PLOS ONE: [sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST, sort=Date, newest first, q=subject:"Medical humanities"]PLOShttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/webmaster@plos.orgaccelerating the publication of peer-reviewed sciencehttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/search/feed/atom?sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST&unformattedQuery=subject:%22Medical+humanities%22&sort=Date,+newest+firstAll PLOS articles are Open Access.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.icohttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.ico2024-03-28T21:58:06ZEthical care in patients with Covid-19: A grounded theoryHamideh AzimiRafat Rezapour-NasrabadFariba BorhaniAkram Sadat Sadat HoseiniFariba Bolourchifard10.1371/journal.pone.03001562024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Hamideh Azimi, Rafat Rezapour-Nasrabad, Fariba Borhani, Akram Sadat Sadat Hoseini, Fariba Bolourchifard</p>
Background <p>Providing ethical care during the Covid-19 pandemic has become an inevitable challenge due to facing limitations such as fear of contracting the disease, lack of equipment and emergence of ethical conflicts; So that there is no clear picture of how to provide ethical care for patients with Covid-19. The study aimed to explain the ethical care process of patients with Covid-19.</p> Method <p>This qualitative study was conducted in 2021–2023 using the grounded theory research method. Data were collected through conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with 19 participants (16 staff nurses, and 3 supervisor). Sampling was started purposively and continued theoretically. Data analysis was performed by the method proposed by Strauss and Corbin.</p> Results <p>The results indicated that starting the process with a problem means a challenge of how to do the right or correct thing for the patient. This process is driven by the feeling of duty and inner commitment to do the right thing. The sense of responsibility or commitment is directly related to the degree of faith in a person. The actions that a nurse takes to fulfill her sense of commitment is called the faith-based behavior process. The process of behavior based on faith is done through two steps. Attaining the satisfaction of God and as well as the satisfaction of one’s conscience is the nurses’ ultimate goal of doing the right work and being committed.</p> Conclusion <p>The process of ethical care of patients with Covid-19 can be different according to the degree of faith and environmental conditions. A higher level of faith and more helpful environmental conditions, the greater the nurse’s inner commitments in the first and second steps, as a result, the satisfaction of God and conscience will be greater.</p>The effect of real-time EF automatic tool on cardiac ultrasound performance among medical studentsNoam AronovitzItai HazanRoni JedwabItamar Ben ShitritAnna QuinnOren WachtLior Fuchs10.1371/journal.pone.02994612024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Noam Aronovitz, Itai Hazan, Roni Jedwab, Itamar Ben Shitrit, Anna Quinn, Oren Wacht, Lior Fuchs</p>
Purpose <p>Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a sensitive, safe, and efficient tool used in many clinical settings and is an essential part of medical education in the United States. Numerous studies present improved diagnostic performances and positive clinical outcomes among POCUS users. However, others stress the degree to which the modality is user-dependent, rendering high-quality POCUS training necessary in medical education. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) based quality indicator tool as a teaching device for cardiac POCUS performance.</p> Methods <p>The authors integrated the quality indicator tool into the pre-clinical cardiac ultrasound course for 4th-year medical students and analyzed their performances. The analysis included 60 students who were assigned to one of two groups as follows: the intervention group using the AI-based quality indicator tool and the control group. Quality indicator users utilized the tool during both the course and the final test. At the end of the course, the authors tested the standard echocardiographic views, and an experienced clinician blindly graded the recorded clips. Results were analyzed and compared between the groups.