Access to independent research experiences is a persistent barrier that stifles the recruitment and retention of students from diverse backgrounds in ecology, evolution, and behavioral biology. The benefits of field experiences are not equitably available to historically excluded and minoritized students. In this article, we summarize evidence that indicates course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide a solution to ensure equitable access to independent research experiences in the life sciences. We draw from our own experiences of teaching CUREs in ecology, evolution, and behavioral biology and provide the complete curriculum for our effective and largely materials-free CURE in behavioral ecology (CURE-BxEco). We advocate for greater access to and synthesize the benefits of CUREs to promote inclusivity in education. The proliferation of such innovative pedagogical practices benefits science because these classroom methods are critical in recruiting and retaining historically excluded and minoritized students, who offer diverse perspectives in research.

BACKGROUND: Although neurology department ward rounds are among the most important medical education exercises in Japan, they have several issues. Patients may find it unpleasant to undergo repeated neurological tests, especially when in the presence of several students. Only the front row of students can closely observe the examination findings; moreover, students were prohibited from contacting patients altogether during the COVID-19 pandemic. One possible solution is to use commercial videoconferencing systems. However, Japanese patients are reluctant to have their medical information or video footage of them sent outside of the hospital via the internet.
OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to confirm the feasibility of conducting remote teaching rounds using an in-house web conferencing system in which the patients\' personal data are securely protected. This study also explored whether using remote rounds alongside face-to-face participation would enhance learning.
METHODS: We created an on-premises videoconferencing system using an open-source app. To perform video ward rounds, the professor wore a wireless microphone while leading routine in-person rounds and the attending physician carried a tablet device linked to a web conference, allowing students in another room to watch the rounds on a live stream. In total, 112 of 5th-year students who entered their 1-week neurology rotation between 2021 and 2022 were instructed to participate in 1-hour in-person and remote rounds. Students were given questionnaires to evaluate their satisfaction and the educational effects of the remote rounds.
RESULTS: The remote ward rounds were conducted easily with no interference with the in-person rounds, nor any complaints from the patients. Each examination technique was explained by another teacher to the students who participated in remote rounds in the conference room. Characteristic neurological findings, such as plantar reflexes (Babinski sign), which are usually seen only by close observers during in-person rounds, could be visualized under magnification by all students. The postexperience survey (82/112, 73% response rate) showed that the mean score of participants\' satisfaction was 3.94 (SD 0.83; excellent 5 and poor 1). No participant scoring 1 was noted. The proportion of students who observed 6 representative abnormal neurological findings (Babinski sign, hyperreflexia, cerebellar ataxia, involuntary movement, muscular weakness, and abnormality in sensory examination) increased by 22% (18/82, range 13-24) compared to in-person rounds alone. When self-rating the learning value, 43% (35/82) of the students answered that remote rounds are equally as valuable as in-person rounds, while 32% (26/82) preferred remote rounds.
CONCLUSIONS: Live-streaming of neurology ward rounds using a secure in-house web conferencing system provides additional learning experience without concerns regarding leakage of patient information. This initiative could enhance neurology learning before entering a clinical clerkship.

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is rapidly gaining prominence in various clinical settings. As its use becomes more widespread, there is a growing need for comprehensive ultrasound training in medical education to ensure that future healthcare professionals are proficient in this essential diagnostic tool.
OBJECTIVE: This study is the first attempt by the University of Bonn to seamlessly integrate ultrasound courses and the use of ultrasound devices into the regular activities of final year medical students and to evaluate the usage of these devices.
METHODS: A total of forty students in their practical year were provided with a hendheld ultrasound device for a period of four months. During this time, they were invited to take part in eight optional ultrasound courses in which they acquired images and those images were rated using a specially developed rating system. At the end of the tertial, students were able to take part in a voluntary survey on the use of the equipment.
RESULTS: Participation in the optional ultrasound courses was well received, with the Introduction and FAST module drawing the largest number of participants (29). Among the ultrasound images acquired by students, those of the lungs obtaining the highest rating, with 18.82 (SD ± 4.30) points out of 23 points, while the aorta and vena cava images scored lowest, with an average of 16.62 (SD ± 1.55) points. The overall mean score for all images was 17.47 (SD ± 2.74). Only 21 students responded to the survey. Of the participating students, 67% used the device independently four times or fewer during the tertial.
CONCLUSIONS: The study aimed to enhance the BI-POCUS curriculum by improving students\' ultrasound skills during their practical year. However, device usage was lower than expected, with most students using it only once a month or less. This raises concerns about the justification of the effort and resources. Future initiatives will focus on technical improvements, better login data provision, and closer monitoring of usage and progress, emphasizing the need for practical ultrasound training in medical education.

