The Need for Pedagogical Qualifications for Teaching Cardiology to Undergraduate Students

OBJECTIVE: To report a training program in cardiology emphasizing changes in its pedagogical practice. These changes were put into practice by some teachers at the Medical School of Porto Alegre of the University of Rio Grande do Sul (FAMED/UFRGS) aiming to make faculty and student activities more dynamic and to promote more efficacious learning. The training program is directed at 5th semester medical students and aims at a behavioral change in teachers and students to promote more interaction, to favor exchanges, and to make the teaching-learning process easier, always maintaining the patient in the center of the medical activity. METHODS: The program emphasizes the definition of general and specific objectives for each activity to be developed by the students, with training in the area of admission to the cardiology service, with special emphasis on behavioral change in the cognitive, motor, affective, and attitudinal areas. Knowledge was developed by means of interactive seminars with initial and final assessment tests to identify students' and teachers' performance. The students were evaluated in an immediate, continuous, and progressive way in their daily activities and through comparison of the results of 2 tests, one applied at the beginning of the training and the other at its end. These 2 tests contained the same questions. RESULTS: We systematically assessed 560 students over 4 years. The mean grades of the tests performed prior to and after the 244 seminars were 7.38±1.66 and 9.17± 0.82, respectively (p<0.0001). For the tests applied at the beginning and at the end of the training, the mean grades were 5.61±1.61 and 9.37±0.90, respectively (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The program proved to be efficient both for the students' learning and for assessing their performance in a systematic and objective way.

Teaching Basic Life Support to Students of Public and Private High Schools

Background:Despite being recommended as a compulsory part of the school curriculum, the teaching of basic life support (BLS) has yet to be implemented in high schools in most countries.Objectives:To compare prior knowledge and degree of immediate and delayed learning between students of one public and one private high school after these students received BLS training.Methods:Thirty students from each school initially answered a questionnaire on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use of the automated external defibrillator (AED). They then received theoretical-practical BLS training, after which they were given two theory assessments: one immediately after the course and the other six months later.Results:The overall success rates in the prior, immediate, and delayed assessments were significantly different between groups, with better performance shown overall by private school students than by public school students: 42% ± 14% vs. 30.2% ± 12.2%, p = 0.001; 86% ± 7.8% vs. 62.4% ± 19.6%, p < 0.001; and 65% ± 12.4% vs. 45.6% ± 16%, p < 0.001, respectively. The total odds ratio of the questions showed that the private school students performed the best on all three assessments, respectively: 1.66 (CI95% 1.26-2.18), p < 0.001; 3.56 (CI95% 2.57-4.93), p < 0.001; and 2.21 (CI95% 1.69-2.89), p < 0.001.Conclusions:Before training, most students had insufficient knowledge about CPR and AED; after BLS training a significant immediate and delayed improvement in learning was observed in students, especially in private school students.

Analysis of the process of translation of knowledge regarding early childhood at the undergraduate level

Objective To analyze innovative contents on Early Child Development Promotion. Method This action-research involves nine faculties from four Higher Education Institutions at inner-state of São Paulo, Brazil.Data were collected by syllabi analyses (2009-2011), interviews and focus group. We have adopted an ECDP underpinning from international consensus, thus evaluating KT Results We have found relevant incorporation between teaching and extension in Nursing (87,5%) and Psychology (75%) undergraduate courses, while Pedagogy was restricted to teaching. Conclusion This KT evaluation has evinced innovative potential of extension, regardless teaching and research, for a better Early Childhood.


Educational Group Practices in Primary Care: Interaction Between Professionals, Users and Knowledge

OBJECTIVE To investigate the concept understood by Family Healthcare Strategy (ESF) professionals of knowledge, education and subjects participating in learning activities. METHOD Qualitative study carried out with the ESF professionals with university degree, members of the healthcare staff who undertook educational health group activities at Basic Healthcare Units (UBS) in Belo Horizonte. The following triangulation techniques were used: participant observation, photos and field notes; interviews with professionals; and document analysis. RESULTS We identified three interaction patterns that are different from each other. Firstly, the professional questions, listens and provides information to users, trusting in the transmission of knowledge; secondly, the professional questions and listens, trusting that users can learn from each other; thirdly, the professional questions, listens, discusses and produces knowledge with users, both teaching and learning from each other. CONCLUSION There are educational practices that include unique methods capable of creating a militant space for citizenship engagement.

Assessment of the teaching-learning process in students of the health area: cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the skills and knowledge of undergraduate students in the health area on cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers with the use of an automatic external defibrillator.METHODThe evaluation was performed in three different stages of the teaching-learning process. A theoretical and practical course was taught and the theoretical classes included demonstration. The evaluation was performed in three different stages of the teaching-learning process. Two instruments were applied to evaluate the skills (30-items checklist) and knowledge (40-questions written test). The sample comprised 84 students.RESULTSAfter the theoretical and practical course, an increase was observed in the number of correct answers in the 30-items checklist and 40-questions written test.CONCLUSIONAfter the theoretical class (including demonstration), only one of the 30-items checklist for skills achieved an index ≥ 90% of correct answers. On the other hand, an index of correct answers greater than 90% was achieved in 26 (86.7%) of the 30 items after a practical training simulation, evidencing the importance of this training in the defibrillation procedure.

Knowledge of common pediatric cancers among medical students in northeast Brazil

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, early diagnosis of childhood cancer has taken an important place on the international agenda. The authors of this study evaluated a group of medical students in Recife, Brazil, regarding knowledge and practices related to early diagnosis of common childhood cancers. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 82 medical students, from a total of 86 eligible subjects. Data were collected using self-completed questionnaires. Subgroups were defined according to knowledge of the theme and students' perceptions of their own skills and interest in learning. RESULTS: 74.4% of the sample demonstrated a minimum level of knowledge. The group without minimum knowledge or self-perceived competence to identify suspected cases (23.3%) was in the worst position to perform early diagnosis. All subjects expressed interest in learning more about this topic. CONCLUSIONS: Despite acceptable levels of knowledge among these medical students, the definition of central aspects of the teaching and learning processes would be useful for training physicians with the skills for diagnosing and treating pediatric cancers

Learning through role-playing games: an approach for active learning and teaching

This study evaluates the use of role-playing games (RPGs) as a methodological approach for teaching cellular biology, assessing student satisfaction, learning outcomes, and retention of acquired knowledge. First-year undergraduate medical students at two Brazilian public universities attended either an RPG-based class (RPG group) or a lecture (lecture-based group) on topics related to cellular biology. Pre- and post-RPG-based class questionnaires were compared to scores in regular exams and in an unannounced test one year later to assess students' attitudes and learning. From the 230 students that attended the RPG classes, 78.4% responded that the RPG-based classes were an effective tool for learning; 55.4% thought that such classes were better than lectures but did not replace them; and 81% responded that they would use this method. The lecture-based group achieved a higher grade in 1 of 14 regular exam questions. In the medium-term evaluation (one year later), the RPG group scored higher in 2 of 12 questions. RPG classes are thus quantitatively as effective as formal lectures, are well accepted by students, and may serve as educational tools, giving students the chance to learn actively and potentially retain the acquired knowledge more efficiently.