OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a debate activity on pharmacy students\' knowledge of public health and health policy topics.
METHODS: Forty-six second-year pharmacy students in a required public health and health policy course debated universal healthcare coverage for Americans using the Lincoln-Douglas oral debate format. Demographic data, including age and gender, were collected. Knowledge (before/after) of universal healthcare principles was assessed via a rubric-embedded quiz related to the activity objectives. The students\' perceptions of the educational value of the debate were assessed before and after the debate using a 12-item Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree through 5 = strongly agree) and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were conducted using SPSS v25 and Atlas.ti version 9, respectively. Wilcoxon t tests were conducted to compare preknowledge and postknowledge scores. An α level of 0.05 was utilized.
RESULTS: Forty-two students completed the perceptions survey, yielding a 96 % response rate. The mean age was 24 ± 4 years and primarily female (63 %). Most students had no previous experience with debates (80.4 %) and there was a statistically significant improvement in knowledge after the debate from 66.5 % ± 13.4 % to 80.7 % ± 12 % , for a total increase of 14.2 %. Open responses indicated that students believed their overall knowledge about other healthcare systems increased and they developed literature review and communications skills.
CONCLUSIONS: The debate activity enhanced the students\' knowledge and assessment of controversial public health issues that will be useful during their pharmacy education and careers. The students perceived that the debates enriched their learning.

Background/Aim: To evaluate the performance of Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), a large language model trained by Open artificial intelligence. Materials and Methods: This study has three main steps to evaluate the effectiveness of ChatGPT in the urologic field. The first step involved 35 questions from our institution\'s experts, who have at least 10 years of experience in their fields. The responses of ChatGPT versions were qualitatively compared with the responses of urology residents to the same questions. The second step assesses the reliability of ChatGPT versions in answering current debate topics. The third step was to assess the reliability of ChatGPT versions in providing medical recommendations and directives to patients\' commonly asked questions during the outpatient and inpatient clinic. Results: In the first step, version 4 provided correct answers to 25 questions out of 35 while version 3.5 provided only 19 (71.4% vs 54%). It was observed that residents in their last year of education in our clinic also provided a mean of 25 correct answers, and 4th year residents provided a mean of 19.3 correct responses. The second step involved evaluating the response of both versions to debate situations in urology, and it was found that both versions provided variable and inappropriate results. In the last step, both versions had a similar success rate in providing recommendations and guidance to patients based on expert ratings. Conclusion: The difference between the two versions of the 35 questions in the first step of the study was thought to be due to the improvement of ChatGPT\'s literature and data synthesis abilities. It may be a logical approach to use ChatGPT versions to inform the nonhealth care providers\' questions with quick and safe answers but should not be used to as a diagnostic tool or make a choice among different treatment modalities.

Journal clubs have been a staple in scientific communities, facilitating discussions on recent publications. However, the overwhelming volume of biomedical information poses a challenge in literature selection. This article provides an overview of journal club types and their efficacy in training potential peer reviewers, enhancing communication skills, and critical thinking. Originating in the 19th century, journal clubs have evolved from traditional in-person meetings to virtual or hybrid formats, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face interactions offer personal connections, while virtual events ensure wider participation and accessibility. Organizing journal clubs demands effort, but it has several benefits, including promoting new publications and providing a platform for meaningful discussions. The virtual CardioRNA J-club experience exemplifies successful multidisciplinary collaboration, fostering international connections and inspiring new research. Journal clubs remain a vital component of academic research, equipping senior researchers with the latest developments and nurturing the next generation of scientists. As millennial and Gen Z researchers join the scientific field, journal clubs continue to evolve as a fertile ground for education and collaborative learning in an ever-changing scientific landscape.

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BACKGROUND: Despite advances in simulator technology, live anaesthetised animals continue to be used as human patient simulators for medical professionals to practice techniques in the management of surgical trauma. This article describes the process of convening a working group of individuals with a professional interest in simulation to discuss the use of live animals and consider if and how they can be replaced in the future.
METHODS: A working group was formed of voluntary attendees to a workshop held at the SESAM 2023 conference. Iterative discussions reflecting on the topic were used to produce statements summarising the working group\'s opinions. The working group determined that live animals are used as human patient simulators due to the presence of accurate and responsive physiology in the presence of bleeding, realistic tissue tactility and an emotional response experienced by the learner due to interaction with the animal. They were unable to reach a consensus on replacement, determining that there is currently no single model which is able to provide all the learning aspects which a live animal model can provide. Several suggestions were made regarding development of technologies and pedagogical change.
CONCLUSIONS: Replacement of live animals in surgical simulation is not straightforward but should be an aspiration, if possible. For the ongoing development of trauma surgical simulation models, it is important to combine the knowledge, skills and perspectives of medical stakeholders and educators, academic researchers and industry experts in producing alternative options to the use of live animal simulators.

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Introduction: Biomedical Science distance learning courses offer flexibility in study while in employment. Asynchronous and self-learning approaches are common within such courses and often student-student interaction is limited. The aims of this study were to establish learning communities, develop confidence in participating in online teamwork and foster an appreciation of transferable skills including digital capabilities through remote group activities. Materials and Methods: Two cohorts of students (n = 20/n = 21) were enrolled in a microbiology module of an IBMS accredited MSc distance learning course. Groups of 4-5 students produced a digital output relating to current global infection-related issues, namely, assignment 1, production of a slide deck, which peers could use as learning resources and assignment 2, a voiceover PowerPoint debate, and infographic, voting assessment and peer/self-marking. Students also prepared reflections using written format and a FlipGrid video-recording. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on reflections from all students. Students completed a pre- and post-assignment survey focused on the development of transferable skills for the biomedical sector. Results: Students\' skills and confidence increased following completion of the group assignment, as evident from the pre- and post-questionnaire responses, namely, possession of digital skills and digital creation abilities (29% v 83%), applying for jobs which require digital skills (54% v 89%), talking about examples of using digital media during job interviews (21% v 78%) and demonstration of creativity during assignment tasks (33% v 90%). Critical thinking was more commonly demonstrated during the debate in comparison to the slide deck activity (p = 0.001). The importance of developing digital skills, was higher following completion of the group activities (p = 0.03). Students reflected on the value of the group activities in relation to knowledge acquisition (85%, 86%), collegiality (70%, 71%), digital skills development (80%, 90%), the fact that the activities were enjoyable (70%, 67%) and the development of peer interaction and support (50%, 67%) in relation to assignment 1 and 2, respectively. Discussion: Increasingly digital technologies are being used in the healthcare sector resulting in updated HCPC Standards of Proficiency. This study highlights that virtual group activities promote the establishment of supportive learning communities and the development of transferable skills including digital capabilities for application within the biomedical science workplace.

In 2009, Egypt adopted the \"Law for the Care of Mental Patients,\" a rights-based legislation intended to bring the country\'s mental health system-otherwise defined by resource gaps and chronic underfunding-closer to global standards of care. Yet, the new act stirred dissension among Egyptian psychiatrists. And, in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 uprising, debates about the 2009 law became intertwined with debates about the present and future of the \'new Egypt.\' Based on field research in Cairo, this article provides an ethnographic analysis of the making of this mental health act and of the ensuing debates as they unfolded in 2011-2012. Showing the diverging perspectives at the core of these debates on psychiatric power, patient rights, and the law\'s fit in society, the article highlights the challenges of psychiatric reform in a country of the Global South. It also argues that in a context of revolutionary upheaval, debates about psychiatric reform become a site for political reflection and provide a language for imagining the future of the nation. The article also highlights the centrality of temporality in debating psychiatric reform in times of political transformation.

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