Objective:To systematically review the current application, development, and research hotspots of gamification in medical education using bibliometric methods.Methods:VOSviewer 1.6.18 and Citespace 6.3.1 were used to analyze the annal volume of publication, journals, institutions, countries, keyword co-occurrence, and literature co-citation based on the literature related to application of gamification in medical education in the core collection of Web of Science from January 2003 to November 2023. A co-citation map was generated.Results:A total of 633 articles related to application of gamification in medical education were identified. The publication volume increased year by year. Western developed countries dominated the research. Gamification in medical education has been used in a diverse range of disciplines. The high-frequency keywords included medical education, simulation, and serious game.Conclusions:Gamification is increasingly applied in medical education, with diversifying research topics and application areas. Emerging technologies bring new opportunities and challenges to medical education. However, in-depth and systematic research is needed to validate its long-term effectiveness and practical value.

Objective:To analyze the results of anonymous review and influencing factors of master's degree theses in Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2018 to 2023, and provide a reference for improving the quality of graduate education.Methods:Using the anonymous review data of 766 master's degree theses submitted by CDC from 2018 to 2023, a statistical analysis was performed on the overall evaluation and four evaluation indicators using the Excel and SPSS 27.0. Potential factors influencing thesis quality were also explored.Results:The overall evaluation scores of the 766 master's degree theses submitted by CDC from 2018 to 2023 were generally rated as "good", with a mean score of (16.58±1.95). The mean scores of the four indicators were all rated as "good" and above. The scores were in the order of thesis topics (17.32±1.81), basic knowledge and research ability (16.51±2.10), innovation and thesis value (16.21±1.96), and thesis standardization (16.08±2.20). The overall evaluation score of students recommended and exempted from entrance exams (17.14±1.54) was higher than that of students admitted through national entrance exams (16.54±1.96). Specifically, significant differences were observed in basic knowledge and research ability and thesis standardization ( P<0.05). The overall evaluation score of academic degree theses (16.81±1.88) was higher than professional degree theses (16.32±1.99). The overall evaluation score of degree theses on basic research (16.99±1.86) was significantly higher than that of theses on applied research (16.33±1.96) and comprehensive research (16.27±1.91) ( P<0.05). The overall evaluation score of theses supported by national funds (17.01±1.77) was significantly higher than that of theses funded by provincial and ministerial projects (16.67±1.96) and other projects (16.18±1.99) ( P<0.05). Conclusions:During 2018-2023, the overall evaluation scores of master's degree theses of CDC were generally rated as "good". The quality of theses and graduate education can be enhanced by improving the quality of sources of students, expanding basic research, applying for high-level fund projects, and establishing effective process management mechanism.

Objective:To explore the relationship between medical students' sense of meaning in life and professional commitment, to analyze the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of social connectedness, and to provide suggestions for medical students' education.Methods:Questionnaires were administered to 899 medical students from four medical colleges and universities in Beijing, China using the Meaning in Life, Professional Commitment, Psychological Resilience, and Social Connectedness scales. Pearson correlation analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0 software, and the mediating role of psychological resilience and the moderating role of social connectedness were tested based on the Process plug-in.Results:The scores of medical students' sense of meaning in life, professional commitment, psychological resilience, and social connectedness were (44.87±8.64), (95.35±18.08), (89.25±15.16), and (28.31±11.25) points, respectively; there was a significant positive correlation between the four variables ( r=0.19-0.71, all P<0.01); the sense of meaning in life significantly and positively predicted medical students' professional commitment ( β=1.48, P<0.05); psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between the sense of meaning in life and professional commitment, with the mediating effect accounting for 20.41% of the total effect; social connectedness played a moderating role in the "Psychological Resilience-Professional Commitment" pathway. Conclusions:The level of professional commitment of medical students is positively influenced by the factors of sense of meaning in life, psychological resilience, and social connectedness. Colleges and universities should pay attention to the influence of these factors and carry out targeted educational work.

