"Approximately one-third of pediatric clerkship directors currently use SNS, with use less likely with increasing age. Fewer have SNS relationships with students than with residents. Perceptions of appropriateness of faculty SNS behaviors and students' postings varied. These perceptions by medical education leaders can stimulate discussion to inform consensus guidelines on professional SNS use."
"This study's findings indicate that rural physicians are routinely confronted with professional boundary issues in everyday situations, and these circumstances do not always reflect those of their urban colleagues. Given the increase in longitudinal immersion clinical clerkship programs to nurture student interest in future rural practice, acknowledgment and acceptance of the nuances of dual relationships and boundary setting in different clinical learning contexts are vital to help students identify their personal needs for privacy and be better prepared to negotiate the realities of rural practice. These findings may inform future medical education initiatives on professional boundary setting as an aspect of professionalism."
"The Institute for Innovative Technology In Medical Education (iInTIME) meets its mission by collaborating to develop and then distribute virtual patient cases and other on-line educational modules that are consistent with iInTIME's educational philosophy. These virtual patient cases harness the power of medical knowledge and are designed to supplement traditional clerkship teaching and patient care activities for third-year medical students, but also are appropriate for many other learners."
"A patient-centered communication curriculum can improve student knowledge and skills. While some intervention students perceived that they made too many calls, our data suggest that more calls, an increased sense of patient ownership, and role modeling by clerkship faculty may ensure incorporation and application of skills."
"Longitudinal, integrated clinical placement models can be understood as SLSs comprising synergistic and complementary learning spaces, in which students engage and participate in multiple CoPs. This occurs in a context shaped by unique influences of the geography of place. This engagement provides for a range of student learning experiences, which contribute to clinical learning and the development of a more sophisticated professional identity. A range of pedagogical and practical strategies can be embedded within this SLS to enhance student learning."
"The richness of the informal curriculum in a longitudinal rural placement powerfully influenced students' intentions to practise rurally. It provided an important context for learning and evolving notions of professionalism and rural professional identity. This richness could be reinforced by developing formal curricula using educational activities based around service-led and interprofessional learning. To overcome the contextual barriers, the rural workforce development model needs to focus on socialising medical students into rural and remote medicine. More generic issues include student selection, further expansion of structured vocational training pathways that vertically integrate with longitudinal rural placements and the maintenance of rurally focused support throughout postgraduate training."
"This study indicates that, even though third-year students may have adequate general interviewing skills, they may need additional training and practice in obtaining contextual information about patients in all clinical settings. These findings also suggest that the gender of the patient, as well as gender concordance between patient and student, play a role in student-patient interactions."
"Our study suggests there is no significant difference in themes addressed or levels of reflection achieved when students complete a similar assignment via online blogging or traditional essay writing. Given this, faculty staff should feel comfortable in utilising the blog format for reflective exercises. Faculty members could consider the option of using either format to address different learning styles of students."
" LICs are environments rich in opportunity for self-regulated learning. Tablets can enhance students' ability to develop and employ self-regulatory skills in a clinical context."