Browsing by Author "Byram, Jessica"

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    Building a virtual summer research experience in cancer for high school and early undergraduate students: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
    (BMC, 2021-08-09) Corson, Timothy W.; Hawkins, Shannon M.; Sanders, Elmer; Byram, Jessica; Cruz, Leigh-Ann; Olson, Jacob; Speidell, Emily; Schnabel, Rose; Balaji, Adhitya; Ogbeide, Osas; Dinh, Julie; Hinshaw, Amy; Cummings, Laura; Bonds, Vicki; Nakshatri, Harikrishna; Ophthalmology, School of Medicine
    Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic posed a unique challenge for summer research programs in 2020, particularly for programs aimed at hands-on experience for younger trainees. The Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center supports two pipeline programs, which traditionally immerse high school juniors, seniors, and early undergraduate students from underrepresented populations in science in hands-on projects in cancer biology labs. However, due to social distancing policies during the pandemic and reduction of research operations, these students were not physically allowed on campus. Thus, the authors set out to strategically pivot to a wholly virtual curriculum and evaluate the Virtual Summer Research Experience in Cancer outcomes. Methods The virtual program included four components: 1. a core science and professional development curriculum led by high school teachers and senior undergraduates; 2. faculty-delivered didactic sessions on cancer science; 3. mentored, virtual research projects with research faculty; and 4. online networking events to encourage vertical mentoring. Outcomes data were measured using a locally created 11-item Research Preparation Scale, daily electronic feedback, and weekly structured evaluation and feedback via Zoom. Results Outcome data suggested high self-reported satisfaction with the virtual program. Outcome data also revealed the importance of coordination between multiple entities for seamless program implementation. This includes the active recruitment and participation of high school teachers and further investment in information technology capabilities of institutions. Conclusions Findings reveal a path to educate and train high school and early undergraduate students in cancer research when hands-on, in-person training is not feasible. Virtual research experiences are not only useful to engage students during public health crises but can provide an avenue for cancer centers to expand their cancer education footprints to remotely located schools and universities with limited resources to provide such experiences to their students.
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    How do Internal Medicine Residency Program Websites Signal their Inclusion of LGBTQIA+ Applicants in the East North Central Region?
    (2024-04-26) Gribbin, Will; Baker, Brittany; Peterson, Ellen; Anak Ganeng, Brenda; Byram, Jessica
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    Integrated Case-Based Learning Sessions in Anatomy are an Effective Teaching Method for Pre-Matriculating Medical Students
    (2023-04-19) Merritt, Emily; McNulty, Margaret; Neal, Chemen; Deane, Andrew; Haywood, Antwione; Byram, Jessica
    Objective or Purpose of Innovation: To assess the effectiveness of case-based learning (CBL) sessions in promoting study techniques for integrated anatomy content. Background: Medical students are frequently introduced to medical school curricula through anatomy coursework, which often includes histology and embryology content. The LEAD Scholars pre-matriculation program introduces anatomy content and study skills to facilitate adjustments to medical school and reduce existing achievement gaps for under-represented students. Recent changes in medical education emphasize integration of content areas, resulting in greater use of activities such as CBL sessions. Little work has demonstrated the effectiveness of CBL sessions integrating anatomy, embryology, and histology on first year medical students’ ability to improve content mastery and adapt their study techniques. Innovation Design- Methods and Measures: Three CBL sessions that each included anatomy, embryology, and histology content covering the upper extremity and thorax were written and taught to LEAD Scholars (n=18). Each session involved: completion of an individual pre- and post-quiz, group completion of clinical cases involving image interpretation, matching exercises, and construction of diagrams, flow charts, or tables, and a post-session survey with Likert-style and free response questions about preparation and session effectiveness. Quiz scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and free responses evaluated using content analysis. Outcomes: Post-quiz scores were significantly improved for all CBLs (p < 0.01). Innovation Strengths and Limitations: Students enjoyed the real-life application and integration of the cases and commented that the sessions improved their understanding of the connections between content areas. Other comments demonstrated that students evaluated and adapted their study approach in preparation for the sessions, often using techniques included in the sessions. Limitations include the low-stakes nature of this summer program, which likely influenced students’ study outside of scheduled program time. Feasibility and Transferability: CBL sessions can be tailored to an individual medical school’s curriculum to provide opportunities to incoming first-year medical students to practice, adapt, and evaluate study techniques while delivering integrated content.