UNASSIGNED: Surgical undergraduate training takes place in a male-dominated work environment that struggles with recruitment problems. Experiences of cultural and sex/gender-specific barriers of women in surgery have been reported worldwide. Overall, the experiences that students have in coping with the emotional impact of surgery as a profession are thought to be crucial to their subsequent career choices. We investigated whether students\' self-reported experiences differed by sex/gender in terms of frequency and content, and whether they were related to their career aspirations.
UNASSIGNED: In Germany, the final year represents the last part of the undergraduate medical study program. At the Mannheim Medical Faculty, a 12-week surgical training is mandatory. After completing their surgical training, the students were asked about their experiences and their later career aspirations. These experiences were analysed using quantitative content analysis. The relationship between the quality of experience and career aspirations as well as sex/gender differences were statistically measured.
UNASSIGNED: In the 475 questionnaires analysed (response rate 52%), the number of positive and negative mentions does not differ by sex/gender. However, male students feel more actively involved and female students feel poorly briefed and think that supervisors are less interested in their training. A significant influence on career aspirations was found in the performance category for female and male students, and in the supervision category for female students.
UNASSIGNED: The positive experiences that students gain while performing surgical activities have an impact on their subsequent career choices. In particular, a good settling-in period and encouragement to actively participate could help to attract more women to surgery.
UNASSIGNED: Die chirurgische Ausbildung findet in einem männlich dominierten Arbeitsumfeld statt, das mit Rekrutierungsproblemen konfrontiert ist. Weltweit wird über kulturelle und geschlechtsspezifische Barrieren für Frauen in der Chirurgie berichtet. Generell wird davon ausgegangen, dass die Erfahrungen, die Studierende bei der Bewältigung der emotionalen Anforderungen im Fachbereich Chirurgie machen, entscheidend für ihre spätere Berufswahl sind. Wir untersuchten, ob sich die selbstberichteten Erfahrungen der Studierenden in diesem Bereich in Bezug auf Häufigkeit und Inhalt geschlechtsspezifisch unterscheiden und ob ein Zusammenhang mit den späteren Berufswünschen besteht.
UNASSIGNED: In Deutschland stellt das Praktische Jahr den letzten Abschnitt des Medizinstudiums dar. An der Medizinischen Fakultät Mannheim ist ein 12-wöchiger klinisch-praktischer Einsatz im Fachbereich Chirurgie obligatorisch. Die Studierenden wurden am Ende dieses Einsatzes über ihre Erlebnisse und ihre späteren Berufswünsche befragt. Die berichteten Erlebnisse wurden mittels quantitativer Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Der Zusammenhang zwischen der Qualität der Erfahrungen und den Berufswünschen sowie die geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede wurden statistisch geprüft.
UNASSIGNED: 475 Fragebögen wurden ausgewertet (Rücklaufquote 52%). Die Anzahl der positiven und negativen Nennungen unterscheidet sich zwischen den männlichen und weiblichen Studierenden nicht. Studenten berichten jedoch häufiger, aktiv eingebunden worden zu sein und Studentinnen fühlen sich weniger gut eingearbeitet und meinen eher, dass die Betreuungsperson nicht an ihrer Ausbildung interessiert ist. Ein signifikanter Einfluss auf die Berufswünsche wurde in der Kategorie Praktisches Arbeiten für weibliche und männliche und in der Kategorie Supervision nur für weibliche Studierende festgestellt.
UNASSIGNED: Die angenehmen Erfahrungen, die Studierende bei der Ausübung chirurgischer Tätigkeiten im Praktischen Jahr machen, wirken sich positiv auf ihre spätere Berufswahl in der Chirurgie aus. Insbesondere eine gute Einführungsphase und die Ermutigung zur aktiven Teilnahme könnten dazu beitragen, mehr Frauen für die Chirurgie zu gewinnen.

