analysing the advantages of the introduction and diversification of pedagogical approaches in Anatomy Education.Results: Anatomy Education's status quo is characterized by: less available teaching time, increasing demands from radiology and endoscopy imaging and other invasive and non-invasive medical techniques, increasing number of medical students and other logistical restrains exposed by the current Medical Education scenario. The traditional learning approach, mainly based on cadaveric dissection, is drifting to complementary newer technologies -such as 3D models or 2D/3D digital imaging -to examine the anatomy of the human body. Also, knowledge transfer is taking different channels, as learning management systems, social networks and computer-assisted learning and assessment are assuming relevant roles. Discussion: The future holds promising approaches for education models. The development of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and Learning Analytics could provide analytic tools towards a real-time and personalized learning process. Conclusion: A reflection on Anatomy Education, as a comprehensive model, allows us to understand Medical Education's complexity.Therefore, the present Medical Education context favours a blended learning approach, in which multi-modality pedagogical strategies may become the landmark.

Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the rate-limiting enzyme of serotonin synthesis. In this casecontrol study, we investigated whether the TPH gene was a susceptibility factor for suicidal behavior. Seven polymorphisms spanning the entire gene were studied in a case-control study including 231 individuals who had attempted suicide and 281 controls. Significant associations were found between variants in introns 7, 8 and 9 ( 2 = 11.2, df = 1, P Ͻ 0.0008 for the allele distribution; these loci are in complete linkage disequilibrium) and in the 3Ј noncoding region ( 2 = 30.94, P = 0.0014) and suicide attempt. The association was strongest for subjects who had attempted suicide by violent means and who had a history of major depression. No significant association was observed between suicide attempts and polymorphisms in the promoter, intron 1 and intron 3. The results presented here, and those of previous studies, suggest that a genetic variant of the 3Ј part of the TPH gene may be a susceptibility factor for a phenotype combining suicidal behavior, mood disorder and impulsive aggression. Molecular Psychiatry (2001) 6, 268-273.

BackgroundThe aim of this review was to identify studies exploring neuroanatomy teaching tools and their impact in learning, as a basis towards the implementation of a neuroanatomy program in the context of a curricular reform in medical education.MethodsComputer-assisted searches were conducted through March 2017 in the PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Current Contents Connect, KCI and Scielo Citation Index databases. Four sets of keywords were used, combining “neuroanatomy” with “education”, “teaching”, “learning” and “student*”. Studies were reviewed independently by two readers, and data collected were confirmed by a third reader.ResultsOf the 214 studies identified, 29 studies reported data on the impact of using specific neuroanatomy teaching tools. Most of them (83%) were published in the last 8 years and were conducted in the United States of America (65.52%). Regarding the participants, medical students were the most studied sample (37.93%) and the majority of the studies (65.52%) had less than 100 participants. Approximately half of the studies included in this review used digital teaching tools (e.g., 3D computer neuroanatomy models), whereas the remaining used non-digital learning tools (e.g., 3D physical models).ConclusionsOur work highlight the progressive interest in the study of neuroanatomy teaching tools over the last years, as evidenced from the number of publications and highlight the need to consider new tools, coping with technological development in medical education.

Currently, medical education context poses different challenges to anatomy, contributing to the introduction of new pedagogical approaches, such as computer-assisted learning (CAL). This approach provides insight into students' learning profiles and skills that enhance anatomy knowledge acquisition. To understand the influence of anatomy CAL on spatial abilities, a study was conducted. A total of 671 medical students attending Musculoskeletal (MA) and Cardiovascular Anatomy (CA) courses, were allocated to one of three groups (MA Group, CA Group, MA + CA Group). Students' pre-training and post-training spatial abilities were assessed through Mental Rotations Test (MRT), with scores ranging between 0-24. After CAL training sessions, students' spatial abilities performance improved (9.72 ± 4.79 vs. 17.05 ± 4.57, P < 0.001). Although male students in both MA Group and CA Group show better baseline spatial abilities, no sex differences were found after CAL training. The improvement in spatial abilities score between sessions (Delta MRT) was correlated with Musculoskeletal Anatomy training sessions in MA Group (r = 0.333, P < 0.001) and MA + CA Group (r = 0.342, P < 0.001), and with Cardiovascular Anatomy training sessions in CA Group (r = 0.461, P = 0.001) and MA + CA Group (r = 0.324, P = 0.001). Multiple linear regression models were used, considering the Delta MRT as dependent variable. An association of Delta MRT to the amount of CAL training and the baseline spatial abilities was observed. The results suggest that CAL training in anatomy has positive dose-dependent effect on spatial abilities. Anat Sci Educ 00: 000-000. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Background: Scientific excellence is one of the most fundamental underpinnings of medical education and its relevance is unquestionable. To be involved in research activities enhances students' critical thinking and problem-solving capacities, which are mandatory competences for new achievements in patient care and consequently to the improvement of clinical practice. Purposes: This work aimed to study the relevance given by Portuguese medical students to a core of scientific skills, and their judgment about their own ability to execute those skills. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on students attending the first, fourth and sixth years of medical course in the same period. An assessment istrument, exploring the importance given by Portuguese medical students to scientific skills in high school, to clinical practice and to their own ability to execute them, was designed, adapted and applied specifically to this study. Results: Students' perceptions were associated with gender, academic year, previous participation in research activities, positive and negative attitudes toward science, research integration into the curriculum and motivation to undertake research. The viewpoint of medical students about the relevance of scientific skills overall, and the ability to execute them, was independently associated with motivation to be enrolled in research. Conclusions: These findings have meaningful implications in medical education regarding the inclusion of a structural research program in the medical curriculum. Students should be aware that clinical practice would greatly benefit from Downloaded by [University of Otago] at 02:57 04 July 2015 the enrollment in research activities. By developing a solid scientific literacy future physicians will be able to apply new knowledge in patient care.

