Purpose: Lecture-based teaching is widely used in preclinical medical education, offering a systematic way to deliver complex information efficiently. However, its effectiveness heavily relies on the instructional behaviors of lecturers. Despite its importance, limited research has explored the specific differences between effective and ineffective teaching behaviors perceived by students. This study aims to analyze these behaviors systematically to provide actionable insights for enhancing teaching competencies. Methods: This study surveyed 92 first-year medical students to evaluate effective and ineffective teaching behaviors. A 30-item questionnaire was developed based on existing literature. Data analysis included descriptive statistics to rank teaching behaviors and chi-square tests to examine their correlations. Results: Effective behaviors included appropriate voice volume, clear pronunciation, error-free lecture materials, clear explanations of learning objectives, and humor. Ineffective behaviors were poor voice clarity, insufficient summarization, lack of follow-up session introductions, absence of online resources, and poor interaction. Significant relationships between effective and ineffective behaviors were observed in some items. Conclusion The study highlights those effective behaviors, such as recalling prior learning, utilizing materials, and engaging students, enhance learning outcomes. Faculty development should focus on avoiding ineffective behaviors for novice faculty and reinforcing effective ones for mid-career faculty to improve teaching quality in medical education.

Purpose: This study evaluated a school-based mental health program within a psychiatry clerkship to enhance medical students’ competencies in mental health literacy, empathy, communication, and adaptability. The program aimed to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical skills through experiential learning in a real-world, community-based setting. Methods: The study utilized convenience sampling to select 32 medical students from the 2023–2024 psychiatry clerkship cohort. Four focus group discussions, each lasting 60–90 minutes, provided qualitative data, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis in Atlas.ti (ATLAS.ti GmbH, Germany) to identify themes related to professional development. Results: Five key themes emerged, highlighting significant gains in context-sensitive communication, empathy, and mental health literacy specific to adolescent issues. The students reported increased clinical confidence, enhanced resilience through psychological techniques such mindfulness and motivational interviewing, and benefited from sustained engagement and peer support, fostering collaboration and stress management. Conclusion The school-based mental health program enhanced essential competencies in mental health literacy, empathy, communication, and practical skills for medical students. By integrating experiential learning into medical education, the program addressed training gaps, equipping future healthcare providers with the skills necessary for holistic and patient-centered mental healthcare across diverse clinical settings. The approach showed potential for broader applications in medical education to prepare students for comprehensive mental health support skills.

Simulation is an educational approach that promotes the mastery of technical skills while advancing the development of non-technical competencies, both of which are widely acknowledged as essential in clinical practice. This review aimed to synthesize findings on the impact of simulation in enhancing critical thinking and reflection among nursing and medical students. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a systematic review was conducted by searching the following databases: PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus. The quality of the included studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. The protocol was previously registered in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42022371971). From 1,323 studies identified in primary research, 16 were included in this review, involving a total of 1,283 students. Of the 16 studies, seven investigated the impact of simulation on critical thinking and reported a positive effect compared to traditional teaching methods. For student reflection, only one study addressed this theme and reported a positive effect on nursing students. This review demonstrated that simulation has a positive impact on critical thinking; however, its impact on reflection remains inconclusive. Further research is essential to explore its effects across diverse populations, including those in developing countries, to maximize its educational potential in health professions education.

Purpose: Addressing health inequities is an integral part of contemporary medical education (ME), yet traditional lecture-based formats often fail to develop students’ deeper understanding and engagement. This study examined how a project-based learning (PjBL) approach influenced students’ learning experiences related to health equity. Methods: This was a qualitative phenomenology study. We designed an elective course on health equity using the PjBL approach and active learning methods. All participating students were asked to complete a group project aimed at addressing a specific health inequity issue from the surrounding community. Data were collected through reflective writing at the end of the course and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Twenty-seven codings were identified from 259 meaningful quotes (interrater agreement 99.62%) and grouped into four categories: character, role, competence, and learning experience. Results: Three major themes emerged from data analysis: (1) key learning experiences during the ME course (active learning, role-modeling, collaborative learning, comprehensive learning, and affective learning); (2) topics that facilitated students’ understanding of health inequities and physicians’ roles, particularly in addressing health inequities in Indonesia; and (3) the influence of the ME course on students’ outlook and beliefs. Conclusion Although this study did not introduce a novel method of instruction, it underscores the value of PjBL in enhancing students’ capacity to understand and tackle health inequities.

Haptic dental simulators are gaining recognition for training dental students. However, there needs to be more evidence of their pedagogical effectiveness. The primary aims were to (1) identify the published studies related to the application of virtual reality (VR) and haptic technology in the restorative dentistry training of dental students, (2) recognize the outcome criteria used in the published studies, and (3) determine the subjective evaluation of VR and haptic technology in the restorative dentistry training by the students. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to find scholarly articles that assessed the utilization of VR and haptics in training students in restorative dentistry. The investigation was performed via seven online databases: Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Science Direct Freedom Collection, Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), EMBASE, and MEDLINE. Of the 268 potential articles assessed, 22 met the inclusion criteria. Findings demonstrated feasibility and acceptability. Additionally, there was improved motor skill acquisition and retention and less time for dental restoration after haptic virtual reality training. With the rising evidence of efficacy and increased utilization of digital technologies, virtual reality, and haptics has a role in improving students’ education outcomes.