Undergraduate medical education in China has shifted from educator-centered learning to self-directed learning (SDL) over the past few decades. Careful design of public engagement activities can enable SDL and empower medical students to pioneer public health and patient safety education. In this study, we aimed to innovate nervous system education by implementing a public engagement model that empowers students to learn about the nervous system by teaching the public. Our goal was to generate greater interest in the nervous system at the undergraduate stage, inspire students\' enthusiasm to pursue a career in neurology, and ultimately, contribute to health promotion. During the nervous system module of the second year of the undergraduate curriculum, students were given the option to participate in the public engagement model. Participants were tasked with the creation of educational videos focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with the prevention and management of neurological diseases and their complications. The videos were made accessible to the general public through the university\'s official channel at the end of the semester. A total of 117 students (67.24% of all students) chose to participate in the public engagement model. Female students and those with higher Grade Point Averages in the present semester were more likely to participate. The model received strong positive feedback from participants, as students found the public engagement task helpful in learning about the nervous system module as well as in enhancing their public engagement skills. Despite the time and effort consumption, participating in the public engagement task did not affect students\' exam scores. The public engagement task is an innovative model in the nervous system curriculum and has the potential to be integrated into a broader range of undergraduate courses. It empowers medical students to pioneer public health and patient safety education.

The Enhancing Undergraduate Education and Research in Aging to Eliminate Health Disparities (ENGAGED) program takes advantage of the broad, multidisciplinary research established in the area of aging at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and its partner institutions, Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University. The ENGAGED program is designed to provide undergraduate students who are underrepresented in the biomedical sciences an opportunity to participate in educational and research training in aging and health disparities. Funded since August 2019, ENGAGED has provided 73 academic year internships and 46 summer internships, with another 8 internships starting in Fall 2023. A total of 61 students (67% female, 64% African American, 21% Hispanic) have participated in the ENGAGED program, reflecting the fact that 49% participate in more than one session or program offering. To date, 38 of the ENGAGED trainees have graduated (100% with a science, technology, engineering, or math degree), 84% of whom are working or pursuing advanced degrees in the biomedical sciences. Given the unique strengths, existing infrastructure, and long-standing collaborations among the partner institutions, the ENGAGED program is helping advance diversity in aging and health disparities research by creating a pipeline for well-trained underrepresented students interested in biomedical research careers.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) education is crucial in the undergraduate radiological technology curriculum. Traditional approaches, such as lectures and observation, are insufficient for enhancing student understanding. Educational tools dedicated to MRI learning are needed to improve students\' knowledge and comprehension.
OBJECTIVE: To develop an application for MRI learning via smartphones, and to assess students\' satisfaction with the application and its effectiveness as a self-learning tool for radiological technology students.
METHODS: The MRI learning application was developed using the Thunkable platform, covering MRI theory, equipment, pulse sequences, parameters, MRI safety, and artifacts. Seventy-three undergraduate radiological technology students were recruited and divided into app-users (n = 37) and non-users (n = 36). Pre- and post-tests, comprising 20 multiple-choice questions, were created and utilized to assess the effectiveness of the application. Pre- and post-test scores were then analyzed and compared between the two groups using a student\'s t-test. Finally, user satisfaction with the MRI learning application was assessed using a questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale.
RESULTS: The mean pre-test and post-test scores for the app-users group were 12.65 ± 3.24 and 13.95 ± 3.41, respectively, while those for the non-users group were 12.94 ± 2.99 and 13.94 ± 2.74, respectively. The mean post-test score was significantly increased after using the MRI learning application (P = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the mean scores of the pre- and post-tests between the two groups. All participants expressed a high level of satisfaction with the application (4.32 ± 0.11 points).
CONCLUSIONS: The developed smartphone application for MRI learning has the potential to enhance students\' knowledge. The survey results indicated a high level of satisfaction among users. Thus, the MRI learning application could serve as an alternative tool for radiological technology students seeking to deepen their understanding of MRI-related subjects.

