MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH Challenges and Opportunities: NYCOM David P. Yens, Ph.D., NYCOM

HISTORICAL CONTENT OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH * Curriculum –Curriculum (general) –Clinical clerkships –Evaluation of curriculum –Skills acquisition –Problem-based learning –Combined degree programs –Competency-based education *from Dimitroff,A & Davis, W.K. Content Analysis of The Research in Undergraduate Medical Education. Academic Medicine, 71 (1), January 1996, 60-67

HISTORICAL CONTENT OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH * Teaching –Methods (computer-assisted instruction, etc.) –Evaluation of teaching –Teaching (General) –Standards Student assessment –Methods (testing, etc.) –Clinical competence –Admission criteria/standards –Educational measurement (general) *ibid

HISTORICAL CONTENT OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH * Students –Attitudes –Psychology –Career choice –Characteristics General undergraduate medical education Learning Administration and organization Economics Faculty Research in medical education Pre-medical education *ibid

Educational research at NYCOM Frequently related to HRSA grant activities Mostly related to evaluation –Follow-up of students participating in rural clinical clerkships –Analysis of students participating in a first year mentorship program –Geographic distribution of alumni –Analysis of student characteristics –Analysis of the APEP program

CONTEXT AT NYCOM Major changes in MS1 and MS2 curriculum Special programs –DPC –Academic Fellowship –Simulated patient programs Human Machine

OUTREACH National involvement with LBORC –Involvement with paper and electronic SOAP note Potential for evaluating curriculum –Participation in development of a research manual Participation in clinical research National surveys (Dr. Teitelbaum)

Advantages of research at NYCOM (and other COMs) Heterogeneous student body Large enrollment Many training sites Variety of new programs

Difficulties Tracking graduates Low response rate for evaluation questionnaires Perceived sensitivity of data and results Time to conduct analyses and writing Lack of critical mass of educational researchers Need to obtain IRB approval

OPPORTUNITIES Research on/evaluation of curriculum & curriculum change –New MS1 and 2 curriculum –DPC (Doctor-Patient Continuum) program –Simulated patient program/Institute For Clinical Competence –Academic Fellowship Health Policy Fellowship Evaluation of impact of new COMs Impact of COMLEX Level II Clinical Skills Performance Exam Collaborative research –Regional collaboration –Osteopathic Research Center model

Selected Educational Publications/Presentations Baker, H.H.; Foster,R.W.; Bates,B.P.; Cope,M.K.; McWilliams, T; Musser, A.; Yens, D.P. Relationship between Achievement in the First Two Years of Osteopathic Medical School with Performance on the 1999 COMLEX Level 1 Examinations. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, April, 2000, 100(4), Kuchera, M.L., Cavalieri, T., Mogil, C., Yens, D. Regional Collaborative Osteopathic Research and Education Center (CORE Center). Fourth Osteopathic Collaborative Clinical Trials Initiative Conference, Ottawa, Canada, March 23-24, DiNapoli, E., Barnett, J.D., Yens, D.P. Basic Science Years Student Clinical Mentorship Annual Spring Conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, Toronto, May 12-16, 2004 Schrop, S.L.; Yens, D.P. The Educator is “In.” 2004 Annual Spring Conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, Toronto, May 12-16, 2004 Yens, D.P.; DiNapoli, E., Evans, C. Clinical Mentorship With Computer Support. Presented at the AACOM 2005 Annual Meeting, Bethesda, MD, June Yens, D.P. Federal Support for NYCOM Educational Improvements: Two Decades of Success. NYCOMunication, 14(1), Spring 2000, 4-7. Smutny III, C.J.; VanBuskirk, R.; Yens, D.; Qualliotine, J.L. (Eds.) Louisa Burns Osteopathic Research Committee of the American Academy of Osteopathy Research Manual. Available at the AAO web site. Aug., 2001 Dixon, D. Relation Between Variables Of Preadmission, Medical School Performance, And Comlex-usa Levels 1 And 2 Performance. JAOA, 104 (8), August 2004,