</p> Results <p>The results showed an advantage in quality indictor users’ median overall scores (P = 0.002) with a relative risk of 2.3 (95% CI: 1.10, 4.93, P = 0.03) for obtaining correct cardiac views. In addition, quality indicator users also had a statistically significant advantage in the overall image quality in various cardiac views.</p> Conclusions <p>The AI-based quality indicator improved cardiac ultrasound performances among medical students who were trained with it compared to the control group, even in cardiac views in which the indicator was inactive. Performance scores, as well as image quality, were better in the AI-based group. Such tools can potentially enhance ultrasound training, warranting the expansion of the application to more views and prompting further studies on long-term learning effects.</p>Medical school department chair performance improvement: A qualitative studyMohammad MahboubiSoleiman AhmadyAzim MirzazadehAfagh ZareiHadi HamidiNoushin Kohan10.1371/journal.pone.02949272024-03-25T14:00:00Z2024-03-25T14:00:00Z<p>by Mohammad Mahboubi, Soleiman Ahmady, Azim Mirzazadeh, Afagh Zarei, Hadi Hamidi, Noushin Kohan</p>
Introduction <p>In medical education, department chairs should play a significant role. The present qualitative study was conducted to identify factors that influence the performance improvement of department chairs at medical schools in Iran.</p> Methods <p>The study was conducted in Iran in 2022 and used a thematic analysis method. Using a purposeful sampling method, 20 participants were invited to participate, including medical school deans and department chairs. Focus group discussion (FGD) was used for qualitative data gathering. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis was used to analyze data.</p> Results <p>There were 18 males and 2 females among the participants. The mean age of the participants was 45±4 years. Five overarching themes were formulated: human resource management, organizational behavior management, performance support system, leadership, and financial resources. Also, nine subthemes emerged, including performance evaluation, job and work design, educational and non-educational support, motivational efforts, organization culture, organizational knowledge management, planning for change, and financing.</p> Conclusions <p>In this study, we found factors influencing DC performance improvement. Department chairs’ effective performance may have a positive impact on department operations, processes, or outcomes.</p>Ethical frameworks should be applied to computational modelling of infectious disease interventionsCameron ZachresonJulian SavulescuFreya M. ShearerMichael J. PlankSimon CoghlanJoel C. MillerKylie E. C. AinslieNicholas Geard10.1371/journal.pcbi.10119332024-03-21T14:00:00Z2024-03-21T14:00:00Z<p>by Cameron Zachreson, Julian Savulescu, Freya M. Shearer, Michael J. Plank, Simon Coghlan, Joel C. Miller, Kylie E. C. Ainslie, Nicholas Geard</p>
This perspective is part of an international effort to improve epidemiological models with the goal of reducing the unintended consequences of infectious disease interventions. The scenarios in which models are applied often involve difficult trade-offs that are well recognised in public health ethics. Unless these trade-offs are explicitly accounted for, models risk overlooking contested ethical choices and values, leading to an increased risk of unintended consequences. We argue that such risks could be reduced if modellers were more aware of ethical frameworks and had the capacity to explicitly account for the relevant values in their models. We propose that public health ethics can provide a conceptual foundation for developing this capacity. After reviewing relevant concepts in public health and clinical ethics, we discuss examples from the COVID-19 pandemic to illustrate the current separation between public health ethics and infectious disease modelling. We conclude by describing practical steps to build the capacity for ethically aware modelling. Developing this capacity constitutes a critical step towards ethical practice in computational modelling of public health interventions, which will require collaboration with experts on public health ethics, decision support, behavioural interventions, and social determinants of health, as well as direct consultation with communities and policy makers.Group peer mentoring is effective for different demographic groups of biomedical research faculty: A controlled trialLinda H. PololiArthur T. EvansJanet T. CivianTay McNamaraRobert T. Brennan10.1371/journal.pone.03000432024-03-18T14:00:00Z2024-03-18T14:00:00Z<p>by Linda H. Pololi, Arthur T. Evans, Janet T. Civian, Tay McNamara, Robert T. Brennan</p>
