An integrated model for developing research skills in an undergraduate medical curriculum: appraisal of an approach using student selected components

12

Apply scientific method and approaches to medical research

PROGRAMME THEME: Evidence Based Medicine and Research (EBM&R)

The Edinburgh medical graduate will be able to:

Use the best available medical evidence, found through a systematic search and appraisal of the relevant information sources, to inform their clinical decisions; and develop new knowledge or personal understanding through the application of basic research methods and skills

12(b)

Formulate simple relevant research questions in biomedical science, psychological science or population science, and design appropriate studies or experiments to address the questions

Formulate straightforward, relevant research questions for literature reviews and design appropriate studies or experiments to address the questions

Perform simple medically relevant research and audit studies to collect and analyze data

19(d)

Access information sources

Identify and interrogate appropriate sources of information, including bibliographic databases

12(a)

Critically appraise the results of relevant diagnostic, prognostic and treatment trials and other qualitative and quantitative studies as reported in the medical and scientific literature

Critically appraise relevant diagnostic, prognostic and treatment trials and other sources of information including qualitative and quantitative studies

12(c)

Apply findings from the literature to answer questions raised by specific clinical problems

Apply findings from the literature to answer questions raised by specific clinical problems, relating to patient care, health promotion and giving advice and information to patients

19(d)

And use information in relation to patient care, health promotion, giving advice and information to patients, and research and education

Apply findings from own research and literature studies for clinical practice, further research and education

19

Use information effectively in a medical context

PROGRAMME THEME: Medical Informatics (MI)

The Edinburgh medical graduate will be able to:

Use computers, computing, information and information technology effectively in a medical context

19(b)

Make effective use of computers and other information systems, including storing and retrieving information

Make effective use of computers and other information systems, including storing and retrieving information

Make appropriate and safe use of electronic communications

Make appropriate and effective use of electronic health records

19(c)

Keep to the requirements of confidentiality and data protection legislation and codes of practice in all dealings with information

Keep to the requirements of confidentiality and data protection legislation and codes of practice in all dealings with information including audit and research

Apply the principles, method and knowledge of informed consent protocols when handling and/or transferring patient data

19(e)

Apply the principles, method and knowledge of health informatics to medical practice

Apply the principles, method and knowledge of health informatics to medical practice

The doctor as a professional

20

The graduate will be able to behave according to ethical and legal principles. The graduate will be able to:

PROGRAMME THEME: Medical Ethics, Legal and Professional Responsibilities (MELPR)

The Edinburgh medical graduate will be able to:

Practise medicine safely, within an ethical framework, with insight and compassion, according to the legal requirements and professional expectations of medical practice in the UK

12(d)

Understand the ethical and governance issues involved in medical research

Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics and regulation of research with humans and animals in biomedical research, clinical research and audit, and of critical reflection on the interests of individuals and society

I have been able to gain a greater depth of understanding in this topic/project/field than is usual in other parts of the course

 Year 1—SSC1

88.0

8.0

4.0

 Year 2—SSC2a

92.6

3.8

3.5

 Year 4—SSC4

94.9

4.0

1.0

I have further developed my critical analysis skills during this SSC

 Year 1—SSC1

73.6

18.3

8.1

 Year 2—SSC2a

89.7

4.8

5.5

 Year 4—SSC4

92.6

5.1

2.3

This SSC has enabled me to further develop my statistical/data analysis skills

 Year 1—SSC1

47.7

28.4

23.9

 Question not asked as no data handling in this year 2 SSC

 Year 4—SSC4

88.5

9.2

2.3

This SSC has enabled me to further develop my informatics/IT skills

 Year 1—SSC1

48.3

25.4

26.1

 Year 2—SSC2a

71.0

16.8

12.3

 Year 4—SSC4

91.5

6.8

1.7

I have further developed my skills and awareness for working in a team

 Year 1—SSC1

92.0

6.3

1.7

 Year 2—SSC2a

89.4

7.1

3.5

 Year 4—SSC4

74.1

15.5

10.3

The SSC1 has enabled me to further develop my independent management skills

 Year 1—SSC1

82.2

12.5

5.2

 Year 2—SSC2a

80.1

12.8

7.1

 Year 4—SSC4

96.6

2.8

0.5

I have gained further understanding of some of the ethical issues underpinning medicine during this SSC

