Browsing by Author "Merritt, Emily"

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    Integrated Case-Based Learning Session for Breast and Upper Limb Anatomy
    (Association of American Medical Colleges, 2024-05-10) Merritt, Emily; McNulty, Margaret A.; Byram, Jessica N.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Medical students are frequently introduced to medical school curricula through anatomy coursework, which often includes histology and embryology content. As medical education has increasingly emphasized integration of content areas, use of activities such as case-based learning (CBL) sessions has grown. Little published work has demonstrated the effectiveness of CBL sessions in integrating anatomy, embryology, and histology on first-year medical students' ability to improve content mastery and adapt their study techniques. Methods: We developed a CBL session that included anatomy, embryology, and histology content covering the upper extremity and breast pathology that was taught to incoming first-year medical students (N = 51) during a prematriculation program in the summers of 2022 and 2023. The session involved completion of an individual pre- and postsession quiz; group completion of clinical cases involving image interpretation, matching exercises, and construction of diagrams, flowcharts, or tables; and a postsession survey with Likert-style and free-response questions about preparation and session effectiveness. Results: Postsession quiz scores significantly improved (p < .001). On the postsession survey (response rate: 59%), students commented that they enjoyed the real-life application and integration of the cases and that the sessions improved their understanding of the connections between content areas. Other comments demonstrated that students were evaluating and adapting their study approach in preparation for the sessions, often using techniques introduced and practiced in the sessions. Discussion: CBL sessions can 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
    (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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    Introduction to the Laboratory and Blood Bank: Creation of a Resource for Third-Year Medical Students
    (2024-04-26) Merritt, Emily; Harmon, Joseph; Lavik, John-Paul
    The transition between the pre-clinical and clinical years is an important and challenging step for medical students. Students must apply the knowledge learned during their preclinical years to novel situations while learning to interact with patients, families, and team members and how to utilize the resources and support systems available in the clinical environment. Despite being vital components of clinical care, exposure to the microbiology and pathology labs and blood bank is frequently limited prior to and during clerkships, thereby decreasing students’ opportunities to understand their role in a clinical setting and how to most appropriately utilize them in patient care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of focused education on the role of the microbiology lab, pathology lab, and blood bank in preparing medical students for clerkships. A pre-recorded module was created consisting of a video lecture that was delivered via Kaltura. The lecture covered information about the pathology and microbiology labs and the blood bank relevant to students entering the clinical environment, including what broadly occurs in the lab, when the lab may call providers, and when and how providers should call the lab. Medical students in the Indiana University School of Medicine rising third-year class (n = 336) completed the module as a component of the Transitions 2 course in the latter half of April 2024, which introduces students to the clinical environment prior to clerkships and bridges the gap between pre-clinical and clinical education. The module was required pre-work before students completed a clinical case embedded within the Transitions 2 course. Students completed a pre- and post-quiz consisting of clinical scenarios commonly encountered in the clinical setting on clerkships. The effectiveness of the module was evaluated by comparing students’ pre- and post-quiz scores with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Our results demonstrate that education on the microbiology and pathology labs and blood banks give students a foundation for their clerkships to better understand these resources and how to use them, which will hopefully facilitate their learning and functioning as team members and learners in the clinical environment.