| Authors: | Austin Wynn, M.S., OMS-III, Andrew D. Vogel, M.S., OMS-III, Michelle Sindoni, M.S., OMS-III, Megan C. Richards, M.S., OMS-III, Adam R. Eppler, M.D., Caleb L. Hamilton, Ph.D., Juan J. Gallegos, M.D., Tyler J. Wallen, D.O. |
| Background: |
A previous study at this institution revealed a connection between interest group involvement and specialty interest while identifying negative perceptions of CT surgery. This study aimed to build interest and ameliorate negative perceptions of CT surgery by exposing preclinical students to the field through engaging events. |
| Design: | Students at a US osteopathic institution who attended CT surgery committee events were invited to complete an online survey after each event. Associations between the number of events attended and ranked responses to survey questions were assessed by two-tailed Spearman Correlations. Statistical comparisons in ranked responses between the events attended and the survey questions were assessed by a Two-Way ANOVA. |
| Results: | There were 83 surveys completed over seven events. There was a significant association between the number of events a student attended and their perception of CT surgeon’s work/life balance with a correlation coefficient of .258 (P = 0.019) and whether CT surgeons have time for their families with a correlation coefficient of .235 (P = 0.035). Residents and medical student events as well as wet lab events increased interest the most and helped students feel equipped to apply for CT surgery. |
| Conclusion: | While negative perceptions associated with CT surgery exist, these may be ameliorated with more exposure to the field. Unique events that expose preclinical students to multiple facets of CT surgery, including physicians and trainees in the field, as well as offering hands-on activities, may increase interest in the field and further pursuit of the field during clinical years. |
| Authors: |
Cory Dixon, OMS-II; Kristen Helms, PharmD |
| Background: | Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is widely utilized in higher education to assess teaching effectiveness. Data on the effectiveness and validity of SET is mixed, leading to concerns with use in higher stakes decisions, such as faculty promotion. To understand how student feedback can best be utilized, institutions should explore how students approach SET and what specific factors influence their students’ participation. Very few studies have explored medical students' perceptions, and none are from osteopathic medical schools or medical schools located in the United States. This study explores osteopathic medical students’ (OMS) perceptions of SET to assess existing practices and better understand how to utilize student feedback. |
| Design: |
Separate surveys assessing student perception of SET were developed for both pre-clinical and clinical OMS utilizing evidence-based and validated items, where possible. Survey items were reviewed by experts and student peers to ensure content validity. Following IRB approval, the anonymous survey was constructed in Qualtrics and distributed to participants via email. |
| Results: |
Surveys are similar in overall structure and include an assessment of medical student perceptions, including the utility of SET at the institution, familiarity with the SET procedures, and satisfaction with the current SET approach and instrument. Survey response data will be presented. |
| Conclusion: | Exploring student perceptions of SET can reveal insights that improve how student feedback is interpreted and applied at an institution. Ensuring students understand the process and impact of SET is an important first step in creating an effective feedback model for educators. |
| Authors: |
Vincent S. Alexander OMS-III, Andrew D. Vogel OMS-III, Michael Ernst OMS-III, Christa Haran OMS-II, Andrew Hines OMS-II, Adam R. Eppler, M.D., Tyler J. Wallen, D.O. |
| Background: | Simulation plays a vital role in training future surgeons, offering hands-on experience in a low-stress environment to enhance skills, knowledge retention, and competency. This study focuses on a cost-effective cardiothoracic surgery wet lab experience that captures trainees' interest and is adaptable for institutions with limited resources. |
| Design: |
This single-center educational workshop employed a porcine model for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Instructional guidance, surgeon-provided imagery, and videos enhanced the simulation's educational value. The well-ventilated anatomical laboratory served as the workshop setting, ensuring safe disposal of sharps and hazardous waste. Porcine hearts were carefully harvested, preserving aortic valve integrity. Stabilization used Polyvinyl Chloride piping and bamboo skewers, while the aortic valve was mimicked using foam board insulation and aluminum wire. Surgical instruments and suture materials varied based on resource availability. Students provided feedback through a survey. |
| Results: | The SAVR wet lab allowed students to grasp cardiac anatomy and the intricacies of the procedure. They observed each step performed by a cardiothoracic surgeon and received immediate feedback, enhancing their understanding and skills. |
| Conclusion: | Simulation remains crucial in medical education, especially for procedural skills. Cost constraints limit cardiothoracic simulation options. This low-cost alternative offers resource-limited institutions an opportunity to teach surgical fundamentals and expose students to complex cardiothoracic surgery. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact on procedural skill competency. |
| Authors: |
Veronica Epah NKIE, OMS-IV; Danielle Isabella Roehrs, OMS-III; Chante Richardson, PhD; Benford Mafuvadze, PhD |
| Background: |
Extensive research has been done on the necessity of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Medicine, particularly its benefits in increasing cultural awareness in physicians. However, there is very limited data on the impact of these events from the perspectives of medical students and new trainees. This study sought to examine the impact of DEI training in medical schools from the perspectives of medical students and first year residents. |
| Design: |
A 17-question cross sectional survey was conducted using a Likert-type Scale. It was disseminated via email, and on messaging platforms such as discord and GroupMe. Data analysis was done via Qualtrics software. Descriptive statistical information was obtained via this analysis, and the data was further studied for correlations and other statistical relationships.
