Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: Health research is a key component for improving health systems and developing skills applicable to the clinical setting. However, limited research has been conducted on the attitudes of undergraduate university students (UUS) in the health area of Mexico. Objective: To analyze attitudes towards research in UUS of medicine, psychology, nutrition and nursing in Mexico. Method: We recruited UUS through convenience sampling, in person and through social networks. We applied a virtual form that included: sex, age, undergraduate degree, semester, type of university (public/private), interest in doing a thesis (yes/no), employment status and a validated questionnaire (28 items) to assess attitudes towards research. The tool is divided into two dimensions (positive and negative) and 4 categories: “research skills”, “positive valuation”, “obstacles to research” and “negative valuation” and is answered with a 4-option Likert-type scale (0 = strongly disagree; 1 = disagree; 2 = agree; 3 = strongly agree; negative items were reverse scored). We calculated the score for each category and the total. We established tertiles as cut-off points to identify attitudes towards research: “bad”, “fair” and “good”. Results: We included 281 UUS (71.5% women). We compared attitudes according to several variables with the chi2 test (p <0.05 statistically significant). The predominant attitude towards research was “bad” (35.9%), followed by “fair” (32.7%) and “good” (31.3%). Significantly, medical students, first-year students and those interested in doing a thesis were the groups with the highest proportion of positive attitudes. Conclusions: These results can be used to plan educational interventions aimed at improving the perception and participation of students in research activities, which, in turn, could contribute to their academic and professional development.

Introduction: The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a standardized assessment of performance focused on clinical competency. Since 2012, the Faculty of Medicine at UNAM has implemented diagnostic-formative assessments known as Advanced Academic Assessments (AAA). During the practical phase of the AAA, the OSCE has been used, undergoing adaptations and modifications over the years, ultimately evolving into the integrative OSCE. Objective: Describe the methodological process of a practice-based formative assessment using an integrative OSCE to fourth year medical students. Methods: The methodological process was structured into three stages: 1) Design and planning, 2) Implementation, and 3) Analysis of results. To develop the assessment method, we used a table of specifications. A blueprint of clinical cases was designed, integrated by four competencies, and each circuit consisted of four stations, each lasting 12 minutes. An analytical rubric was developed with four performance levels: excellent, sufficient, insufficient, and deficient. A total of 2,000 students were assessed across six different locations over the course of three days, with the participation of 124 assessors and 124 standardized patients. At the end of each assessment shift, feedback was provided to groups of up to 35 students. Results: We calculated a discrimination index of <0.0001 between high and low scores across the 91 items, along with a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.95. To assess internal consistency, we conducted a principal component analysis, which identified four factors explaining 68.96% of the variance after 17 iterations. Conclusions: The methodology described, along with the technological resources and statistical analyses performed, enabled the development of assessment instruments and tools that provide students with key information to adjust their learning activities effectively.

Introduction: Transversal or generic competencies are defined as those skills that can be generalized and enhanced throughout professional development. In recent years, competency-based training has become very relevant; however, few research projects have proposed reliable and valid methods for its evaluation. Objective: Determine the construct validity of an instrument to identify the transversal competencies of teachers of Medical Specialization Courses. Method: In an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study, 266 full professors, adjuncts, assistants, and clinical practice instructors from the first, second, and third levels of care medical units participated. An instrument was developed that included in its initial version 60 statements on a Likert-type response scale, distributed in three dimensions of transversal competencies: instrumental, interpersonal, and systemic. The study considered two phases: a) content validity by experts (individual aggregate method), who analyzed coherence, clarity, and appropriate language, and b) construct validity through factor analysis. Results: Content validity was carried out through the analysis of inter observer agreement Fleiss’s Kappa = 0.85. The Construct validity was carried out through constructive factor analysis, oblique rotation (Promax). Six factors (competencies) were obtained: instrumental, interpersonal, systemic, research skills, communication and multiculturalism, and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) applied to education. The final version of the instrument included 43 statements; Cronbach’s Alpha reliability was 0.98. Conclusions: It was possible to build a valid and reliable instrument that measures transversal competencies in teachers of medical specialization courses.