Introduction <p>Improved mentoring of midcareer researchers in medical schools has been identified as an important potential avenue for addressing low vitality and high burnout rates in faculty, and the scarcity of both underrepresented minority (URM) faculty and women in biomedical research. To address the need for widescale effective mentoring, we sought to determine whether a group peer mentoring intervention (C-Change Mentoring and Leadership Institute) for early midcareer research faculty was effective for different demographic groups in a controlled trial.</p> Methods and materials <p>Thirty-five diverse early midcareer faculty and 70 propensity-matched (PM) control subjects matched to intervention subjects on a) study inclusion criteria; b) gender, race, and ethnicity, degree, rank, years of experience, publications, grants; and c) pretest survey outcome variables, participated in the intervention. The C-Change Participant Survey assessed vitality, self-efficacy in career advancement, research success, mentoring others, valuing diversity, cognitive empathy, and anti-sexism/anti-racism skills at pretest and intervention completion. Analysis using multiple regression models included outcome pretest values and indicator variables for intervention, gender, URM status, and MD vs. PhD. Hypotheses regarding differential effectiveness of the intervention by demographic group were tested by including cross-product terms between the demographic indicator variables and the intervention indicator. Missing data were addressed using chained equations to create 100 data sets.</p> Results and discussion <p>The intervention participants had significantly higher (favorable) scores than PM controls for: self-assessed change in vitality; self-efficacy for career advancement, research, and mentoring others; cognitive empathy; and anti-sexism/racism skills. The benefits of the intervention were nearly identical across: gender, URM vs non-URM faculty, and degree MD/PhD, except vitality significantly increased for non-URM subjects, and not for URM faculty. Self-assessed change in vitality increased for URM and non-URM.</p> Conclusion <p>The intervention worked successfully for enhancing vitality, self-efficacy and cross-cultural engagement across different demographic groups of biomedical research faculty.</p>The efficacy of pediatric elbow radiographic guidance in diagnosis of lateral humeral condyle fractureSatetha VasaruchapongPatarawan WoratanaratTanyaporn PatathongThira WoratanaratSupaneewan JaovisidhaChanika Angsanunsukh10.1371/journal.pone.03000142024-03-15T14:00:00Z2024-03-15T14:00:00Z<p>by Satetha Vasaruchapong, Patarawan Woratanarat, Tanyaporn Patathong, Thira Woratanarat, Supaneewan Jaovisidha, Chanika Angsanunsukh</p>
Although lateral humeral condyle fracture is common, the incidence of missed diagnosis is very high. Delayed and missed diagnosis led to significant morbidities and loss of functions. We designed a pediatric elbow radiographic guidance aiming to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the radiographic guidance for the diagnosis of lateral condyle fracture. A cross-sectional study was conducted after defining the essential parameters as a guidance for assessing the pediatric elbow radiographs. We included medical students, emergency medicine, orthopedic, and radiology residents and fellows into this study. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the efficacy of the guidance. All participants underwent a pretest evaluation, followed by studying the guidance, and then finished a posttest evaluation. Baseline characteristics, diagnostic scores, and parameter evaluation scores were collected. The pretest and posttest scores were analyzed using paired t-test. Association between baseline characteristics and diagnostic scores were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. We included 177 participants. Average diagnostic score was significantly increased after using the guidance, from 12.2 ± 1.9 to 13.0 ± 1.7 (p < 0.0001). Medical students showed the most improvement, from 11.9 ± 1.9 to 13.1 ± 1.3 (p <0.001). All means of essential parameter evaluation scores were significantly improved in overall participants.The pediatric elbow radiographic guidance is useful for evaluation and diagnosis of lateral condyle fracture, especially for young physicians and trainees. Therefore, this should be recommended in routine medical education and general practice.How professional and academic pre-qualifications relate to success in medical education: Results of a multicentre study in GermanyCarla SchröpelTeresa Festl-WietekAnne Herrmann-WernerTim WittenbergKatrin Schüttpelz-BraunsAndrea HeinzmannOliver KeisLena ListunovaKevin KunzTobias BöckersSabine C. HerpertzStephan ZipfelRebecca Erschens10.1371/journal.pone.02969822024-03-08T14:00:00Z2024-03-08T14:00:00Z<p>by Carla Schröpel, Teresa Festl-Wietek, Anne Herrmann-Werner, Tim Wittenberg, Katrin Schüttpelz-Brauns, Andrea Heinzmann, Oliver Keis, Lena Listunova, Kevin Kunz, Tobias Böckers, Sabine C. Herpertz, Stephan Zipfel, Rebecca Erschens</p>