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| Results: |
Our results suggest that medical trainees recognize the importance of DEI events in their various institutions and their impact on their awareness of patient diversity and inequities affecting patient care. While our data suggests that medical students feel DEI events may be beneficial to their training, it appears more efforts are needed to increase the impact of DEI events in medical training. |
| Conclusion: |
Our study sought to get a firsthand look at the impact of DEI training at their institutions from the trainees’ points of view. Weis to provide the necessary DEI tools to care for a wide variety of patients, and to produce well-rounded physicians with whom patients can better relate. |
| Authors: |
Kelly Fuller (OMS-II), Kim Chosie (LPC-S, CAP), Caleb Hamilton (PhD). |
| Abstract: |
This research aimed to evaluate the impact of academic intervention on first-year medical students who have failed an exam in either Anatomical Sciences or Molecular Medicine. The intervention assesses the student's performance to uncover why the student did not pass the exam. An individualized plan is then created which can involve the help of a tutor. The data collected for analysis utilized The Alabama College of Medicine Class of 2026 which included a population of 216 students. The data was then analyzed with Mann-Whitney U (two-tailed) with a significant value of P < 0.05. The associations between the two classes were also calculated by the Spearman Correlation with an R-value of 0.800-1.000 indicating a very strong correlation. The results yielded a 90.98% total intervention rate for Anatomical Sciences and an 83.53% total intervention rate for Molecular Medicine. Notably, there was a remarkable reduction in failures following interventions, highlighting that when students received guidance, their prospects for success in subsequent exams substantially improved. This analysis has unveiled a significant connection between course failures in both Anatomical Sciences and Molecular Medicine. It appears that students who struggled in one of these courses were more likely to face similar difficulties in the other. This indicates that the challenges may not solely stem from academic content but could also involve issues related to managing coursework and lifestyle. |
| Authors: |
Kamran Ather OMS-III, Jake Godwin OMS-III, James Nolin, FNP |
| Abstract: |
Adequate exposure to peri-operative skills, such as direct endotracheal intubation, is important to a medical student preparing for a career in anesthesiology and medicine, in general. Currently, the preclinical curriculum at many medical schools provides limited opportunities for students to practice basic intubation techniques. Literature supports that skills degrade without continued refresher training. Therefore, increased preclinical exposure to direct endotracheal intubations, through workshops, can help students broaden their skill set and demonstrate preparedness during clinical rotations. Our project assessed whether implementation of workshops in advance airway management are adequate to improving student confidence and competence in performing direct endotracheal intubations. In this descriptive quantitative study, participants used Qualtrics surveys to rate their perceived competence in performing direct endotracheal intubation prior to and after an initial workshop. After the initial workshop, participant competence and confidence was tested at spaced intervals/days without additional learning workshops in between. This method allowed us to measure skill retention over time and better understand the importance of increased or continued exposure to a skill set. We found that intubation aptitude degrades over time. Participants were prone to more mistakes and increased time to intubate in the latter sessions. This suggests that repeat training or more frequent exposure may be required to maintain a satisfactory skill level in endotracheal intubation. |
| Authors: |
Sarah Adkins, OMS-III, PhD; Arman Qureshi, OMS-III, MPH; Justin Thorne OMS-II; Alexander Bennett, OMS-II; James Nolin, FNP |
|
Background: |
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worsens preventable diseases for roughly 3 million patients per year. The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (GAP-AMR) and 2022 National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) reports the need for greater attention to antibiotic stewardship (AS) education including preclinical AS curricula and improving AS pedagogical collaboration between medical schools. However, little is known about the existing landscape of AS education. |
| Design: |
A literature review (keywords: “antibiotic resistance; antibiotic; united states; modules; medical school; [name of each medical school]” on GoogleScholar and PubMed) found 23 references within our exclusion criteria [including name of each medical school]; all were within the years 2013-2022. We also completed a preliminary survey of medical school websites (N=205). |
| Results: |
