Search Results
Background
Although depression and depressive symptoms have been previously explored in various medical student cohorts, there has been a lack of formal investigation among podiatric medical students specifically. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence and related characteristics of depression and depressive symptoms in podiatric medical students.
Methods
A mixed-methods approach was used. Students at a podiatric medical college were asked to complete the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised survey electronically each year for 4 consecutive years. Focus group sessions were also conducted to further explore topics related to depression and depressive symptoms.
Results
Surveys were completed by 271 of 539 potential respondents (50.3%). A total of 34.7% of respondents screened positive for depression or depressive symptoms, defined as meeting or exceeding the criteria for subthreshold depressive symptoms on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised. The prevalence was found to be lower in clinical students (third- and fourth-year students) and in students in committed relationships. Themes from the focus group sessions included the following: coping with stress, general health concerns, self-evaluation, action and preparation, and the use of campus resources.
Conclusions
Depression and depressive symptoms were commonly encountered in this podiatric medical student cohort. Future investigations may consider specific treatment and prevention strategies.
Internet Resources for Podiatric Medical Students
A Second Update
In this article, we present a selection of Internet resources covering subject areas found in standard medical education curricula. Basic sciences and clinical resource sites are explored. We also review Web sites that offer useful materials that can be downloaded to handheld devices such as palmtop computers, smartphones, and portable media players. We judged the sites based on their potential to enhance the learning process, provide practice questions or study guides for examinations, or aid in the preparation of manuscripts. Medical students, residents, educators, and practitioners of podiatric medicine and surgery who require a quick reference source to either the basic science foundations of podiatric medicine or the clinical side of basic medicine, may find this paper useful. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 97(6): 486–492, 2007)
In many medical schools, microscopes are being replaced as teaching tools by computers with software that emulates the use of a light microscope. This article chronicles the adoption of “virtual microscopes” by a podiatric medical school and presents the results of educational research on the effectiveness of this adoption in a histology course. If the trend toward virtual microscopy in education continues, many 21st-century physicians will not be trained to operate a light microscope. The replacement of old technologies by new is discussed. The fundamental question is whether all podiatric physicians should be trained in the use of a particular tool or only those who are likely to use it in their own practice. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 96(6): 518–524, 2006)
We sought to explore the relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient as it relates to the act of gift-giving as a sign of gratefulness for the services provided. This article presents the clinical case of a man who visited a podiatric medical student because of pain in his feet and subsequently presented the student with several gifts. Philanthropy, empathy, a positive attitude, treatment instructions, and the time devoted to the patient are some of the reasons why patients offer gifts to podiatric medical students. The relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient and the act of gift-giving by patients are of ethical concern.
Despite the wide range of publication opportunities in podiatric medicine, little is known about how podiatric authors select journals in which to publish or their perceptions of journals currently available. To investigate these issues, a survey of publication patterns and perceptions of full- and part-time academic staff members at podiatric medical schools in Australia was undertaken. Most of the papers by Australian podiatric medical faculty members have been published in “local” journals, such as the Australasian Journal of Podiatric Medicine (38%) and the British Journal of Podiatry (17%). However, an increasing number of papers are being published in JAPMA (14%). In addition, a large proportion of papers have been published in a variety of journals that are not specific to podiatric medicine, particularly in the areas of biomechanics and diabetic medicine. The number of publications per faculty member was associated with the highest qualification obtained, academic rank, and the number of years of employment in higher education. The most important factors in selecting the journal in which to publish were the journal’s inclusion in MEDLINE, the perceived prestige of the journal, and the quality of the journal’s peer-review panel and editor. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 91(4): 210-218, 2001)
Background: Falls in older people are a major public health problem, and there is increasing evidence that foot problems and inappropriate footwear increase the risk of falls. Several multidisciplinary prevention clinics have been established to address the problem of falls; however, the role of podiatry in these clinics has not been clearly defined. The aims of this study were to determine the level of podiatric involvement in multidisciplinary falls clinics in Australia and to describe the assessments undertaken and interventions provided by podiatrists in these settings.
Methods: A database of falls clinics was developed through consultation with departments of health in each state and territory. Clinic managers were contacted and surveyed as to whether the clinic incorporated podiatry services. If so, the podiatrists were contacted and asked to complete a brief questionnaire regarding their level of involvement and the assessment procedures and interventions offered.
Results: Of the 36 clinics contacted, 25 completed the survey. Only four of these clinics reported direct podiatric involvement. Despite the limited involvement of podiatry in these clinics, all of the clinic managers stated that they considered podiatry to have an important role to play in falls prevention. Podiatry service provision in falls clinics varied considerably in relation to eligibility criteria, assessments undertaken, and interventions provided.
Conclusions: Despite the recognition that foot problems and inappropriate footwear are risk factors for falls, podiatry currently has a relatively minor and poorly defined role in multidisciplinary falls-prevention clinics in Australia. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 97(5): 377–384, 2007)
Background
The purpose of this study was to evaluate student learning outcomes in a flipped classroom versus a traditional classroom in a podiatric medical school. To date no published reports in podiatric medical schools have used the flipped classroom for the entirety of a medical school course.
Methods
Students from the class of 2017 completed the Emergency Medicine and Trauma course using traditional classroom lectures, and the class of 2018 used a flipped classroom approach. Each class took two assessments that contained 99 identical questions and completed a postcourse evaluation that contained student comments. A multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted to determine whether student performances were significantly affected by the differences in the teaching method. Student evaluation comments were analyzed using textual data analysis to determine the sentiments that students expressed regarding their exposure to the teaching method.
Results
The multivariate analysis of covariance results revealed that students scored slightly lower on assessments during the flipped classroom delivery compared with the traditional classroom delivery, when adjusted for Medical College Admission Test scores and grade point average, but not significantly (P = .4340). Similarly, the sentiment analysis of student comments indicated that the average positive sentiment score for the flipped classroom delivery was higher but was not significant (P = .08914).
Conclusions
The analysis showed there was not a statistically significant change in examination scores based on teaching method. Sentiment analysis revealed that student sentiments were more positive with the flipped classroom group compared with the traditional lecture group, although not statistically significantly.
Hospital and Surgical Privileges for Doctors of Podiatric Medicine
A Position Statement from the American Board of Podiatric Medicine
The Board of Directors of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine approved the following position statement regarding hospital and surgical privileges for doctors of podiatric medicine on February 27, 2019. This statement is based on federal law, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Conditions of Participation and Standards of the Joint Commission, and takes into account the current education, training, and experience of podiatrists to recommend best practices for hospital credentialing and privileging.
The randomized controlled trial is the most robust method available to evaluate health-care treatments. If podiatric medical practice is to be based on rigorous evidence, then high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to inform that practice. In this article, we examine the extent to which randomized controlled trials are used in recent podiatric medical research and appraise the quality of those that are available. Using the Cochrane database of all randomized controlled trials in health care, we found only six relevant trials undertaken in podiatric medicine since 1997. These studies were of variable quality. We also discuss the key features of a rigorous trial design. To date, the clinical practice of podiatric medicine is not adequately informed by the best available evidence. We call for more high-quality randomized controlled trials to be undertaken in podiatric medical research. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(3): 221–228, 2004)
