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graduates recognized the availability of high quality
mentorship as an important factor for career
success. A limitation of the CSS is that there is
scarce data on populations using this scale;
therefore, the interpretation and cut-off points of
the score are yet not well defined. Mentoring
programs could be an important instrument to
promote academic and hospital careers among
female medical students and physicians.
Professional Development Abstract ID: 208
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS
REDUCTION (MBSR): IDEAL LIFE-LONG
LEARNING FOR TOMORROW’S DOCTORS?
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS
REDUCTION (MBSR): IDEAL LIFE-LONG
LEARNING FOR TOMORROW’S DOCTORS?
Crawford I. P. Winlove, Peninsula Medical School,
University of Exeter, Magdalen Road, Exeter,
Devon, EX1 2LU, UK
PURPOSE
Stress, anxiety and depression are common in
healthcare professionals and medical students.
However, few medical curricula help students to
develop techniques which could help them to cope
with the stressful situations they will encounter
during their careers. Introducing such learning
opportunities through targeted support could hold
the key to creating the genuinely innovative medical
curricula which Tomorrow's Doctors deserve.
Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a
technique in which mindfulness - a process of
focused moment-to-moment attention - is
developed to reduce the emotional stress evoked by
challenging environmental events. The purpose of
this work-in-progress is to systematically review the
literature surrounding the role of MBSR in
improving educational outcomes.
METHODS
Our question is whether there is evidence that
MBSR significantly reduces stress in medical
students. To answer this question we will conduct a
systematic review of the Medical Education
literature. We will also look for evidence of MBSR
enhancing learning in other educational settings.
This will widen the impact of our findings.
RESULTS
There are compelling anecdotal and behavioural
reports of benefits associated with MBSR, but the
physiological and neurobiological bases of these
effects remains unclear. This lack of mechanistic
understanding may explain why few medical
curricula have introduced MBSR: most decisionmakers
strongly believe in evidence-based practice
and empirical research. We are particularly keen to
see computer-based neuroinformatics used to build
the quantitative models that can robustly compare
foci identified across imaging studies.
CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that evidence for positive effects of
MBSR is starting to emerge, yet MBSR has only
rarely been formally introduced into curricula to
improve student experiences. Further targeted
research into MBSR could substantially strengthen
the evidence base for its wider introduction.
Professional Development Abstract ID: 209
eDemo/Award Nominee
THE ePORTFOLIO IN MEDICAL
EDUCATION: A TOOL FOR ASSESSMENT
AND SELF-REFLECTION
Carrie A. Calloway, West Virginia University
School of Medicine, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences
Center, P.O. Box 9007, Morgantown, WV, USA
PURPOSE
The West Virginia University School of Medicine
(WVU SoM) is expanding its web-based evaluation
system to include an electronic portfolio. The
ePortfolio will scaffold students’ personal and
professional development by giving them a space to
reflect on their basic science learning as it relates to
the six core ACGME competencies. It will also allow
students to document learning and achievements,
and assist faculty and administration in identifying
students in need of services and interventions.
METHODS
The eDemo will show how the SoM’s ePortfolio will
collect information from medical students and
faculty, including student reflections, grades and
narratives, high stakes text scores, and peer
professionalism evaluations. It will also include a
demonstration on how the ePortfolio can serve as a
vehicle for fast and effective assessment of student
performance.
RESULTS
A benefit of the ePortfolio is its role in helping
faculty and administration evaluate student
performance and identify students who may benefit
from academic services and interventions. Another
advantage is the self-reflective practice students will
gain because of continuous reflection on individual
strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. The
self-reflective component will also provide students
with a practical skill needed for life as a physician.
The challenges will be maintaining the ePortfolio
Medical Science Educator © IAMSE 2012 Volume 22(4S) 320