Out of 161 MD campuses, we have only found 7 who have published on AS pedagogy for preclinical or clinical medical students with only 2 existing AS collaborative networks. In contrast with MD programs, we have found 0 of 44 DO campuses have published evidence-based AMR pedagogy and no evidence of existing AS collaborative networks. |
| Conclusion: |
Despite national calls for AS pedagogy and systemic collaboration, a disparity exists in the publication status of antibiotic curricula across all medical schools, especially in osteopathic medical schools. Considering DO programs educate 25% of all future physicians, it is imperative to continue to understand not just how allopathic programs but also how osteopathic medical programs are training future physicians to be good stewards of antibiotic treatments. Future work will involve surveying medical school faculty in order to corroborate our findings and catalog current non-published AS pedagogies. |
| Authors: | Michael Ernst, OMS-III Vincent Alexander, OMS-III John Giannini Jr., MD Dianne Walker James Nolin, MSN Natalie Barefield, PA-C Maxwell Jabaay, DO Leah Grcevich, DO |
| Background: |
Clinical reasoning is a major component of clinical practice for physicians and physicians in training. While it is such a vital aspect of clinical practice, there seems to be a lack of a clear definition of clinical reasoning in the literature to date. This may be in part because physicians in training take on more responsibility throughout their training which could cause the definition of clinical reasoning pertaining to their specific role in clinical practice to change over the course of their training. The aim of this study was to define clinical reasoning as it pertains to first- and second-year medical students with regards to skills that students at this point in their learning are expected to be developing. This study involved a survey of first- and second-year medical students which served as a needs assessment to determine student interest in having more clinical reasoning training as well as what specific aspects of clinical reasoning they felt they needed most help with. |
| Design: |
First- and second-year medical students at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine were given the opportunity to answer a survey which included 20 questions. The questions revolved around aspects of clinical reasoning that first- and second-year medical students are expected to be developing. Students were able to choose which areas they needed the most help in with clinical reasoning such as history taking, developing a differential diagnosis, selecting appropriate physical exam maneuvers, and more. The survey was open for 3 months and the results were collected and analyzed. |
|
Results: |
In total, there were 54 students who completed the survey. 24 of the respondents were first-year medical students and 23 of the respondents were second-year students. Nearly all medical students who participated in the survey responded that they felt clinical reasoning skills were very important (4.81 average on a 5-point scale). Nearly all students also responded that they would benefit from having even more specific training in clinical reasoning (4.81 average on a 5-point scale). When prompted to rate personal confidence in different aspects of clinical reasoning, the three skills with the highest rating were gathering a patient history (3.83 average on a 5-point scale), forming a differential diagnosis (3.04 average on a 5-point scale), and prioritizing a differential diagnosis (3.04 on a 5-point scale). The three skills with the lowest personal confidence rating were, establishing the correct diagnosis (2.84 average on a 5-point scale), recommending appropriate diagnostic and screening tests (2.93 average on a 5-point scale), and interpreting diagnostic and screening tests (2.86 average on a 5-point scale). |
|
Conclusion: |
In conclusion, the results of this study have identified a significant desire from first- and second-year medical students at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine for further clinical reasoning training. Specifically, most students reported struggling with skills pertaining to knowing what to do after forming a differential diagnosis such as knowing what labs and imaging to order as well as how to utilize all information gathered to arrive at the correct diagnosis. This is expected for students at this level of training and is something emphasized in clinical rotations as medical students go on to obtain more practice in managing patients in the real world. Further training in clinical reasoning, especially in the specific areas that students struggle the most with, will further propel students to clinical success in helping patients and being a helpful part of the medical team on clinical rotations and in future practice. |
| Authors: | Grant Harris, OMS-III |
| Background: | Medical education universally requires the use of models and specimens in order to teach anatomy. The Elnady technique is a useful method of preservation that produces odorless specimens that retain pertinent anatomical structures highlighted by dissection. We used this technique to preserve tissue for extended instructional use. |