Purpose: This study analyzed the career paths of medical school graduates in the Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheongnam-do (DSC) region of South Korea, focusing on career choice factors at each career path. The ultimate goal was to derive practical insights to improve career guidance in the medical field and enhance professionalism. Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 medical school graduates working in the DSC region. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to explore their career paths, and factors influencing their career decisions. The collected qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify themes and categories. Results: The study results categorized career stages into three phases: “entering medical school,” “choosing a specialty after graduation,” and “choosing a workplace after training.” Career choice factors were classified into “personal factors,” “social factors,” and “job and work environment factors.” The factors influencing career choices differed across each career path. Conclusion This study holds significance in its in-depth analysis of career choice factors across different career paths from a long-term perspective. The findings suggest that effective support for career decision-making in the medical field requires a tailored approach that considers the distinct needs and influencing factors at each career path.

Purpose: The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic led to significant changes in clinical clerkships, including reduced ward rounds. We aimed to determine how the pandemic–induced changes in the clinical practice environment affect the clinical performance of medical students. Methods: We analyzed objective structured clinical examination scores of third- and fourth-year medical students from 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 across six stations by the Seoul–Gyeonggi Consortium. Clinical, communication, and ability scores were measured and analyzed using repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance. Results: The interaction between clinical practice progress and pandemic-induced changes significantly affected physical examination and medical history scores, though the differences were not substantial. Patient-physician interaction significance varied by measurement period. Clinical communication ability also showed significant differences based on the measurement period and practical experience. Conclusion During the pandemic, alternative learning methods, including self–learning, simulation/practice, and peer role–play, helped improve medical competency in areas such as history–taking and physical examination. However, these were less effective in improving patient–physician interactions or clinical communication efficacy. Alternative learning methods have limitations, and they cannot replace direct patient encounters in clinical practice.

Purpose: Interviews play a crucial role in the medical school selection process, although little is known about interviewers’ non-verbal observable communications (NoVOC) during the interviews. This study investigates how interviewers perceive NoVOC exhibited by interviewees in two medical schools, one in Taiwan and the other in Australia. The study also explores potential cross-cultural differences in these perceptions. Methods: A 26-item questionnaire was developed using a Delphi-like method to identify NoVOC. Interviewers from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan (n=47 and N=78, respectively) rated these NoVOC between 2018 and 2021. Factor analyses identified and validated underlying factors. Measurement invariance across countries and genders was examined. Results: A total of 125 interviewers completed the questionnaire, including 78 from Taiwan and 47 from Australia. Using exploratory factor analysis, 14 items yielded reliable three factors “charming,” “disengaged,” and “anxious” (Cronbach’s α=0.853, 0.714, and 0.628, respectively). The measurement invariance analysis indicated that the factor models were invariant across genders but significantly different between the two countries. Further analysis revealed inconsistencies in interpreting the “anxious” factor between Taiwan and Australia. Conclusion The three distinct factors revealed in this study provide valuable insights into the NoVOC that interviewers perceive and evaluate during the interview process. The findings highlight the importance of considering non-verbal communication in selecting medical students and emphasize the need for training and awareness among interviewers. Understanding the impact of non-verbal behaviors can improve selection processes to mitigate bias and enhance the fairness and reliability of medical student selection.

This scoping review describes the responsibilities of facilitators, especially clinical teachers, in facilitating clinical reasoning and factors affecting the implementation of the strategies. This review was conducted by collecting and identifying original data in peer-reviewed full English journals published between 2004 and 2021. It followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. The process included formulating review questions, developing a comprehensive search strategy, selecting relevant studies, extracting data, and presenting findings. Initial searches were conducted on PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus, and EMBASE, with a research librarian ensuring the efficiency and comprehensiveness of the search. The search based on the PCC approach (population, concept, context approach) encompassed “clinical reasoning,” “facilitation,” and “clinical teachers.” Out of the initial 2,004 records retrieved from the four databases, a thorough screening process led to the 30 studies included in the review, revealing three primary themes and multiple strategies related to clinical reasoning facilitation in clinical settings. These themes involved the responsibilities of clinical teachers, strategies utilized, and factors influencing clinical reasoning learning in clinical settings. In the clinical settings, clinical teachers have crucial responsibilities in facilitating clinical reasoning learning, including creating a safe environment, demonstrating effective practices, using appropriate strategies, and assessing students’ abilities. While this review has explored the responsibilities of clinical teachers, specific strategies that enhance clinical reasoning abilities need further investigation. Additionally, the impacts of identified factors on strengthening clinical reasoning abilities require more analysis.