Browsing by Subject "Study strategies"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    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.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Plans in Perspective: a Pilot Study of Medical Student Study Strategies in Physiology
    (Springer, 2019-07-15) Husmann, Polly R.; Chong, Alexander J.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Students learn a great deal when they study course material outside of our classrooms, but we have little hard evidence of what they are actually doing during that time and how it varies over the course of the semester. This exploratory pilot study asked first-year medical students to complete study strategy surveys at the beginning and again at the end of a stand-alone physiology course. Responses to these surveys were then grouped into categories, and analyses were completed using above average and below average final grades in the course. The amount of change that occurred in individual student responses between pre-course and post-course surveys was also calculated. Results found that students with above average course grades were more likely to study with other students, make their own resources, and have lower grade expectations coming into the course than their peers with below average outcomes. Results also indicated that changing fewer study strategies may also be correlated with higher grades. Unfortunately, the sample sizes for this study are quite small, and additional data is unavailable locally due to curricular changes. It is hoped that other researchers may be able to further evaluate these ideas.