Objective:To construct life context by modifying instructional settings and explore its application effectiveness in teaching the "dietary survey" practice course.Methods:The investigation was carried out on the senior students majoring in preventive medicine at medical colleges. The study was conducted using a pilot-control methodology. The experimental group ( n=76) engaged in a hands-on activity where students independently selected and weighed food in the campus cafeteria, followed by a paired 24-hour dietary recall survey conducted in class. The control group ( n=84) received traditional teaching method involving the 24-hour dietary recall survey only within the classroom setting. The scores, questionnaires, and qualitative interviews were used to compare the learning outcomes and professional competence of the two groups. SPSS 22.0 was used for chi-square test and t test. Results:Compared with the median scores of the experimental reports and thinking questions of the students in the control group (90 and 70), that median scores of the students in the experimental group were significantly improved (95 and 80) ( P<0.001). The score ratios of the dietary survey in the test paper in the two groups were 85.53% (65/76) (experimental group) and 65.48% (55/84) (control group), showing a statistically significant difference ( P=0.003). Moreover, the results showed that the scores of knowledge, experimental skills, and professional competence in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.01). Over 90% of the students expressed satisfaction with the teaching. Conclusions:The life context-based teaching method applied in dietary survey practice course can improve the teaching effectiveness and professional competence.

The education quality assurance system is a critical foundation for the high-quality development of Sino-foreign cooperative education. It is of great significance to improve the internationalization of China's medical education and address the social need for medical talents. Using the Sino-foreign Cooperative Education Program in Clinical Medicine organized by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Ottawa as an entry point, this study established a quality assurance system for the integrated clinical medicine courses through the improvement of evaluation indicators, evaluation modes, and feedback processes, beginning with evaluation of teaching by students. This system has promoted the continuous improvement of teaching quality in terms of course construction, teaching, and learning.

Objective:To explore the application effect of problem chain-based flipped classroom in the internship teaching of gastroenterology nursing students.Methods:A total of 101 nursing students who interned in the Department of Gastroenterology at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College from June 2022 to March 2024 were selected and divided into a control group ( n=51, traditional teaching) and a research group ( n=50, problem chain-based flipped classroom). The control group received traditional teaching methods of theoretical instruction + clinical practice. The research group received a teaching plan of "problem chain design + flipped classroom + multiple evaluation". The effectiveness was evaluated in four dimensions: theoretical assessment, operational skills, clinical ability, and teaching satisfaction. The Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning was used to assess self-directed learning ability. The data were subjected to t test, non-parametric test, and chi-square test using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0. The mediation effect was examined using structural equation modeling. Results:The research group scored higher than the control group in theoretical assessment [(92.10±6.33) vs. (80.41±9.34)], operational skills [(45.04±3.91) vs. (39.51±5.94)], and clinical ability [(52.64±5.51) vs. (45.50±7.42)] (all P<0.001). The teaching satisfaction scores showed that the research group of nursing students rated higher in clinical thinking cultivation [(4.41±0.62) vs. (3.82±0.69)] and team collaboration ability improvement [(4.28±0.59) vs. (3.91±0.64)] (both P<0.01), as compared to the control group. The total score of Self-Rating Scale of Self-Directed Learning [(227.93±18.47) vs. (214.54±19.86), P=0.001] and mediation effect analysis (indirect effect accounting for 29.44%) indicated that problem chain-based flipped classroom indirectly optimized teaching effectiveness by enhancing self-directed learning ability. Conclusions:The flipped classroom based on problem chain can effectively improve the theoretical level, operational skills, and clinical thinking ability of gastroenterology nursing students, and further optimize teaching effectiveness by enhancing self-learning and teamwork abilities, making it a teaching method worthy of promotion.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced "Presentation-Assimilation-Discussion (PAD) class" model in electrocardiogram (ECG) internship teaching in the department of cardiovascular medicine and to improve the ECG interpretation and clinical competency of interns.Methods:A total of 200 clinical undergraduate interns enrolled from September 2022 to August 2024 were divided into a control group (traditional teaching, n=100) and an experimental group (enhanced "PAD class" model, n=100). The enhanced "PAD class" model adopted a "focused lecture, structured internalization, and case-driven discussion" approach, incorporating artificial intelligence-assisted real-time feedback and targeted task design. Post-internship evaluations compared the scores of foundational skills (ECG interpretation accuracy and standardized ECG operation), clinical competencies (clinical decision-making, critical value recognition, and diagnostic reasoning), comprehensive evaluation, and assessment of teaching effectiveness. SPSS 26.0 was used for the chi-square test and t-test. Results:The experimental group demonstrated significantly superior performance in foundational skills [e.g., ECG interpretation accuracy: (97.63±1.35) vs. (90.54±4.08)], clinical competencies [e.g., clinical decision-making: (93.45±3.18) vs. (82.17±5.62)], and comprehensive evaluation [(97.96±1.06) vs. (90.94±3.49)] (all P<0.05). In teaching effectiveness evaluation, satisfaction was significantly higher in the experimental group across all seven metrics such as stimulated learning interest and clinical thinking ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The enhanced "PAD class "model, through artificial intelligence empowerment and case-driven discussions, can significantly improve ECG teaching outcomes and clinical decision-making skills, demonstrating its potential for broader application in internship teaching in the department of cardiovascular medicine.