RESUMOIntrodução: A transição do ensino secundário para o ensino superior é um desafio para o estudante de medicina. Gerir o tempo de estudo e promover as competências de autorregulação da aprendizagem torna-se fundamental para lidar com o exponencial do conhecimento na educação médica. Este estudo pretende avaliar as competências de autorregulação da aprendizagem e o tempo de estudo na transição do secundário para o ensino superior, e explorar o seu efeito no burnout académico no primeiro ano do curso de medicina. Material e Métodos: Foram recolhidos dados de 102 (43%) estudantes do primeiro ano do curso de medicina acerca das competên-cias de autorregulação da aprendizagem, desempenho académico e tempo de estudo/semana no início do ano letivo (relativos ao último ano do secundário) e no final do mesmo (relativos ao primeiro ano do curso) -nesta fase foi também avaliado o burnout. Resultados: A exposição ao burnout ocorreu em 12% dos estudantes. A aprendizagem auto-direcionada no ensino secundário e superior e adoção de estratégias de aprendizagem e de avaliação no ensino superior apresentaram efeito protetor de burnout. Contudo, a aprendizagem auto-direcionada no ensino secundário teve efeito indireto no burnout académico através da aprendizagem autodirecionada no ensino superior. Conclusão: Os estudantes de medicina experienciam problemas de saúde no primeiro ano do curso. Capacitá-los a desenvolver estratégias de aprendizagem e de avaliação e direcionarem autonomamente as suas aprendizagens terá impacto no seu bem-estar. Não é o desempenho académico que influencia o burnout mas o tempo de estudo. Palavras-chave: Aprendizagem; Autocontrolo; Educação Médica Pré-Graduada; Escolaridade; Estudantes de Medicina/psicologia; Motivação; Portugal. ABSTRACT Introduction:The transition from secondary to higher education is a challenging and demanding period for medical students. The ability to manage study time effectively and to be a self-regulated learner is essential to cope with the exponential growth of knowledge in medical education. Thus, the purpose of our study was to measure self-regulated learning skills and self-study across secondaryhigher education transition and to explore its effect on academic burnout in the first year of medical school. Material and Methods:We collected data from 102 (43%) freshman medical students on self-regulated learning, academic achievement, and hours of self-study/week relative to last year of secondary school (at the beginning of academic year) and the first year of medical school (at the end of academic year). Burnout data was collected at the end of academic year.Results: Among the 102 participants, 12% were at risk of burnout. Self-directedness at secondary school and higher education, and strategies for learning and assessment at higher education were protective factors against academic burnout. However, secondary selfdirectedness has an indirect effect on academic burnout mediated by self-directedness in the first year of medical school. In addition, self-study during clas...

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BackgroundSpaced-repetition and test-enhanced learning are two methodologies that boost knowledge retention. ALERT STUDENT is a platform that allows creation and distribution of Learning Objects named flashcards, and provides insight into student judgments-of-learning through a metric called ‘recall accuracy‘. This study aims to understand how the spaced-repetition and test-enhanced learning features provided by the platform affect recall accuracy, and to characterize the effect that students, flashcards and repetitions exert on this measurement.MethodsThree spaced laboratory sessions (s0, s1 and s2), were conducted with n=96 medical students. The intervention employed a study task, and a quiz task that consisted in mentally answering open-ended questions about each flashcard and grading recall accuracy. Students were randomized into study-quiz and quiz groups. On s0 both groups performed the quiz task. On s1 and s2, the study-quiz group performed the study task followed by the quiz task, whereas the quiz group only performed the quiz task. We measured differences in recall accuracy between groups/sessions, its variance components, and the G-coefficients for the flashcard component.ResultsAt s0 there were no differences in recall accuracy between groups. The experiment group achieved a significant increase in recall accuracy that was superior to the quiz group in s1 and s2. In the study-quiz group, increases in recall accuracy were mainly due to the session, followed by flashcard factors and student factors. In the quiz group, increases in recall accuracy were mainly accounted by flashcard factors, followed by student and session factors. The flashcard G-coefficient indicated an agreement on recall accuracy of 91% in the quiz group, and of 47% in the study-quiz group.ConclusionsRecall accuracy is an easily collectible measurement that increases the educational value of Learning Objects and open-ended questions. This metric seems to vary in a way consistent with knowledge retention, but further investigation is necessary to ascertain the nature of such relationship. Recall accuracy has educational implications to students and educators, and may contribute to deliver tailored learning experiences, assess the effectiveness of instruction, and facilitate research comparing blended-learning interventions.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-014-0275-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.