 Year 1—SSC1

58.7

26.6

14.7

 Year 2—SSC2a

44.3

25.6

30.5

 Year 4—SSC4

74.4

17.2

8.3

I have further developed my presentation skills (this includes written, oral and visual formats)

 Year 1—SSC1

84.5

12.1

3.3

 Year 2—SSC2a

74.4

14.7

10.9

 Year 4—SSC4

84.5

8.6

6.9

This SSC was challenging

 Year 1—SSC1

75.1

15.7

9.1

 Year 2—SSC2a

76.3

17.9

5.8

 Year 4—SSC4

94.9

3.4

1.7

Overall I would rate this SSC as

 Year 1—SSC1

75.9

18.9

5.1

 Year 2—SSC2a

67.7

25.9

6.4

 Year 4—SSC4

90.3

8.5

1.1

Comment on the best aspects of your SSC

 ‘Being able to work as part of a group; this was much more enjoyable and less isolating than ‘self-study’; the opportunity to actually produce a piece of work (as opposed to simply memorizing facts), that would be submitted and graded’ (SSC2a, 2010)

 ‘It gave me the push I needed to really apply critical skills when reading articles and reviews. It was liberating in the case that I got to write what I thought for once’ (SSC2a, 2010)

 ‘SSC4 allowed me the opportunity to explore my chosen area of medicine further. I gained much in the way of organization and data management skills, and feel competent now in statistical analyses. My tutor was very supportive and the whole process was very rewarding’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘I loved the opportunity to study something I really enjoyed, get a lot of clinical experience and have the experience of doing clinical research in a supported environment’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘Having to undertake a project but take a lot more responsibility for appropriate self-learning, organization and work’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘Learning new skills—systematic review, data analysis, graphs, statistical techniques. My supervisor was excellent—I really enjoyed working with her. Being able to manage my own time and set my own goals’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘Having the opportunity to explore an area you are interested in, and contribute something useful!’ (SSC4, 2010)

 ‘I really enjoyed the independence to investigate and area of interest. I also felt getting to be part of a new team and meeting people in a field I’m interested in invaluable’ (SSC4, 2010)

Comment on why you selected this topic area/subject/speciality for your SSC

 ‘I am keen to work in the speciality that I chose for my SSC and this gave me a good opportunity to learn more about the topic area and the challenges of working in a busy department’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘I wanted to do an SSC4 in a field to which medical students receive little clinical exposure, to broaden my learning experience’ (SSC4, 2010)

 ‘I had a particular interest in the area of my project before starting, and thought this would be a good way of finding out more about it and gaining an insight into the speciality’ (SSC4, 2009)

Reflect and comment on any changes that you should have implemented to improve the experience and outcomes

 ‘I think I could always say that I could have planned something better with hindsight and this was no different, there were aspects which I had not considered. It would have been useful to spend perhaps a little more time beforehand reading up on the condition which I was investigating further’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘I sometimes should have asked for help sooner, rather than struggling to understand something on my own’ (SSC4, 2011)

 ‘I think I could have been more organised with my time at the beginning of the project. However it was only through trying to get over difficulties that I was able to find the best way to do things. If I had to do it again, I would have a much better idea of how to conduct the project’ (SSC4 2010)

 ‘Too easy to leave things [to the] last minute. Despite the [course organisers] best attempts to provide information I still felt unprepared for how much time some aspects of the project would take’ (SSC4, 2011)

Have you any suggestions for changes to improve this SSC

 ‘I feel that the marking for this SSC was unfair in that everybody got the same mark. I felt that within our group there were huge differences in the amount of work and effort that individuals put in and this is not reflected in the mark that people have received as well as making the peer feedback seem slightly irrelevant as there is no point in giving one person excellent feedback and another poor feedback if there is no way that this will influence their overall grades’ (SSC2a, 2010)