-85%) to the highest in Uganda (91%, range: 87-95%). Higher knowledge was significantly associated with advanced training, antivenom availability, curricular inclusion of toxicology, and self-study. Positive attitudes were significantly associated with prior clinical exposure, faculty-based education, informal information sources, and participants' countries. HCPs demonstrated incorrect practices, such as applying a tourniquet above the bite site, attempting to suck out the venom, incising the bite wound, and asking to run to the nearest health facility, which may accelerate the systemic venom spread. In contrast, pharmacists and HCPs unaware of management guidelines demonstrated poorer practices. The study identifies a substantial gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice among HCPs across SSA, with variations by country, profession, training, and resource availability. Urgent interventions training, protocol standardization, and reliable antivenom supply are required to improve snakebite outcomes. Although healthcare providers across sub-Saharan Africa generally have good knowledge and favorable attitudes towards snakebite management, their actual practices remain persistently inadequate, irrespective of their country&#x2019;s income level.Systemic barriers - limited formal training, absent institutional protocols, unreliable antivenom supply, and weak referral systems- are highly associated with inadequate clinical practice.Urgent standardization of training protocols and reliable antivenom supply are needed to improve snakebite outcomes across the SSA region.

Content outlines for medical school curricula commonly rely on hierarchically structured learning objectives (LOs) at program, course, module and lecture level. At the most fine-grained level, these LOs contain specific biomedical terminology. The biomedical terms can be classified and augmented with semantic and relational information via the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). We analyzed the LOs in the preclinical years of spiraled MD curriculum, using natural language processing (NLP) and the UMLS database to add semantic information, to determine the progression of analytical complexity and spiral curriculum design. The complete set of lecture-level LOs for the 2 years of preclinical teaching comprised 6086 unique LOs with 6612 sentences. To analyze progression over time, the LOs were grouped by teaching module in temporal order of delivery. Six thousand one hundred eighty-nine action verbs were extracted and assigned numerical scores according to Bloom's taxonomy. Bloom scores per module showed the use of increasingly complex action verbs as the curriculum progresses. Matching the LOs against the UMLS database yielded 6454 unique biomedical concepts. Scoring each concept as novel only on first appearance showed that the proportion of novel concepts decreases over time. Using the UMLS semantic tags, the proportion of disease-related concepts increased as the curriculum progressed. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic NLP analysis of a medical school curriculum, incorporating standardized medical language dictionaries. The results show a clear progression of increasingly complex analytical tasks, and increasing clinical content, in the curriculum over time. Concepts are revisited as indicated by the decreasing proportion of novel concepts, supporting the design goals of a spiral curriculum. Curriculum evaluations can improve objectivity and depth via systematic parsing of large bodies of natural language information, like the lecture-level LO content analyzed here, as well as providing evidence for accreditation.

Medical research is crucial for developing skilled physicians and improving healthcare outcomes. There is a lack of data regarding the factors that influence medical students' engagement in research, particularly in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the attitudes, experiences, and barriers related to research among medical students at the University of Dongola (Sudan). A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire. A sample of 243 students from third to sixth year was selected through stratified systematic sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS v27, applying descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test. Among the participants, 67.1% were female, and 85.6% were aged 25 years or younger. Participants expressed overall positive attitudes toward research (3.849&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.863). Specifically, 92.2% recognized its professional value, 95.0% saw its career benefits, and 90.1% supported its inclusion in the curriculum. Nonetheless, 69.5% found the research to be stressful, and 58.8% considered it burdensome. Overall research experience was limited (0.310&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.438), only 42.8% had received training, 33.3% participated in research projects, and 16.9% had published or presented work. Perceived barriers to research engagement were high (3.679&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.987). Major barriers included poor understanding of research methods (73.3%), lack of funding (66.1%), inadequate supervision (51.4%), limited database access (58.4%), and time constraints (56.3%). Significant associations were found between research experience and sex (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.014), academic year (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.020), and academic performance as measured by Grade Point Average (GPA; P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.036). Attitudes and barriers were also associated with academic year (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.021, P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.036) and performance (P&#x2009;=&#x2009;.003). Participants are motivated to pursue research but face substantial barriers. Institutional efforts such as curriculum reform, financial support, and faculty development are essential to enhance student research engagement and career readiness.

