BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The COVID-19 pandemic forced academic institutions to suspend face-to-face activities, causing a drastic shift to a remote and online setting for learning and teaching. While necessary, the sudden change created a lasting effect on the constituents of medical schools whose curriculum relied on lectures, clinical skills, and hospital experience in teaching its students. This study aims to describe the effect of the rapid digitalization on the medical faculty at the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM) in Metro Manila, Philippines.

METHODS

Members of the medical faculty of the college were invited to participate in focus group discussions (FGDs) where four frames were discussed, namely content, pedagogy, technology, and mindset. Responses taken in the FGDs underwent thematic analysis to find commonalities and patterns among the concerns and comments of the faculty.

RESULTS

Analysis of faculty feedback regarding the four frames revealed a spectrum of responses, encompassing both positive and negative sentiments. Content-related feedback predominantly focused on strategies for effectively segmenting and synthesizing information within the online environment. Pedagogical concerns are primarily centered on adapting teaching methods and delivery styles to the online format. Technological feedback highlighted the perceived advantages and limitations of online platforms and tools, as well as the role of technological support in facilitating the transition to online instruction. Finally, a significant portion of the feedback addressed the psychological effects of the pandemic on faculty members as medical educators, with responses ranging from expressions of fear to statements of confidence.

CONCLUSION

In the context of the evolving educational landscape, particularly the accelerated adoption of online and hybrid learning models in medical education, faculty recognition of the necessity of digitalization is paramount. Despite the inherent challenges of this transition, the faculty's demonstrated openness to change and innovation presents a significant opportunity for institutional growth. By continuing to invest in these technologies, institutions can not only enhance the medical curriculum but also prepare future physicians for the increasingly digital nature of healthcare delivery.

Faculty ; Education, Medical ; Technology

OBJECTIVES: Anxiety is a common negative emotion. Under current social circumstances, university young teachers face multiple stressors and are more prone to anxiety, seriously threatening their physical and mental health. This study aims to investigate the impact of job insecurity on anxiety of university young teachers, while exploring the mediating roles of perceived stress and insomnia on this relationship. METHODS: Using convenience sampling, young teachers from a general university in a Chinese province were surveyed online. Scores of the Job Insecurity Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Athens Insomnia Scale-Short Form, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale were collected. A chain mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro. RESULTS: A total of 798 subjects were finally included. The detection rate of anxiety among university young teachers was 36.47%. Mediation analysis showed that job insecurity not only had a direct effect on anxiety, but also indirectly affected anxiety via perceived stress (46.42% of the total effect) and insomnia (7.45%), as well as through the chain-mediating path of perceived stress→ insomnia (13.18%; all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Job insecurity is a significant predictor of anxiety in young university faculty. Perceived stress and insomnia serve as sequential mediators in this relationship. Targeted interventions addressing job insecurity, stress perception, and sleep disturbances, alongside efforts to improve mental health literacy and the working environment, may help promote the overall well-being of university young teachers.
Humans ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology* ; Universities ; Female ; Anxiety/psychology* ; Male ; Stress, Psychological/psychology* ; Adult ; Faculty/psychology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; China/epidemiology* ; Occupational Stress ; Job Security

INTRODUCTION

With the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, schools around the world have slowly started to reimplement on-site classes with guidelines to prevent outbreaks. The University of Santo Tomas has devised their own set of guidelines, including safety protocols, vaccinations and daily health declarations. These were monitored using the
Thomasian Online Medical Services and Support (ThOMedSS).

METHODOLOGY

Through a case-control study design, the study aims to determine an association between the vaccination status of UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (UST-FMS) students and breakthrough COVID-19 infections in the first semester of the academic year 2022-2023, with population data acquired via records of students participating in face-to-face classes from the UST Health Service Office, and categorized based on breakthrough infections and vaccination status.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Results were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test (pCONCLUSION

The study suggests that vaccination status did not have a statistically significant association (p = 0.3451) with breakthrough infections. The majority (99.94%) of students have received the complete primary COVID-19 vaccination series and only 6.61% of this population developed breakthrough COVID-19 infections, all occurring in those completely vaccinated. Breakthrough infections were 1.76 times more likely for those with booster shots than those without. The possible reason for this is the emergence of the Omicron variant. To improve the study, external exposures and individual behaviors must be considered as potential factors influencing infection rates.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Child: 6-12 Yrs Old ; Adolescent: 13-18 Yrs Old ; Young Adult: 19-24 Yrs Old ; Association ; Case-control Studies ; Covid-19 ; General Surgery ; Faculty ; Incidence ; Infections ; Medicine ; Universities ; Vaccination

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic forced academic institutions to suspend face-to-face activities, causing a drastic shift to a remote and online setting for learning and teaching. While necessary, the sudden change created a lasting effect on the constituents of medical schools whose curriculum relied on lectures, clinical skills, and hospital experience in teaching its students. This study aims to describe the effect of the rapid digitalization on the medical faculty at the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM) in Metro Manila, Philippines. Methods: Members of the medical faculty of the college were invited to participate in focus group discussions (FGDs) where four frames were discussed, namely content, pedagogy, technology, and mindset. Responses taken in the FGDs underwent thematic analysis to find commonalities and patterns among the concerns and comments of the faculty. Results: Analysis of faculty feedback regarding the four frames revealed a spectrum of responses, encompassing both positive and negative sentiments. Content-related feedback predominantly focused on strategies for effectively segmenting and synthesizing information within the online environment. Pedagogical concerns are primarily centered on adapting teaching methods and delivery styles to the online format. Technological feedback highlighted the perceived advantages and limitations of online platforms and tools, as well as the role of technological support in facilitating the transition to online instruction. Finally, a significant portion of the feedback addressed the psychological effects of the pandemic on faculty members as medical educators, with responses ranging from expressions of fear to statements of confidence. Conclusion In the context of the evolving educational landscape, particularly the accelerated adoption of online and hybrid learning models in medical education, faculty recognition of the necessity of digitalization is paramount. Despite the inherent challenges of this transition, the faculty's demonstrated openness to change and innovation presents a significant opportunity for institutional growth. By continuing to invest in these technologies, institutions can not only enhance the medical curriculum but also prepare future physicians for the increasingly digital nature of healthcare delivery
faculty ; education, medical ; technology