Objective <p>Every year, many applicants want to study medicine. Appropriate selection procedures are needed to identify suitable candidates for the demanding curriculum. Although research on medical school admissions has shown good predictive validity for cognitive selection methods (undergraduate GPA, aptitude tests), the literature on applicants with professional and/or academic experience prior to entering medical school remains slim. In our study, we therefore aimed to examine the association between academic success in medical school and having previously completed vocational training in the medical field, voluntary service (≥11 months) or an academic degree.</p> Methods <p>Data were collected in a multicentre, cross-sectional study at five medical schools in Germany (Baden-Wuerttemberg) from students during medical school (i.e. 3<sup>rd</sup>-, 6<sup>th</sup>-, and 10<sup>th</sup>-semester and final-year students). Academic success was assessed according to scores on the first and second state examinations, the total number of examinations repeated and the number of semesters beyond the standard period of study. For the analysis we calculated ordinal logistic regression models for each outcome variable of academic success.</p> Results <p>A total of <i>N</i> = 2,370 participants (response rate: RR = 47%) participated in the study. Having completed vocational training was associated with a higher amount of repeated examinations (small effect), while having an academic degree was associated with worse scores on the second state examination (medium effect). No significant association emerged between voluntary service and academic success.</p> Conclusion <p>The results indicate that professional and academic pre-qualifications pose no advantage for academic success. Possible associations with the financing of study and living conditions of students with pre-qualifications were analysed and discussed in an exploratory manner. However, the operationalisation of academic success from objective and cognitive data should be critically discussed, as the benefits of prior experience may be captured by personal qualities rather than examination results.</p>Endorsements of five reporting guidelines for biomedical research by journals of prominent publishersPeiling WangDietmar WolframEmrie Gilbert10.1371/journal.pone.02998062024-02-29T14:00:00Z2024-02-29T14:00:00Z<p>by Peiling Wang, Dietmar Wolfram, Emrie Gilbert</p>
Biomedical research reporting guidelines provide a framework by which journal editors and the researchers who conduct studies can ensure that the reported research is both complete and transparent. With more than 16 different guidelines for the 11 major study types of medical and health research, authors need to be familiar with journal reporting standards. To assess the current endorsements of reporting guidelines for biomedical and health research, this study examined the instructions for authors (IFAs) of 559 biomedical journals by 11 prominent publishers that publish original research or systematic reviews/meta-analyses. Data from the above original sources were cleaned and restructured, and analyzed in a database and text miner. Each journal’s instructions or information for authors were examined to code if any of five prominent reporting guidelines were mentioned and what form the guideline adherence demonstration took. Seventeen journals published the reporting guidelines. Four of the five reporting guidelines listed journals as endorsers. For journals with open peer review reports, a sample of journals and peer reviews was analyzed for mention of adherence to reporting guidelines. The endorsement of research guidelines by publishers and their associated journals is inconsistent for some publishers, with only a small number of journals endorsing relevant guidelines. Based on the analysis of open peer reviews, there is evidence that some reviewers check the adherence to the endorsed