Introduction: Evaluation in clinical settings has been a persistent challenge in medical education, intensified during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In the Gynecology and Obstetrics (GyO) course, the lack of standardized criteria across hospital sites led to disparities in student grades, highlighting the need for uniform evaluation strategies. The abrupt transition to remote education transformed teaching and assessment dynamics, revealing both limitations and opportunities for innovation in medical education. Objective: To explore faculty perception with the evaluation process in the GyO course during clinical rotations. Method: A qualitative approach was adopted, using focus groups with GyO faculty. The interviews were analyzed through grounded theory, structuring the findings in a category tree. Results: Three main themes emerged: (1) Adaptation to online education: remote teaching complicated interaction and limited clinical practice, although it enabled the exploration of technological tools. (2) Challenges in evaluating clinical practice: summative evaluation predominated, highlighting the need for greater clarity and balance with formative assessment. (3) Importance of faculty training: faculty emphasized the value of continuous professional development, particularly in the use of technology to enhance teaching and evaluation. Discussion: The findings revealed the inherent difficulties of remote education, particularly in assessing practical competencies. Faculty training and the adoption of technological tools were deemed essential to optimizing educational quality. Conclusions: Evaluation in the GyO course poses significant challenges, especially after the pandemic. A standardized approach and increased investment in faculty development are crucial to improving equity and educational effectiveness.

Introduction: The training of new nutrition and dietetics professionals requires methodologies for performance-based training. Clinical simulation and the use of simulated patients becomes important in areas of training where communication and person-to-person interaction is necessary. Objective: To know the perception of nutrition and dietetics students on the impact of simulation in their professional training in three practical and integrated subjects in a private university in Santiago, Chile. Method: Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, non-probabilistic sample of 83 students of three subjects of the program. A Likert-type instrument was used, with a score 1 to 5 to evaluate the items grouped in the variables: specific competences, generic competences and contribution of the simulation to professional training. The reliability of the instruments was high (>0.90). Ethical aspects were safeguarded. Results: In relation to the specific competencies, the items with the highest scores were the students’ ability to explain what the 24-hour reminder survey consists of and its objective (4.52 ± 0.89), the ability to analyze reference patterns in the hospitalized patient (4.26 ± 0.93), the ability to perform food anamnesis, analyze the patient’s clinic and intervene in the user’s diet-therapeutics (4.29 ± 1.06). In relation to generic competencies, the highest score was in “acting with ethical sense in the development of the simulated scenario” (mean 4.53 ± 0.30). In relation to the contribution of the simulation to professional training, the highest score was in the item “linking the simulation to the program” (4.58 ± 0.13). Conclusions: The experience is well perceived by the students. There are some high ratings that coincide with the theoretical benefits of the simulation methodology with simulated patients. Some situations were presented with lower valuation, for example, the quantitative estimation of food intake, for which teaching actions should be carried out to overcome this gap.

Introduction: Recognizing that neurological pathologies are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and that neurophobia is a global problem, learning neurological semiology is a critical period in medical education. One of its challenges is to apply theoretical knowledge in practice. This study explores how the use of “I-Human Patients by Kaplan” (IHPK) influences the theoretical-practical integration in neurological semiology of medical students. Objective: Explore how the implementation of virtual clinical cases influences or not the theoretical-practical integration among neurological semiology students, using a patient simulation software Method: We designed a constructivist grounded theory study. 14 semi-structured interviews with students who had used the technological tool in the context of neurological semiology were made, using homogeneous purposive sampling. We conducted an iterative process of data collection and analysis, achieving theoretical sufficiency through theoretical sampling. Results were constructed by constant comparison of data and concepts from sociomaterial theory. Results: IHPK influences theoretical-practical integration in neurological semiology in several ways: facilitating the development of skills for patient assessment, promoting clinical reasoning, teamwork, and providing confidence in approaching a patient with neurological pathologies. However, the limitations that the use of a technological tool may present are also described. Conclusions: The study highlights the value of IHPK for integrating theory and practice in the teaching of neurology, developing clinical skills, providing feedback and encouraging collaborative learning. This tool eases students’ transition into clinical practice, increases their confidence, and can mitigate neurophobia. To maximize its benefits, appropriate training is essential.