Hiroshima University, in collaboration with BeRISE Corp, developed a virtual reality-based objective structured clinical examination (VR OSCETM) practice software, as an educational tool to enhance clinical skills. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of training with VR OSCETM for medical students. Twenty medical students participated in this prospective, pre- and post-intervention study. They conducted medical interviews and physical examinations of simulated patients using VR OSCETM and presented their findings. Two instructing doctors assessed and scored their performance based on predefined criteria before and after training. A paired t-test was used to analyze the pre- and post-training scores of five parameters: (a) safety checks, (b) patient care, (c) medical interviews and physical examinations, (d) presentation skills, and (e) overall performance. A questionnaire survey was also administered to assess participants' perceptions of VR OSCETM. Post-training scores significantly improved across all parameters compared with pre-training scores (p < 0.01). Scores for (a) safety checks (Pre: 6.0 &#xb1; 1.9, Post: 8.6 &#xb1; 1.8) and (b) patient care (Pre: 4.6 &#xb1; 1.8, Post: 7.8 &#xb1; 1.1) were close to the OSCE passing threshold prior to training. Notably, there were remarkable improvements in scores for (c) medical interviews and physical examinations (Pre: 4.1 &#xb1; 1.7, Post: 7.3 &#xb1; 1.2) and (d) presentation skills (Pre: 3.5 &#xb1; 1.3, Post: 7.0 &#xb1; 1.6). Scores for (e) overall performance (Pre: 3.8 &#xb1; 1.3, Post: 7.2 &#xb1; 1.5) mirrored these improvements. The survey indicated that all participants recognized the effectiveness of training with VR OSCETM as a component of OSCE certification preparation. This study is the first to evaluate the educational impact of VR OSCE&#x2122; training in medical students. VR-based training appears to be effective, likely due to its immersive nature. These findings suggest that VR-based digital simulation has substantial potential to enhance medical education.

This study aimed to assess the potential benefits, barriers and mentorship process of undergraduate research experience at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum. This study used a mixed quantitative-qualitative approach. The quantitative part was observational, descriptive cross-sectional study design with 900 participants from three classes. The qualitative part used focus group discussions with thematic analysis. From 950 students total of the three classes, 900 filled the questionnaire with a 94.7% response rate. The mean age of the participants was 24.7, with 69% females. The most important benefits were understanding the research process in the medical field (mean&#x2009;=&#x2009;3.42), learning to work independently (mean = 3.35), and ability to read and understand primary literature (mean = 3.31). Accomplishing these benefits is wedged with many challenges which include lack of research knowledge and skills (44%), then mentorship (24%), followed by time management obstacles (21%), and lastly unavailability of funds (5%). Most of our participant's mentors were college or university professors. When evaluated by students; 35% were rated as above average or outstanding, 28.9% were rated about average, and 25% below average or not good mentors. Undergraduate research experiences had many well-established benefits. However, many challenges were encountered by students when conducting medical research. These challenges need to be addressed properly in order to maximize the outcomes. Nevertheless, mentorship is a defining feature and can determine the outcome of the whole research experience among undergraduates, which necessitates paying further attention to this factor.

Food insecurity (FI) in the United States is 13.5% and is increasing. FI impacts a person's ability to manage their chronic diseases and overall health. Limited studies explore the impacts of FI teaching interventions on medical students. This study examines a FI educational intervention on preclerkship medical students at the Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) of USC and its impact on learner knowledge of FI resources and screening questions, comfort in FI counseling, and FI attitudes. First- and second-year KSOM medical students participated in a service-learning activity in August 2024 and August 2025. They received a 30-min lecture on FI and a case. Students then participated in a 3.5-h service-learning experience at the Los Angeles Foodbank preparing food boxes. Students were surveyed immediately before the lecture/case, immediately post, and 1.5 months afterwards. Findings showed that medical students increased their knowledge of FI resources, screening tools, and confidence in assessing patients for FI both immediately after the session and 1.5 months afterwards. Students were most commonly able to recall SNAP/Food Stamps/Cal Fresh/EBT (45%) and WIC (21%) when asked about FI patient resources. Students' attitudes towards FI also changed from baseline. Training medical students to assess patients for FI and gain FI resources to help patients is critical to supporting the health and well-being of patients. This intervention showed promising results for increasing students' FI knowledge and confidence and can be used as a replicable model.