| Design: |
Three human brains (one whole brain, one hemisection, and one hippocampus dissection) and one heart were dehydrated using 100% acetone baths at room temperature; baths were changed weekly with hydrometer readings to measure purity. Organs were then immersed in glycerine baths for two weeks, removed, drained, and placed in cornstarch for curing. |
| Results: |
Measurements of organs were taken before and after treatment. Qualitative and quantitative changes were noted. There was shrinkage, most apparent in all of the brain specimens. The heart darkened throughout the process and the aorta hardened; the hardening of the aorta resolved following curing with corn starch. Generally, there was significant shrinkage; colors also generally seemed to darken; the most noticeable difference being the decreased contrast between white and gray matter on the brain specimens. |
| Conclusions: | Though there are significant changes from the embalmed to glycerine fixed specimens, these changes do not alter the important aspects of structure ID and relationship to other structures that are important in the anatomy curriculum. |
| Authors: | Madison Walker (OMS-II), Ashley George (OMS-II), Shane Mohsin (OMS-II), Rhea Nichani (OMS-II) |
| Background: | Several pre-admission factors have been extensively studied and used to assess a student’s academic competitiveness and are implemented in the medical school admissions process. Previous research has focused on each factor’s accuracy for predicting future student success. We examined several pre-admission factors and determined whether they held predictive value for performance in the OMS-I Fall semester at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM). |
| Design: | This is a retrospective cohort study encompassing 796 ACOM graduates. Students were characterized by whether they met ACOM competitive averages for pre-admission criteria. Undergraduate majors were examined using AMCAS BCPM categorization. Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney testing and Kruskal-Wallis testing to determine significant variation in median performance between groups. |
| Results: | Our analysis yielded GPA, science GPA, MCAT score, and undergraduate major as positive predictive factors of success in both Anatomical Science and Molecular Medicine. Students who met or exceeded the competitive averages for ACOM applicants in GPA, science GPA, and MCAT score achieved higher grades in both courses compared to those who did not meet these criteria. Students with undergraduate biological science majors performed better than students with non-science majors, suggesting that an undergraduate major in biological sciences was a significant factor for higher performance in the Molecular Medicine course. |
| Conclusion: | This data is significant because it allows ACOM to acknowledge varying student needs and provide individualized support by addressing specific weaknesses. We hope to utilize this research to guide policy and create supportive measures for incoming students who meet at-risk criteria. |
| Authors: | Jenson Rawlings, OMSII; Brock Shipp, OMSII; Benjamin L. Crews, OMSIII; Britton Ethridge, OMSIII; Michael Steadman, OMSIII; Dr. Gregory Jacobs, DO. |
| Background: | Health Systems Science (HSS) is a multidisciplinary curriculum that seeks to integrate core principles such as healthcare policy and economics, public health, change advocacy, medical ethics, and leadership into a medical school education. This project seeks to gain student perspectives on the potential addition of such curriculum to the preclinical coursework at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. |
| Design: | In total, 252 students completed a survey, which consisted of 10 Liekert scale questions assessing attitudes towards HSS principles, followed by 3 free response questions. Responses were analyzed using average values of Likert responses; free responses were mined for key themes as well as overall positivity or negativity towards the statement provided. |
| Results: | A substantial portion of respondents emphasized the importance of the core HSS principles. Many students embraced the ideology of grassroots movements by articulating the belief that change is not solely dependent on mandates or policies. Perhaps most importantly, a large number of students expressed that they are not taught these principles during a traditional preclinical curriculum. The final free response question, “Should HSS be included in the curriculum?” was met with a 91.2% positive response rate and a 2.0% negative response rate. The remaining students offered qualifications in order to respond positively. |
| Conclusion: | The results of this survey show that there is a desire among students and a recognized need to incorporate the principles of HSS in the preclinical curriculum at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine and encourage further research into its widespread implementation. |