reporting guidelines. Currently, there is no universal endorsement of reporting guidelines by publishers nor ways of demonstrating adherence to guidelines. Journals may not directly inform authors of their guideline endorsements, making it more difficult for authors to adhere to endorsed guidelines. Suggestions derived from the findings are provided for authors, journals, and reporting guidelines to ensure increased adequate use of endorsed reporting guidelines.Teaching medical ethics and medical professionalism in Saudi public and private medical schoolsMohammed AlRukbanFahad AlajlanAli AlnasserHisham AlmousaSulaiman AlzomiaAbdullah Almushawah10.1371/journal.pone.02986052024-02-29T14:00:00Z2024-02-29T14:00:00Z<p>by Mohammed AlRukban, Fahad Alajlan, Ali Alnasser, Hisham Almousa, Sulaiman Alzomia, Abdullah Almushawah</p>
Medical ethics and professionalism are two essential parts of building up the identity of a competent physician. This study was conducted to determine the nature, content, and methods of medical ethics and professionalism education in Saudi public and private medical schools. It also sought to identify the challenges and obstacles in teaching and assessing medical ethics and professionalism and suggest appropriate changes. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Saudi private and public medical schools. To achieve the study’s aim, an assessment tool in the form of a novel self-administered questionnaire was developed, piloted, and then used. A representative from each of the 28 Saudi medical schools participated in the study. Twenty-four (82.1%) responding medical schools have no medical ethics department. Most of the medical schools (64.2%) have 25% or less of their faculty staff who teach ethics holding a qualification in medical ethics. Most schools have a specific course for medical ethics and professionalism (85.7% and 57.1%, respectively). Multiple-choice questioning is the most popular assessment method in medical ethics and professionalism courses (89.3% and 60.7%, respectively). The need for more qualified staff and clear guidelines/resources is a significant drawback to the teaching of medical ethics. Therefore, the study recommends developing national guidelines dedicated to the undergraduate teaching curriculum from which courses would be designed to enhance medical ethics and medical professionalism.Illness presenteeism among physicians and trainees: Study protocol of a scoping reviewLorenzo MadrazoJade Choo-FooMarie-Cécile DomecqKori A. LaDonnaSusan Humphrey-Murto10.1371/journal.pone.02974472024-02-29T14:00:00Z2024-02-29T14:00:00Z<p>by Lorenzo Madrazo, Jade Choo-Foo, Marie-Cécile Domecq, Kori A. LaDonna, Susan Humphrey-Murto</p>
Background <p>Illness presenteeism (IP) is the phenomenon where individuals continue to work despite illness. While it has been a prevalent and longstanding issue in medicine, the recent onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the growing movement to improve physician wellness brings renewed interest in this topic. However, there have been no comprehensive reviews on the state of literature of this topic.</p> Purpose <p>The main aim of this scoping review is to explore what is known about presenteeism in physicians, residents, and medical students in order to map and summarize the literature, identify research gaps and inform future research. More specifically: How has illness presenteeism been defined, problematized or perceived? What methods and approaches have been used to study the phenomenon? Has the literature changed since the pandemic?</p> Method <p>Using the Arksey and O’Malley framework several databases will be searched by an experienced librarian. Through an iterative process, inclusion and exclusion criteria will be developed and a data extraction form refined. Data will be analyzed using quantitative and qualitative content analyses.</p> Potential implications of results <p>By summarizing the literature on IP, this study will provide a better understanding of the IP phenomena to inform future research and potentially have implications for physician wellness and public health.</p>Experiences of transgender persons in accessing routine healthcare services in India: Findings from a participatory qualitative studyHarikeerthan RaghuramSana ParakhDeepak TugnawatSatendra SinghAqsa ShaikhAnant Bhan10.1371/journal.pgph.00029332024-02-29T14:00:00Z2024-02-29T14:00:00Z<p>by Harikeerthan Raghuram, Sana Parakh, Deepak Tugnawat, Satendra Singh, Aqsa Shaikh, Anant Bhan</p>
