Breaking with Tradition: A Scoping Meta-Analysis Analyzing the Effects of Student-Centered Learning and Computer-Aided Instruction on Student Performance in Anatomy

While prior meta-analyses in anatomy education have explored the effects of laboratory pedagogies and histology media on learner performance, the effects of student-centered learning (SCL) and computer-aided instruction (CAI) have not been broadly evaluated. This research sought to answer the question, “How effective are student-centered pedagogies and CAI at increasing student knowledge gains in anatomy compared to traditional didactic approaches?” Relevant studies published within the past 51 years were searched using five databases. Predetermined eligibility criteria were applied to the screening of titles and abstracts to discern their appropriateness for study inclusion. A summary effect size was estimated to determine the effects of SCL and CAI on anatomy performance outcomes. A moderator analysis of study features was also performed. Of the 3,035 records screened, 327 underwent full-text review. Seven studies, which comprised 1,564 participants, were included in the SCL analysis. An additional 19 studies analyzed the effects of CAI in the context of 2,570 participants. Upon comparing SCL to traditional instruction, a small positive effect on learner performance was detected (standardized mean difference (SMD = 0.24; [CI = 0.07, 0.42]; P = 0.006). Likewise, students with CAI exposure moderately outscored those with limited or no access to CAI (SMD = 0.59; [CI = 0.20, 0.98]; P = 0.003). Further analysis of CAI studies identified effects (P ≤ 0.001) for learner population, publication period, interventional approach, and intervention frequency. Overall, learners exposed to SCL and supplemental CAI outperformed their more classically-trained peers as evidenced by increases in short-term knowledge gains. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

First Year Medical Student Peer Nominations of Professionalism: A Methodological Detective Story about Making Sense of Non-Sense

This article explores the assessment of professionalism within a cohort of medical students during a sequential 13-week medical school histology and anatomy course. Across seven data points, students were asked to identify a professionalism role model from amongst their peers and to score Likert-structured rationales for their decision. Based on density scores, an initial social network analysis identified six peer-nomination “stars.” However, analysis of these stars revealed considerable variability and random-like “noise” in both the nomination and explanation data sets. Subsequent analyses of both data sets explored the possibility of underlying patterns in this noise using tests of reliability, principal components factor analysis, and fixed-effects regression analysis. These explorations revealed the presence of two dimensions (professional vs. supportive) in how students sought to explain their nomination decisions. Although data variability remained quite high, significantly less variability was present in the professional than in the supportive dimension, suggesting that academic helpfulness rationales are both empirically distinct and more mutable than rationales grounded in professionalism-related factors. In addition, data showed that the greater the stability in one's choice of a professionalism role model nomination over the T1–T7 data periods, the more stable one's reasons for that nomination—both for professionalism and supportive dimensions. Results indicate that while peer assessment of professionalism by first-year medical students may not be very reliable, students can differentiate between more personal and professional factors, even at this early stage in their professional development. Formal instruction within the pre-clinical curriculum should recognize and address this distinction. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.     

Nursing Students’ Perceptions of a Silent Mentor Program in an Anatomy Course

Anatomy is a core course in undergraduate nursing curriculum. In today’s nursing profession, the integration of biosciences and humanities is increasingly emphasized. Anatomy is considered one of the most essential bioscience subjects for nursing practice. Thus, integrating a silent mentor program into the anatomy course can enrich the knowledge of undergraduate nursing students regarding biosciences and humanities and enhance their future patient-centered care competencies. This article aimed to understand the students’ perceptions of integrating a silent mentor program into the anatomy course. Qualitative approach included four focus group interviews. Themes were developed using the analytic induction technique. Twenty-five second-year undergraduate nursing students from a university were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were used to guide four focus group interviews. Focus group interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. According to the preliminary findings, nursing students regarded silent mentors not only as teaching tools but also as tools to learn more than anatomy. Students greatly respected the silent mentors and were highly engaged in the anatomy course. They expected to become better students or future nurses. Four themes were identified from the interviews: emotional transformation, caring spirit, course engagement, and self-expectation. The findings suggest that the silent mentor program offered students a beneficial learning experience and stimulated their developing competency in nursing humanities. How the silent mentor program can help students achieve optimum academic performance and how their positive experience of the program and humanistic spirit translates into clinical practice in future should be studied further.     

