A Nationwide Virtual Research Education Program for Medical Students in Pakistan: Methodological Framework, Feasibility Testing, and Outcomes

Introduction: Equipping young medical trainees with fundamental research skills can be a promising strategy to address the need for professionals who can understand and responsibly communicate evolving scientific evidence during a pandemic. Despite an ardent interest to partake in research, most educational institutions in Pakistan and other low-middle income countries have not yet adopted a comprehensive strategy for research skills education. The authors aimed to design and assess the feasibility of implementing the first nation-wide virtual research workshop for medical students in Pakistan.Methods: The course “Beginners Guide to Research,” designed as a nation-wide virtual research workshop series, was conducted for medical students across Pakistan in June 2020. Four interactive live workshops took place online on alternate days from June 22nd, 2020, to June 27th, 2020, each lasting 1–2 h. Outcomes included: (i) reach, (ii) efficacy as indexed by pre-post change in score pertaining to knowledge and application of research and (iii) self-rated perceptions about understanding of research on a Likert scale.Results: 3,862 participants enrolled from 41 cities and 123 institutions. Enrolled participants belonged to the following provinces: Sindh (n = 1,852, 48.0%), Punjab (n = 1,767, 45.8%), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (n = 109, 2.8%), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (n = 84, 2.2%) Balochistan (n = 42, 1.1%). We also saw a few registrations from international students (n = 8, 0.2%). Mean (SD) age of enrolled medical students was 21.1 (2.1) years, 2,453 (63.5%) participants were female and 2,394 (62.0%) were from private-sector medical colleges. Two thousand ninety-three participants participants filled out all four pre-test and post-test forms. The total median knowledge score improved from 39.7 to 60.3% with the highest improvements in concepts of research bioethics and literature search (p < 0.001) with greater change for females compared to males (+20.6 vs. +16.2%, p < 0.001) and private institutions compared to public ones (+16.2 vs. +22.1%, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The overwhelming enrollment and significant improvement in learning outcomes (>50% of baseline) indicate feasibility of a medical student-led research course during a pandemic, highlighting its role in catering to the research needs in the LMICs.

Developing Students’ Research Skills with Adapted Primary Literature

There is a gap between the quantity and quality of research in Indonesia. It is assumed that the research skills of the researchers are still low. Meanwhile, research skills development still relies on the higher education level. Efforts are needed to develop research skills from an early age. This study aims to examine the use of APL in the authentic science approach to develop research skills of junior high school students. The quasi-experimental method was carried out by inviting 81 students from two classes of 7th grade in a state middle school in Bandung, Indonesia. They analyzed three Adapted Primary Literatures with the jigsaw and NHT models. Before and after learning, students took research skills tests. The research instrument has passed the validity and reliability tests. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. The results of data analysis indicate that the use of APL in the authentic science approach in both learning models can develop students' research skills. Furthermore, the jigsaw model is more recommended to use. This study recommends the use of APL as a science learning resource to develop students' research skills as a beginning to introduce the scientific method.

Design and Transition of an Emergency E-Learning Pathology Course for Medical Students Evaluation of a Novel Course Concept

Background Around the world, medical schools emergency-created countless e-learning offerings during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide instruction despite the pandemic. The question now is how to capitalize on this momentum of digitization and how to harness the medical e-learning content created for the future. We have analyzed the transition of a pathology course to show what needs to be considered during such a transition. Methods In the summer semester of 2020, the pathology course at the Technical University of Munich was completely converted to an asynchronous online course. This content was adapted in winter 2021 and incorporated into a flipped classroom concept in which research skills were trained at the same time. Results Screencasts and lecture recordings were the most popular asynchronous teaching formats. Students reported developing a higher interest in pathology and research through group work. The amount of content was very challenging for some students. Conclusion Flipped classroom formats are a viable option when using the pre-existing contents. We recommend checking the contents for technical and didactic quality and optimizing them if necessary. Content on research skills can be combined very well with clinical teaching content.

An introductory biology research-rich laboratory course shows improvements in students’ research skills, confidence, and attitudes

As part of a wider reform to scaffold quantitative and research skills throughout the biology major, we introduced course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) in sections of a large-enrollment introductory biology laboratory course in a mid-level, public, minority-serving institution. This initiative was undertaken as part of the in the National Science Foundation / Council for Undergraduate Research Transformations Project. Student teams performed two or three experiments, depending on semester. They designed, implemented, analyzed, revised and iterated, wrote scientific paper-style reports, and gave oral presentations. We tested the impact of CURE on student proficiency in experimental design and statistical reasoning, and student research confidence and attitudes over two semesters. We found that students in the CURE sections met the reformed learning objectives for experimental design and statistical reasoning. CURE students also showed higher levels of experimental design proficiency, research self-efficacy, and more expert-like scientific mindsets compared to students in a matched cohort with the traditional design. While students in both groups described labs as a positive experience in end-of-semester reflections, the CURE group showed a high level of engagement with the research process. Students in CURE sections identified components of the research process that were difficult, while also reporting enjoying and valuing research. This study demonstrates improved learning, confidence, and attitudes toward research in a challenging CURE laboratory course where students had significant autonomy combined with appropriate support at a diverse public university.

Presentation and implementation of the results of the own scientific research — a practical approach

During postgraduate studies, future PhDs must master a wide range of teaching and research skills that meet global and European academic standards. In particular, candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy must acquire theoretical knowledge that is sufficient to produce new ideas, solve complex problems in the field of professional and/or research and innovation, acquire universal research skills, including oral and written presentation of their own scientific results, application of modern information technologies in scientific activity, organization and carrying out of educational employments, management of scientific projects and/or introduction of offers concerning financing of scientific researches, registration of the intellectual property rights. Objective — to summarize information about the relevance of the discipline «Presentation and imple­mentation of the results of the own scientific research» and highlight practical approaches to its teaching. Materials and methods. Analysis and generalization of information on current documents governing the educational process for applicants for the degree of «Doctor of Philosophy» in medical specialties, and literature sources on the presentation and implementation of dissertation research. Results and discussion. The discipline «Presentation and implementation of the results of the own scientific research» is an important component of the preparation of graduates of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the field of knowledge 22 «Health». As part of the study of this discipline, students learn the concept of innovation process and innovation of the scientist, get acquainted with the basics of protection of the results of their own research and modern aspects of patent information search technologies, gain skills in presenting the results of the own research using various forms of new information technologies and implementation in the practice of health care and educational process of the results of the own research. Conclusions. Assimilation of theoretical material and practice of the practical part of the program of the discipline «Presentation and implementation of results of the own scientific research» provides acquisition by postgraduate students of corresponding integral, general and special competences and formation of integrative final program results of training necessary for further professional activity of the future doctor of philosophy.