Despite having a higher burden of health problems, transgender persons face challenges in accessing healthcare in India. Most studies on healthcare access of transgender persons in India focus only on HIV related care, mental healthcare, gender affirmative services or on the ethno-cultural communities or transgender women. This study fills this gap by focusing on diverse gender identities within the transgender community with a specific focus on experiences in accessing general or routine healthcare services. A qualitative descriptive approach was used in this study. 23 in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions were conducted virtually and in-person with a total of 63 transgender persons in different regions of India between May and September 2021. The study used a community-based participatory research approach and was informed by the intersectionality approach. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Four key themes emerged: (i) intersectional challenges in accessing healthcare start outside of the health system, continue through cisgender-binary-normative health systems that exclude transgender persons; and at the interface with individuals such as health professionals, support staff and bystanders; (ii) the experiences negatively impact transgender persons at an individual level; (iii) in response, transgender persons navigate these challenges across each of the levels: individual, health system level and from outside of the health system. This is a first of its kind qualitative participatory study focusing on routine healthcare services of transgender persons in India. The findings indicate the need to move conversations on trans-inclusion in healthcare from HIV and gender affirmative services to routine comprehensive healthcare services considering the higher burden of health problems in the community and the impact of poor access on their lives and well-being.Recommendations for accelerating open preprint peer review to improve the culture of scienceMichele Avissar-WhitingFrédérique BelliardStefano M. BertozziAmy BrandKatherine BrownGéraldine Clément-StonehamStephanie DawsonGautam DeyDaniel EcerScott C. EdmundsAshley FarleyTara D. FischerMaryrose FrankoJames S. FraserKathryn FunkClarisse GanierMelissa HarrisonAnna HatchHaley HazlettSamantha HindleDaniel W. HookPhil HurstSophien KamounRobert KileyMichael M. LacyMarcel LaFlammeRebecca LawrenceThomas LembergerMaria LeptinElliott LumbCatriona J. MacCallumChristopher Steven MarcumGabriele MarinelloAlex MendonçaSara MonacoKleber NevesDamian PattinsonJessica K. PolkaIratxe PueblaMartyn RittmanStephen J. RoyleDaniela SaderiRichard SeverKathleen ShearerJohn E. SpiroBodo SternDario TaraborelliRon ValeClaudia G. VasquezLudo WaltmanFiona M. WattZara Y. WeinbergMark Williams10.1371/journal.pbio.30025022024-02-29T14:00:00Z2024-02-29T14:00:00Z<p>by Michele Avissar-Whiting, Frédérique Belliard, Stefano M. Bertozzi, Amy Brand, Katherine Brown, Géraldine Clément-Stoneham, Stephanie Dawson, Gautam Dey, Daniel Ecer, Scott C. Edmunds, Ashley Farley, Tara D. Fischer, Maryrose Franko, James S. Fraser, Kathryn Funk, Clarisse Ganier, Melissa Harrison, Anna Hatch, Haley Hazlett, Samantha Hindle, Daniel W. Hook, Phil Hurst, Sophien Kamoun, Robert Kiley, Michael M. Lacy, Marcel LaFlamme, Rebecca Lawrence, Thomas Lemberger, Maria Leptin, Elliott Lumb, Catriona J. MacCallum, Christopher Steven Marcum, Gabriele Marinello, Alex Mendonça, Sara Monaco, Kleber Neves, Damian Pattinson, Jessica K. Polka, Iratxe Puebla, Martyn Rittman, Stephen J. Royle, Daniela Saderi, Richard Sever, Kathleen Shearer, John E. Spiro, Bodo Stern, Dario Taraborelli, Ron Vale, Claudia G. Vasquez, Ludo Waltman, Fiona M. Watt, Zara Y. Weinberg, Mark Williams</p>
Peer review is an important part of the scientific process, but traditional peer review at journals is coming under increased scrutiny for its inefficiency and lack of transparency. As preprints become more widely used and accepted, they raise the possibility of rethinking the peer-review process. Preprints are enabling new forms of peer review that have the potential to be more thorough, inclusive, and collegial than traditional journal peer review, and to thus fundamentally shift the culture of peer review toward constructive collaboration. In this Consensus View, we make a call to action to stakeholders in the community to accelerate the growing momentum of preprint sharing and provide recommendations to empower researchers to provide open and constructive peer review for preprints.Developing and piloting an online course on osteoporosis using a multidisciplinary multi-institute approach- a cross-sectional qualitative studyLena JafriHafsa MajidArsala Jameel FarooquiSibtain AhmedMuhammad Umer Naeem EffendiMaseeh-uz ZamanQamar RiazNoreen NasirSadia FatimaSarah NadeemRizwan Haroon RashidAamir EjazNusrat AlviFarheen AslamAysha Habib Khan10.1371/journal.pone.02916172024-02-15T14:00:00Z2024-02-15T14:00:00Z<p>by Lena Jafri, Hafsa Majid, Arsala Jameel Farooqui, Sibtain Ahmed, Muhammad Umer Naeem Effendi, Maseeh-uz Zaman, Qamar Riaz, Noreen Nasir, Sadia Fatima, Sarah Nadeem, Rizwan Haroon Rashid, Aamir Ejaz, Nusrat Alvi, Farheen Aslam, Aysha Habib Khan</p>