Undergraduate introductory human anatomy and human physiology courses are either taught as discipline-specific or integrated anatomy and physiology (A&P) sequences. An institution underwent a curricular revision to change the course approach from discipline-specific Human Anatomy and Human Physiology to an integrated A&P I and II sequence, allowing the unique opportunity to explore the potential role of contextual learning in academic achievement and content retention. Mediation and moderation analysis was used to evaluate lecture examinations, laboratory practical examinations, and anatomical content retention between the different course approaches. Undergraduate students in the integrated A&P I course approach performed significantly better on lecture assessments and had a higher anatomy content retention rate at the end of the year than students enrolled in the standalone Human Anatomy course. The lecture examination averages between Human Physiology and A&P II (the second course in the sequence), as well as the anatomy laboratory practical examinations, were not significantly different between discipline-specific and integrated course approaches. The results suggest contextual learning-providing physiological context to anatomical structures-increases the anatomical content retention and academic achievement overall.

UNASSIGNED: Multiple-choice examinations are frequently used in German dental schools. However, details regarding the used item types and applied scoring methods are lacking.
UNASSIGNED: This study aims to gain insight into the current use of multiple-choice items (ie, questions) in summative examinations in German undergraduate dental training programs.
UNASSIGNED: A paper-based 10-item questionnaire regarding the used assessment methods, multiple-choice item types, and applied scoring methods was designed. The pilot-tested questionnaire was mailed to the deans of studies and to the heads of the Department of Operative/Restorative Dentistry at all 30 dental schools in Germany in February 2023. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test (P<.05).
UNASSIGNED: The response rate amounted to 90% (27/30 dental schools). All respondent dental schools used multiple-choice examinations for summative assessments. Examinations were delivered electronically by 70% (19/27) of the dental schools. Almost all dental schools used single-choice Type A items (24/27, 89%), which accounted for the largest number of items in approximately half of the dental schools (13/27, 48%). Further item types (eg, conventional multiple-select items, Multiple-True-False, and Pick-N) were only used by fewer dental schools (≤67%, up to 18 out of 27 dental schools). For the multiple-select item types, the applied scoring methods varied considerably (ie, awarding [intermediate] partial credit and requirements for partial credit). Dental schools with the possibility of electronic examinations used multiple-select items slightly more often (14/19, 74% vs 4/8, 50%). However, this difference was statistically not significant (P=.38). Dental schools used items either individually or as key feature problems consisting of a clinical case scenario followed by a number of items focusing on critical treatment steps (15/27, 56%). Not a single school used alternative testing methods (eg, answer-until-correct). A formal item review process was established at about half of the dental schools (15/27, 56%).
UNASSIGNED: Summative assessment methods among German dental schools vary widely. Especially, a large variability regarding the use and scoring of multiple-select multiple-choice items was found.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how undergraduate nursing students are assessed on nursing numeracy and medication calculations from the perspective of Australian nurse education leaders.
METHODS: A qualitative study.
METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 nurse education leaders between November 2022 and January 2023. Braun and Clarke\'s six phases of thematic analysis were used to analyse the data.
RESULTS: Five key themes were identified: (i) high expectations to keep the public safe, (ii) diverse assessment formats, (iii) different ways of managing assessment integrity, (iv) assessment conditions incongruent to the clinical setting and (v) supporting struggling students.
CONCLUSIONS: Nurse education leaders set high standards requiring students to achieve 100% in numeracy and medication calculation assessments, thus maintaining the reputation of nursing and patient safety. However, students struggled to meet this expectation. Diverse assessment formats were implemented, with some examination conditions contrary to clinical practice. Currently, there is no benchmark or independent point of registration examination in Australia, hence the problem is each university had a different standard to judge students\' competence. Gaining insight into how these assessments are conducted provides an opportunity to work towards an evidence-based model or benchmark for the assessment of numeracy.
UNASSIGNED: Dosage errors in clinical practice threaten patient safety and the reputation of the nursing profession. The accuracy rate of calculations by undergraduate and registered nurses is deficient worldwide. This research highlights a major educational issue, that being the wide variation in how numeracy assessments are conducted with no clear pedagogical rationale for a standardised method. Such assessments would establish a national standard, contributing to quality assurance, the development of the nursing profession and improve patient safety.