Introduction: Suicidal ideation is a topic of great relevance in the health field, due to the serious affectations it entails, especially in young adults. Early identification of this phenomenon is crucial to implement preventive measures that can avoid serious outcomes. Objective: To analyze the risk of suicidal ideation in undergraduate health and psychology students of a private university of higher education during the year 2023. Methods: A cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out with stratified and equi-probabilistic sampling by academic program, using a sociodemographic questionnaire, PANSI scale and family apgar. A descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis was carried out to calculate odds ratio (OR) in logistic regression. Results: 693 students participated. A 2.31% (16 students) were identified with high risk of suicidal ideation, while 38.82% (269 students) presented medium risk. Among the relevant factors, severe family dysfunction was found to have an OR of 7.73 (95% CI: 4.09; 14.61, p-value < 0.001). In addition, students with a history of self-harm showed an OR of 6.63 (95% CI: 3.80; 11.53, p-value < 0.001), and those who reported receiving specialized treatment by psychiatry presented an OR of 2.87 (95% CI: 1.68; 4.9, p-value < 0.001). Conclusions: 41.13% of the students presented a high and medium risk of suicidal ideation. Family dysfunction, history of self-harm and the presence of psychiatric pathology were statistically significantly related to the risk of suicidal ideation.

Introduction: We sought to identify educational interactions during the training process of surgical residents and to describe the perception that residents themselves have in this regard, developing fundamental concepts such as teaching roles, pedagogical mediation and the teaching-learning process of surgical specialties. Materials and methods: Qualitative research, focused on symbolic interactionism, using grounded theory as a method of data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 final-year residents of Orthopedics and Traumatology. The information was subjected to open, axial and selective coding, then a categorization of the data was carried out, thus constructing an information network. Results: A central category called “Educational interactions in the postgraduate course in Orthopedics and Traumatology” is described, as well as three emerging categories: “Presurgical Moment”, “Intrasurgical Moment” and “Postsurgical Moment”, and two transversal categories called “outpatient consultation” and “the staff”, which describe the teaching-learning process around the surgical act. Discussion: Multiple emerging concepts from our research are illustrated, such as the operating room as a learning environment, the paradigmatic transformation within surgical training programs, the process of didactic transposition that occurs in surgery, the pedagogical mediation of the acts of the surgical team and collaborative learning in which the resident actively participates.

Introduction: Teacher evaluation in medicine is an important component to develop quality medical education, as it proposes to identify areas for improvement and facilitate the development of pedagogical skills of teachers. Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the literature on teaching evaluation in medicine from 2010 to 2023. Method: The search was carried out using EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo and OVID. It identified 2751 papers. After the analysis, 23 articles were selected. Articles and theses published nationally and internationally were included. Results: The highest scientific production was recorded in Mexico, with 10 publications (43.5%), the period of highest production was between 2016 and 2018 (52.17%). It was found that teaching evaluation questionnaires based on student opinion are the most used instruments (82.6% of the studies). Most of the studies evaluated teaching activities related to the conduct of the teaching and learning process, with pedagogical strategies and the use of didactic resources being the most considered. Discussion: The research revealed various approaches that address the evaluation of the actions of the medical teacher. Where the predominant evaluation strategy is student opinion questionnaires, which limits having a comprehensive perspective of the teaching work. At the same time, it is observed that there are instruments that evaluate specific competencies, which favors the professional development of medical teachers. Conclusions: The reviewed studies explore various domains of teaching performance and seek effective tools to promote educational quality in the discipline, contributing to the continuous advancement in medical education.