Must Reads

What is a ‘Must Read’ for those interested in medical education?

Each month, we identify 3-4 noteworthy articles from the health professions education literature and label them as “must reads.” Selection is based on several criteria including originality and methodological rigor. Our process includes a formal search of the peer-reviewed literature, screening titles and abstracts, full text review, and an editorial meeting to achieve consensus.

Who are we and why are we doing this?

Our team is composed of individuals with expertise in teaching, educational oversight, and research as well as those who are beginning their careers as educational scholars.

The volume of health professions education articles has become overwhelming. In curating the best new published papers, we hope to make it easier for all of us to keep abreast of cutting edge educational scholarship and practices.

We’d welcome involvement in the selection process. If you are interested in supporting this work or have perspectives to share, please email Sean Tackett: stacket1@jhmi.edu

(Team: Kavita Chapla, Thiago Mendes, Susan Mirabal, Stasia Reynolds, Elizabeth Ryznar, Dan Sartori, Sean Tackett, and Scott Wright)

Featured This Month

The Gist

• Interviews of medical students in Brazil who have physical, visual, and/or hearing disabilities to understand their experiences in medical education.
• Students described challenges faced in admissions, teaching and learning, and socialization.

Why This Is A Must Read

Students with disabilities are underrepresented in the medical profession. As schools seek to enroll more students with disabilities, this study suggests that more can be done to create learning environments that are accessible and inclusive.

The Gist

• Commentary describing ways to incorporate cultural humility into medical student curricula.
• Discusses safe learning environments, awareness of the history of medicine, linking to clinical and community learning experiences, international exchanges, and assessing cultural humility.

Why This Is A Must Read

Achieving mastery in cultural competency may not be possible, but we can have cultural humility, which helps us remain reflective, open, and curious. This article can help educators foster cultural humility in learners.

The Gist

• Commentary on the cognitive biases that influence assessment of clinical learners.
• Describes 3 steps to manage bias: Name (i.e., acknowledge bias), Reframe (i.e., use language that reflects subjectivity), and Check-in (with learners).

Why This Is A Must Read

We all bring biases to assessment. Openly acknowledging our subjectivity can make it easier for learners to actively engage in self-assessment and improvement. The 3 steps and example phrases in this article could be used by educators to improve assessment and feedback.

Previously Featured

The Gist

• Randomized cross-over trial at 4 U.S. emergency medicine residency programs comparing knowledge obtained from podcasts after listening while driving vs. seated at home.
• Knowledge acquisition and retention was similar for both groups.

Why This is a Must Read

Podcasts are becoming more popular in medical education, and they can allow learning to fit into routine daily activities. It’s reassuring that listening to podcasts while driving does not seem to influence how much you learn from them.

The Gist

• Quality improvement (QI) initiative at a county hospital where financial incentives were offered to 14 residency programs for projects prioritized by (i) the hospital and (ii) the trainees themselves.
• 11 of 14 programs achieved hospital goals and all resident project goals were met; residents collectively received over $400,000 in extra compensation.

Why This is a Must Read

Paying trainees for advancing QI initiatives can improve clinical outcomes. Exposing residents to financial incentives when they can be supported by trusted peers and mentors may better prepare them to navigate pay-for-performance programs in their future practice.

The Gist

• Questionnaire development and pilot to have patient input inform entrustable professional activities (EPAs).
• The 8-item instrument was feasible to implement, identified patient priorities, and informed EPA task descriptions.

Why This is a Must Read

EPAs are being implemented more often, but patients are rarely consulted in the process. This article provides a way of incorporating patient perspectives into EPA development and make it easier for this to happen on a regular basis.

mr-4526

Effect of bedside compared with outside the room patient case presentation on patients’ knowledge about their medical care: A randomized, controlled, multicenter trial

Annals of Internal Medicine: C. Becker, M. Gamp, P. Schuetz, K. Beck, A. Vincent, S. Hochstrasser, K. Metzger, M. Widmer, E. Thommen, B. Mueller, C. A. Fux, J. D. Leuppi, R. Schaefert, W. Langewitz, M. Trendelenburg, T. Breidthardt, J. Eckstein, M. Osthoff, S. Bassetti, and S. Hunziker, for the BEDSIDE-OUTSIDE Study Group

The Gist

• Randomized controlled trial at 3 Swiss teaching hospitals comparing patient knowledge and perceptions during wards rounds when conducted at bedside vs. outside the room.
• Patient knowledge and overall satisfaction were similar for both groups; bedside presentations took less time but caused more confusion due to medical jargon.

Why This is a Must Read

Bedside rounds have a long tradition in medicine, save time for wards teams, and remain best practice. This study reminds us that teams must be prepared to keep patients at the center of bedside rounds by communicating in terms patients understand.

mr-4517

A scoping review of professional identity formation in undergraduate medical education

Journal of General Internal Medicine: S. Sarraf-Yazdi, Y. N. Teo, A. E. H. How, Y. H. Teo, S. Goh, C. S. Kow, W. Y. Lam, R. S. M. Wong, H. Z. B. Ghazali, S. K. Lauw, J. R. M. Tan, R. B. Q. Lee, Y. T. Ong, N. P. X. Chan, C. W. S. Cheong, N. H. A. Kamal, A. S. I. Lee, L. H. E. Tan, A. M. C. Chin, M. Chiam, and L. Krishna

The Gist

• Scoping review that applied a systematic evidence-based approach, where a 21 person team screened 10443 titles and summarized 76 full texts.
• Describes features of professional identity formation (PIF) and factors that influence PIF.

WHY THIS IS A MUST READ

Much has been written about PIF in medicine, and this article’s well-organized tables describing barriers and facilitators for PIF can be useful to a range of readers, from researchers to educators looking for tips to foster PIF in learners.

The Gist

• Survey of medical students measuring need fulfillment, resilience, mindfulness, and coping strategies.
• Need fulfillment and resilience mediated the relationship between mindfulness and healthier coping, with need fulfillment being a stronger mediator.

WHY THIS IS A MUST READ

When we ensure that the basic psychological needs to achieve autonomy, competence, and relatedness are addressed, learners might be able to realize the benefits that come with greater mindfulness.