2023 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Study abroad and improved physician empathy in medical students
| Project/Area Number |
21K02637
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| Research Institution | Showa University |
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Principal Investigator |
マイヤース マイケル 昭和大学, その他部局等, 獣教授 (90799652)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2021-04-01 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | study abroad / physician empathy / medical students |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
In 2021, we obtained ethical research approval from the Research Ethics Committee, School of Medicine, Showa University, and conducted a pilot study to evaluate the study design, scales and the patient scenarios that we created for the medical interview with standardized patients. In particular, we finalized the creation of a second “patient conversation” scenario used for Part 2 of this study (after returning to Japan from international clinical clerkship) that was approximately equal to the scenario from Part 1, and trained standardized patients on these scenarios. With all materials and study designed confirmed, we then started to conduct the full version of the study (pre- and post-assessment) from 2022. We have collected completed data from 20 participants.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
From this, we started the second year of implementation of the full study, and have already collected data from Part 1 of the study (before students participate in a foreign clinical elective). For Part 1 of the study, we collected data from 13 students participating in a foreign clinical elective and 2 “control” students who stayed in Japan to participate in their clinical elective. We plan to administer Part 2 of the study (after students participate in a foreign clinical elective) in July, 2024. Compared to before COVID-19, the number of students participating in a foreign clinical elective is still low, so we haven’t been able to collect as much data as we have originally anticipated.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
1. Continue data collection and participant recruitment
2. Recruit medical faculty “observers” to watch video recordings of students’ conversation with the Standardized Patients, and evaluate student’s physician empathy.
3. Data analysis.
4. Reporting of results (Manuscript writing and publication; presentation at national and international conferences).
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| Causes of Carryover |
From the 2022 academic year, our medical school has allowed students to participate in foreign clinical electives, which means that I was able to fully conduct the study as originally planned. However, to encourage participation from our medical students, especially those to serve as the control group, it was necessary to include a \2000 gift card for our university’s library. Even so, the number of students participating in a foreign clinical elective is still less than before the COVID pandemic, which means that I couldn't use the full amount of money assigned to this academic year. For this academic year, I anticipate that I will use more money for publication of these results and presentations at conference and that I will be able to use the full amount of money assigned for that year.
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