Medical education
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Task- versus ego-oriented feedback delivered as numbers or comments during intubation training.
Learners can focus on mastery (i.e. task orientation) or on learning relative to others (i.e. ego orientation). Previous research suggests task orientations are optimal for learning, a benefit usually linked to the suggestion that qualitative comments are better for learning than quantitative comparisons (i.e. grades). Yet, it is not clear if the observed effects are attributable to the feedback orientation (i.e. task versus ego), feedback format (i.e. comments versus numerical scores), or an interaction between the two. Here, we aimed to clarify the effects of feedback orientation and feedback format during simulation-based training in endotracheal intubation. ⋯ Medical students responded to feedback in ways that challenge previous education research. Specifically, students preferred and improved more in the short term (but not at retention) when receiving Ego-oriented feedback in Numerical form. Although learning retention did not differ significantly across feedback conditions, students' perceptions of themselves and of the teacher and training environment did differ and the implications for trainees' future learning must be considered.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The objective structured clinical examination: can physician-examiners participate from a distance?
Currently, a 'pedagogical gap' exists in distributed medical education in that distance educators teach medical students but typically do not have the opportunity to assess them in large-scale examinations such as the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). We developed a remote examiner OSCE (reOSCE) that was integrated into a traditional OSCE to establish whether remote examination technology may be used to bridge this gap. The purpose of this study was to explore whether remote physician-examiners can replace on-site physician-examiners in an OSCE, and to determine the feasibility of this new examination method. ⋯ This preliminary study demonstrated that OSCE ratings by LEs and REs were reasonably comparable when using checklists. Remote examination may be a feasible and acceptable way of assessing students' clinical skills, but further validity evidence will be required before it can be recommended for use in high-stakes examinations.