Under the Healthy China strategy, the training of preventive medicine professionals should conform to the development of the times and the needs of public health. The article analyzed the problem of "disconnection between medical care and prevention" in teaching the course of Obstetrics and Gynecology for students majoring in preventive medicine, and proposed to strengthen the strategy of "integration of medical care and prevention". Guided by the concepts of "Comprehensive Health", with the cornerstone of cultivating morality and talents, the reform focused on enhancing the post competency of preventive medicine talents. Course content was optimized by reinforcing prevention-focused elements, student-centered teaching method innovation was advocated, and simulation-based training teaching system was established. Moreover, projects integrating science and education were used to improve faculty teaching capacity with tiered and diversified approaches. Course assessment methods were revised and "ideological and political education" was incorporated to establish the education concept of "emphasis on prevention and integration of medical care and prevention". The survey showed that these reform measures effectively improved the comprehensive clinical literacy of preventive medicine students in obstetrics and gynecology, which is of great significance for building a "integration of medical care and prevention" public health talent training model. In the future, the long-term effectiveness of course reform will be ensured from the perspectives of teaching resources, personnel investment, and policy support.

Objective:To evaluate the application effect of improved problem-based learning (PBL) based on 5W2H thinking in the course of "massage therapy".Methods:The undergraduate students in Class 1 and Class 2 of Acupuncture and Massage in the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year at Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine were selected as the research subjects. The "massage therapy" was taught in Class 1 with the traditional method (control group, n=66) and in Class 2 with the method of improved PBL with 5W2H thinking (observation group, n=68). The two groups of students were compared in terms of theoretical knowledge of massage therapy, the assessment of massage skills, comprehensive ability, innovation ability, and practical ability, as well as the procedural evaluation indicators of massage. SPSS 25.0 was used for normality test and t test χ2 test. Results:After the completion of the study, the observation group showed higher scores in theoretical knowledge (90.56±11.73), massage skill proficiency [(87.22±11.57) vs. (78.23±9.45)], massage skill demonstration [(84.56±11.20) vs. (74.69±9.13)], mannequin usage [(82.98±10.75) vs. (72.66±8.89)], and massage skill mechanics [(86.38±11.45) vs. (73.35±8.94)] compared to the control group. The observation group also outperformed the control group in medical humanities [(85.53±10.64) vs. (64.86±7.33)], teacher-student and student-student interaction [(85.35±8.67) vs. (80.15±7.46)], clinical thinking and operation [(90.05±12.13) vs. (74.26±8.94)], and team coordination and cooperation [(85.60±10.06) vs. (81.53±9.33)]. In addition, the observation group scored higher than the control group in learning participation rate [(18.20±3.75) vs. (13.15±2.93)], error correction rate [(27.56±5.85) vs. (22.11±4.62)], operational stability [(48.43±7.79) vs. (42.06±6.60)], and total score [(94.19±7.56) vs. (77.32±6.78)].Conclusions:The application of improved PBL based on 5W2H thinking in the course of "massage therapy" has significant clinical implications. It can not only improve the teaching quality and effect, but also cultivate students' clinical thinking, teamwork, learning interest, and innovation ability, making it suitable for further promotion and application.

At present, robotic surgery system, as a cutting-edge technique in minimally invasive surgery, has become a crucial component in the training programs for outstanding surgeons. Given the relatively late start of this technique and immature faculty resources, there is an urgent need to optimize and improve the teaching philosophies and methodologies for robotic skill training in China, and Sino-foreign cooperation has emerged as a significant pathway to promote this reform. Taking the "International Robotic Surgery Training Center (IRSTC)" jointly established by The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and University of California as an example, this article provides a comprehensive analysis of collaboration background, construction of the training system, curriculum design, cooperation channels, and localization practices, in order to provide a reference and valuable experiences for Sino-foreign cooperation in clinical skill training.