Introduction <p>Postgraduate medical trainees (PGs) in developing nations face various educational hurdles due to limited access to quality resources and training facilities. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of e-learning, particularly Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), within postgraduate medical education. It involved the development of a customized online course focused on osteoporosis for PGs and an examination of their perspectives and preferences concerning online learning methods like Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platforms.</p> Methods <p>The study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020. A multi-institutional, multidisciplinary team was assembled to design an osteoporosis course on the VLE platform. PGs (n = 9) from diverse disciplines and institutions were selected with informed consent. Focus group discussions (FGDs) among these PGs identified their preferences for the online course, which subsequently guided the development of the MOOC. The modular MOOC comprised recorded micro-lectures, flashcards, videos, case challenges, and expert interviews. The educational impact of the VLE was assessed using pre- and post-module tests among the participants, and their perceptions of the PGs and course facilitators were gathered via an online survey.</p> Results <p>The study identified the involvement of PGs in the course design process as beneficial, as it allowed for content customization and boosted their motivation for peer-to-peer learning. During the FGDs, PGs expressed a strong preference for flexible learning formats, particularly short downloadable presentations, and micro-lectures. They also identified challenges related to technology, institutional support, and internet connectivity. In the subsequently customized MOOC course, 66% of PGs (n = 6) attempted the pre-test, achieving a mean score of 43.8%. Following the VLE module, all PGs (n = 9) successfully passed the end-of-module test, averaging a score of 96%, highlighting its impact on learning. The majority (n = 8, 88.9%) agreed that the course content could be applied in clinical practice, and 66.7% (n = 6) expressed extreme satisfaction with the learning objectives and content. Participants favoured end-of-module assessments and the use of best-choice questions for evaluation.</p> Conclusion <p>This study highlights the importance of virtual learning, particularly MOOCs, in addressing the educational challenges faced by developing nations. It emphasizes the need for tailored online courses that cater to the preferences and requirements of PGs. The findings suggest that MOOCs can foster collaboration, networking, and opportunities for professional development, and interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty members can be a key strength in course development. This research provides valuable insights for educators, institutions, and e-learning developers seeking to enhance their teaching methodologies and establish accessible educational environments in the digital age.</p>Can ChatGPT assist authors with abstract writing in medical journals? Evaluating the quality of scientific abstracts generated by ChatGPT and original abstractsTaesoon HwangNishant AggarwalPir Zarak KhanThomas RobertsAmir MahmoodMadlen M. GriffithsNick ParsonsSaboor Khan10.1371/journal.pone.02977012024-02-14T14:00:00Z2024-02-14T14:00:00Z<p>by Taesoon Hwang, Nishant Aggarwal, Pir Zarak Khan, Thomas Roberts, Amir Mahmood, Madlen M. Griffiths, Nick Parsons, Saboor Khan</p>