With the communicable diseases headlining several media platforms, hand washing remains the most effective way to remove germs and help prevent the spread of microorganisms -- when done correctly. Proper hand hygiene plays an essential role in reducing the occurrence of transmitting microbes. This descriptive quantitative research study primarily aims to assess the knowledge, practices, and skills of a Private Higher Educational Institution university personnel and students towards Proper Hand Washing. Data was obtained using Google Forms from 316 participants of Holy Angel University personnel and students aged 18 years old and above. The majority, or 54%, of participants had a high level of hand hygiene knowledge, good hand hygiene practices (52%), and proficient hand hygiene skills (72%). Overall, the university personnel and students demonstrated good knowledge and skills, and practices towards hand hygiene. Results can inform programs and policies to improve handwashing as a protective measure against viral infections.
Hand hygiene ; knowledge ; practices ; skills ; COVID-19 ; HEI ; students ; faculty

Most medical faculty members assume various roles such as educator, administrator, clinician, and researcher. (1) Furthermore, they act as role models for students and instruments to improve student wellness. Strategies geared towards the faculty can therefore promote a top-down approach to enhancing student wellness. (2) Unfortunately, there is a dearth of data about this. If we expect the faculty to take care of students’ wellness, then we must ascertain the faculty’s wellness as well.
Faculty, Medical ; Students

Nurse educators are vital in the future of healthcare and deserve recognition and benefits for this role they play. Nurse educators who are exposed to clinical and community settings are facing challenges different from those in the classroom setting. They are evidently at risk of exposure to numerous hazards, perils of life, and physical hardships when they do preceptorship to students. In accordance with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order (CMO) 15, a nurse educator must supervise a maximum of 10 students in clinical and community settings to complete the corresponding number of Related Learning Experience (RLE) contact hours equivalent to 1836 hours in every student. It is crucial that reforms and regulations be made to recompense nurse educators. Risk welfare is a financial benefit for nurse educators performing preceptorship in intensive nursing practice or RLEs. It is a payment to cover actual or potential threats or dangers associated with carrying out RLE activities. Proposed rates for the benefit may depend on the area and number of days of actual exposure; however, hospital settings may be considered at greater risk, warranting higher payment.
Faculty, Nursing

Faculty ; Female ; Humans ; Kidney ; Lipids ; Male ; Physical Fitness ; Universities

PURPOSE: We aimed to explore medical students’ online learning patterns and needs by analyzing data obtained from an e-learning portal of Korean medical schools. METHODS: Data were obtained from learning resources and registered users of the e-learning portal by the consortium of 36 Korean medical schools, e-MedEdu (www.mededu.or.kr) over a period of 10 years. Data analytics were performed of its contents and usage patterns using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The website currently has over 1,600 resources, which have almost tripled over the past decade, and 28,000 registered users. Two hundred and twenty medical faculty have contributed the resources; a majority of them were clinical cases and video clips, which accounted for 30% and 27% of all resources, respectively. The website has received increasing hits over the past decade; annual website hits increased from 80,000 in 2009 to over 300,000 in 2018. The number of hits on resources varied across resource types and subjects; 90% of all website hits were on online videos, and 28% of them originated from mobile devices. Among the online videos, those on procedural skills received more hits than those on patient encounters and video lectures. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate the increasing use of e-learning in medical education in Korea over the past decade. Our study also shows a wide disparity in the frequency of use in learning resources across resource types and subjects, which have implications for improvements in the design and development of learning resources to better meet medical students’ curricular needs and their learning styles.
Education, Medical ; Faculty, Medical ; Humans ; Korea ; Learning ; Lectures ; Schools, Medical

The aim of this study is to analyze the current status and performance evaluation systems of faculty in Korean medical colleges and professional graduate medical schools (called medical schools). We developed a research tool based on previous studies and distributed it to 40 medical schools from July to October 2017. The response rate was 100%. We calculated the number of faculty members and analyzed the faculty evaluation systems and awareness according to national and private medical schools. As of 2017, the number of medical faculty in Korea was 11,111 (4,973 faculty were employed by their alma mater, which is 44.76% of the total), with non-medical doctor faculty accounting for 754 of the total. The medical schools reflect research achievements as most important for re-appointment and screening to promote faculty, and the area of education is secondary excepting clinical faculty of private medical schools. However, important issues in the faculty evaluation deal with the relevance of research achievement and the need for qualitative assessment. Some medical schools revised or have been revising the faculty evaluation system in areas such as minimum standards of education for promotion and separation of promotion and tenure review. Opening non-tenure track lines for faculty show positive effects such as increasing the number of positions for hire and easing the financial burdens of medical schools. Downfalls include inconsistencies between the responsibilities and actual practices of tenure not being available and the instability of faculty's status. In conclusion, medical schools need to prepare a faculty evaluation system that fits the position of faculty members and attempt to establish a reasonable compensation system.
Compensation and Redress ; Education ; Faculty, Medical ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Mass Screening ; Reward ; Schools, Medical ; Social Responsibility