Ethical Rationales and Guidelines for the Continued Use of Archival Collections of Embryonic and Fetal Specimens

Benefits from the use of cadavers in anatomical education are well described. Historically, human embryos and fetal cadavers were used in anatomy education to understand development and congenital malformations. Recently, three-dimensional printed models produced from archival fetal specimens, and online repositories of images from archival collections of embryos and fetuses, have been used as an educational tool in human development courses. Given that the archival specimens were likely obtained prior to the era of informed consent, this raises questions about their appropriate and ethical use. Because some institutions in the United States retain archival collections of embryonic and fetal specimens that were once used as educational tools, their existence and utility require frequent reexamination against contemporary ethical frameworks to guide appropriate use or utilization. Four ethical rationales for uses of these collections are examined, including destruction, indefinite storage, use in research, and use in health professions education. Guidelines for the use of archival collections of human embryos and fetuses are presented. Indefinite storage and use in health professions education are supported, while use in research is also permitted, however, such use is limited and dependent on circumstance and purpose. The development of current digital repositories and three-dimensionally printed models based on archival collections that were collected without informed consent, or those promoting commercial opportunity, are not supported. New embryonic and fetal donations obtained with informed consent should include reference to potential uses with new technology and virtual, genetic, or imaging applications.     

医学英语教学策略探讨

医学英语是专门用途英语中包含的其中一种,不但将大学英语知识进行延续,还具备专属自身的独特性质。目前的医学科学正向着国际化方向进展,所以医生需要具备充足的医学英语。为了让医学英语教学工作可以更好更有效的进展,本文对医学英语教学特征进行了深入研究并做出了相对的整改方案。     

将社会主义核心价值观融入医学类高职教育全过程的思考

医学类高职院校承担着培养医疗卫生职业人才的重任,其特殊性要求我们在新形势下必须转变以往"重专业、轻德育;重能力、轻素质"的观念,将社会主义核心价值观融入医学类高职院校教育的全过程,在医学教育实践中努力培养医学生自觉践行社会主义核心价值观的理念。     

浅析读书人群像与《红楼梦》人文主旨

《红楼梦》前五回是其人物与主旨的象征性抒写。从开篇人物出场的视角,或隐或现一个包括作者在内的读书人群体形象,而且贯穿始终,这是一个被读者忽略的红楼群体。曹雪芹通过贾宝玉（甄士隐）与贾雨村“两峰对峙”,以及甄假宝玉合体等“分一为二”的写作手法,暗示读书人问题是《红楼梦》的主旨之一。从这个意义上说,“使闺阁昭传”是为了寄托曹雪芹自由纯美的人文理想,宝黛爱情与唯美人性同样是人文精神的重要组成部分。而全书浓郁的悲剧氛围,则是读书人个体人文追求与社会核心价值观悖谬的困惑使然,这是一个具有超越时空的历史问题,值得今人,尤其是人文学者们反思。     

高校文科科研信息共享机制问题及对策

信息共享是高校文科科研过程中必要的阶段和步骤。目前,高校文科科研的信息共享存在着属于文科自身的问题。文人相轻、百家不争等现象已在一定程度上影响着信息共享。在对高校文科科研信息共享存在的问题进行分析的基础上,提出相应的策略,促使高校文科科研信息共享的长效机制更好的发展,以促进文科科研更好的发展与繁荣。     

医疗康复机器人研究进展及趋势

随着人们对医疗健康手段和过程提出的精准、微创、高效及低成本等方面的更高需求,医疗康复机器人技术也获得了各国的极大关注,并得到了日新月异的发展。目前医疗康复机器人主要用于外科手术、功能康复及辅助护理等方面,但随着重要技术的突破和进展,未来机器人技术有可能会应用到医疗健康的各个领域。医疗康复领域越来越倾向于人与机器自然、精准的交互,近年来,以人的智能和机器智能结合及人机交互为代表的技术突破使得人与机器之间的结合越来越紧密,借助人机交互技术和方法,将人的智能和机器智能结合起来,使二者优势互补、协同工作,并将在医疗康复方面孕育出重大的理论创新和技术方法突破。社会需求、技术革新和人机智能融合极大的促进了医疗康复机器人的发展。医疗康复机器人涉及人类生命健康的特殊领域,存在潜在的经济市场,已被多个国家列为战略性新兴产业,我国也需进一步大力开展医疗康复机器人的研发,推动该战略新兴产业的发展,以应对我国国民对健康服务的需求(医疗、康复及老龄化)。     

基于三角网格的小腿骨医学图像孔洞修补重构

提出一种基于三角网格的小腿骨医学图像孔洞修补重构算法。通过拟蒙特卡罗方法进行医学图像处理,采用维LWT小波系数方法实现对医学图像的区域特征提取。提取医学图病斑区域拟蒙特卡罗的特征,对原始医学图像进行病斑区域和非病斑区域的二值处理,实现对图像的图像中的灰度值提取,计算拟蒙特卡罗的期望误差,对图像区域像素元素实现分流拟合特征估计,得到小腿骨医学图像的空洞修补估计值,寻找特征边并确定孔洞特征,使用最小夹角原则进行图像重构,对孔洞区域进行平滑处理,采用三角网格孔洞修补,实现算法改进,实验得出,算法能有效实现对小腿骨空洞修补重构,修补的误差率较小,性能优越。