Introduction <p>ChatGPT, a sophisticated large language model (LLM), has garnered widespread attention for its ability to mimic human-like communication. As recent studies indicate a potential supportive role of ChatGPT in academic writing, we assessed the LLM’s capacity to generate accurate and comprehensive scientific abstracts from published Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) data, focusing on the adherence to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials for Abstracts (CONSORT-A) statement, in comparison to the original authors’ abstracts.</p> Methodology <p>RCTs, identified in a PubMed/MEDLINE search post-September 2021 across various medical disciplines, were subjected to abstract generation via ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4, following the guidelines of the respective journals. The overall quality score (OQS) of each abstract was determined by the total number of adequately reported components from the 18-item CONSORT-A checklist. Additional outcome measures included percent adherence to each CONOSORT-A item, readability, hallucination rate, and regression analysis of reporting quality determinants.</p> Results <p>Original abstracts achieved a mean OQS of 11.89 (95% CI: 11.23–12.54), outperforming GPT 3.5 (7.89; 95% CI: 7.32–8.46) and GPT 4 (5.18; 95% CI: 4.64–5.71). Compared to GPT 3.5 and 4 outputs, original abstracts were more adherent with 10 and 14 CONSORT-A items, respectively. In blind assessments, GPT 3.5-generated abstracts were deemed most readable in 62.22% of cases which was significantly greater than the original (31.11%; P = 0.003) and GPT 4-generated (6.67%; P<0.001) abstracts. Moreover, ChatGPT 3.5 exhibited a hallucination rate of 0.03 items per abstract compared to 1.13 by GPT 4. No determinants for improved reporting quality were identified for GPT-generated abstracts.</p> Conclusions <p>While ChatGPT could generate more readable abstracts, their overall quality was inferior to the original abstracts. Yet, its proficiency to concisely relay key information with minimal error holds promise for medical research and warrants further investigations to fully ascertain the LLM’s applicability in this domain.</p>Use of telemedicine in general practice in Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review of patient and practitioner perspectivesDavid WalleyGeoff McCombeJohn BroughanConor O’SheaDes CrowleyDiarmuid QuinlanCatherine WannTadhg CrowleyWalter Cullen10.1371/journal.pdig.00004272024-02-14T14:00:00Z2024-02-14T14:00:00Z<p>by David Walley, Geoff McCombe, John Broughan, Conor O’Shea, Des Crowley, Diarmuid Quinlan, Catherine Wann, Tadhg Crowley, Walter Cullen</p>
General practice is generally the first point of contact for patients presenting with COVID-19. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic general practitioners (GPs) across Europe have had to adopt to using telemedicine consultations in order to minimise the number of social contacts made. GPs had to balance two needs: preventing the spread of COVID-19, while providing their patients with regular care for other health issues. The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of the literature examining the use of telemedicine for delivering routine general practice care since the start of the pandemic from the perspectives of patients and practitioners. The six-stage framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley, with recommendations by Levac et al was used to review the existing literature. The study selection process was conducted according to the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Braun and Clarke’s‘ Thematic Analysis’ approach was used to interpret data. A total of eighteen studies across nine countries were included in the review. Thirteen studies explored the practitioner perspective of the use of telemedicine in general practice since the COVID-19 pandemic, while five studies looked at the patient perspective. The types of studies included were: qualitative studies, literature reviews, a systematic review, observational studies, quantitative studies, Critical incident technique study, and surveys employing both closed and open styled questions. Key themes identified related to the patient/ practitioner experience and knowledge of using telemedicine, patient/ practitioner levels of satisfaction, GP collaboration, nature of workload, and suitability of consultations for telemedicine. The nature of general practice was radically changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Certain patient groups and areas of clinical and administrative work were identified as having performed well, if not better, by using telemedicine. Our findings suggest a level of acceptability and satisfaction of telemedicine by GPs and patients during the pandemic; however, further research is warranted in this area.