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    Integrated Case-Based Learning Sessions in Anatomy are an Effective Teaching Method for Pre-Matriculating Medical Students
    (2022-07-21) Merritt, Emily; McNulty, Margaret; Neal, Chemen; Deane, Andrew; Haywood, Antwione; Byram, Jessica
    Introduction: Medical students are often first introduced to fast-paced, high-volume curricula through anatomy coursework. The LEAD Scholars pre-matriculation program introduces incoming students to anatomy content and study skills to facilitate adjustments to medical school and reduce existing achievement gaps for under-represented students. Little work has demonstrated the effectiveness of case-based learning (CBL) sessions integrating anatomy, embryology, and histology on first year medical students’ ability to problem solve and improve content mastery. To address the lack of research, the goal of this study was to implement such CBL sessions to assess their effectiveness in promoting study techniques while integrating anatomy content Methods: Four fully integrated CBL sessions that each included anatomy, embryology, and histology content covering the upper extremity and thorax were written. For each session, LEAD Scholars (n = 25) completed an individual pre- and post-quiz and worked in groups through cases consisting of clinical scenarios and questions that required students to interpret images, complete matching exercises, and make diagrams, flow charts, or tables. Students completed a post-session survey with Likert-style and free response questions about preparation and session effectiveness. Pre- and post-quiz scores were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Free responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Analyses revealed significant improvements on post-quiz scores for all CBLs (p < 0.01). In the post-session survey, students strongly agreed the sessions effectively improved their understanding of course material and appropriately connected anatomy, embryology, and histology content. Students commented that they enjoyed the real-life application of the material and that the sessions encouraged them to keep up with the content, were helpful for making connections between the topic areas, and helped illustrate whether their study habits were effective or needed to be changed. They suggested additional cases and more pre-work to guide preparations as ways to improve the sessions. Conclusion: These results suggest that CBL sessions are a viable means for providing opportunities to practice and adapt study techniques while delivering integrated medical anatomy content to first year medical students. Session modifications will focus on expanding the sessions to provide more opportunities to practice the content and study techniques and including specific pre-work activities to guide preparation.
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    An Integrated Strategy: Preparing Future Biomedical Science Faculty for Teaching-Related Roles
    (2023-04-28) Easterling, Lauren; Byram, Jessica; Seiden, Emily
    In our biomedical science research PhD programs and postdoctoral training experiences, opportunities for these future faculty to learn about and gain experience related to teaching and learning in university settings is extremely limited. Our PhD students’ graduate appointments are limited to research assistantships, and our postdoctoral scholars are employed in research-focused roles. These factors limit their time and opportunities to participate in experiences related to how people learn and effective teaching strategies. The problem we attempted to solve was how to create and maximize teaching-related experiences in an environment where these opportunities are minimal. We created a multi-layered approach to providing graduate students and postdocs with opportunities to learn about and practice core skills related to teaching students through Division-developed programs, partnerships with existing programs and services, and fostering student/trainee-led programs. Division-developed programs and services that have been developed intentionally for the purpose of preparing trainees for teaching-related faculty roles include: - Designing and implementing an annual 1-2 week-long institute related to essentials of teaching and learning - A learning community with a journal club, networking opportunities, and workshops - Facilitating a process to find and screen potential volunteer teaching opportunities for students and postdocs - Providing specific, tailored, one-on-one and small group guidance and mentoring upon request These programs and services are co-curricular, non-academic experiences in which any PhD student or postdoctoral scholar at IU School of Medicine may participate and have been designed complement and not conflict with the primary biomedical science research training experiences of these trainees. We will also share how these Division-developed programs and services fit into existing School of Medicine and IUPUI programs, including the Academy of Teaching Scholars, CIRTL@IUPUI programming, IUPUI CTL programs and services, and IUPUI’s Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals program. The relationship between Division and school/campus/university-level program will also be discussed during our presentation in terms of the strategic importance of each to the other. Additionally, in partnership with the Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and the IUPUI School of Education, the Division has developed a doctoral minor for graduate students in the life sciences that is an optional, curricular experience for graduate students who wish to include preparation and experience related to life science teaching and learning into their experience at IU School of Medicine. We will discuss how this doctoral minor complements the Division’s co-curricular programming and how the minor fits into a greater strategic framework for preparing future faculty in the biomedical sciences for teaching-related faculty roles. Finally, as part of a student-initiated and led initiative called Teaching, Learning, and Professor Support for Graduate Teaching Assistants (TLPS-GTA), we will discuss how a student-led, peer-to-peer program that overlaps in content with Division-level programming fits into our overall strategic framework. We will discuss how providing graduate student instructors with just-in-time knowledge and skills to current graduate teaching assistants complements the Division’s greater strategy for preparing future biomedical science faculty for teaching related roles while fulfilling a distinct part of our overall strategy for graduate student and postdoctoral scholar focused educational development.
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    Shifting language for shifting anatomy: Using inclusive anatomical language to support transgender and nonbinary identities
    (Wiley, 2022-04) Easterling, Lauren; Byram, Jessica; Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine
    While navigating a medical or surgical gender transition, transgender, and nonbinary people encounter anatomical language and concepts through their own informal research on the topics and directly through healthcare providers. Use of appropriate and inclusive language is important for affirming identities and can be fostered at any point during professional training through modeling of inclusive language and in the formal curriculum, including during anatomical education. In this article we discuss anatomical language and how it intersects with gender identity, first from the perspective of a transgender patient, then from the perspective of an anatomy educator. The patient shared how she benefited from informative resources, nongendered language, language tailored to her level of understanding, and providers not making generalizations about her based on her anatomy or sex assigned at birth. The educator shared her experience developing a primer on sex and gender that moved beyond a prescriptive binary and exposed students to language and concepts inclusive of diverse sexual and gender identities. Recommendations were made related to how to implement these lessons and better explore how transgender and nonbinary individuals experience anatomical language and the potential impact of language that is inclusive of gender-diverse persons in anatomical education as part of health professions programs. While sound medicine, procedure, science, and experienced professional skill were necessary, an essential positive aspect of the medical and gender transitions discussed was an intentionality around language by providers—including anatomical language.
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    Viewing pre‐lab gross anatomy demonstration videos correlates positively with student performance when total dissection time is limited by Covid‐19 restrictions
    (Wiley, 2021-05) Deane, Andrew; Wisner, Rebecca; Byram, Jessica; Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine
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    "A Whole New Perspective on How the Body Fits Together" - An Evaluation of a Cadaver Lab Experience for High School and Undergraduate Students
    (2020-03-06) Cale, Andrew; Byram, Jessica; Schmalz, Naomi
    IUPUI Anatomy Lab Tour Project Abstract “A Whole New Perspective on How the Body Fits Together” – An Evaluation of a Cadaver Lab Experience for High School and Undergraduate Students Andrew Cale MS1, Jessica Byram PhD1, Naomi Schmalz MS1,2 1Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA 2Division of Biomedical Sciences, Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA Background: Since 2014, the Center for Anatomy and Physiology Education at Indiana University School of Medicine – Indianapolis has hosted interactive human cadaver lab tours for local high school and undergraduate students. During these graduate student-led tours, touring students observe human anatomy on prosections and with isolated organs. Similar educational outreach initiatives have been shown to benefit adolescents by improving health literacy and encouraging interests in healthcare careers. Aim: To evaluate students’ perceptions of the anatomy lab tours and their impact on students’ interests in healthcare careers. Methods: Between April and December 2018, touring students (n=261) were invited to complete pre- and post-tour surveys evaluating their past experiences with cadaver labs, tour expectations, career interests, and additional thoughts and feelings regarding the tour. Pre-surveys were paper-based and completed in-person, while post-surveys were administered online via REDCap and completed within one week of the tour. Responses were aggregated into pre- and post-tour groups and analyzed using thematic analysis. This study was granted exempt status from the IRB at Indiana University (#1802755251). Results: Of the 261 students who completed pre-tour surveys, 204 (78%) completed the post-tour survey. Before the tour, students anticipated learning about human anatomy (52%) and expected to only be able to see (and not feel) a cadaver (66%). Most students expressed excitement (80%) or nervousness (45%). A few students viewed the lab tour as an opportunity to test if they could see themselves in a healthcare career (4%). After the tour, most students indicated that the tour either met (77%) or exceeded (22%) their expectations. Students found the lab tour to be educational and interesting. They were surprised by the opportunity to interact with the cadaver (23%) and by the pre-dissected appearance of the cadaver (26%). Numerous students (41%) also expressed an increased interest in healthcare careers after the lab tour. Conclusion: Overall, students perceived the lab tours as engaging, educational experiences that not only improved their anatomical knowledge, but also reinforced or increased their interest in healthcare careers. Academic institutions interested in positively impacting their local students can implement a cadaver lab tour program by sharing access to their in-house human cadaver lab and recruiting instructors to share their time and anatomy expertise.