El cambio climático en las Facultades de Medicina

According to recent studies, the majority of the Spanish population believes that climate change (CC) is real and identifies it as something negative. CC is not only one of the transcendental environmental challenges that humanity faces on a global scale, but also influences many sectors, reaching its maximum exponent in the area of health.Según recientes trabajos, la mayoría de la población española cree que el cambio climático (CC) es real y lo identifican como algo negativo. El CC no es sólo uno de los retos ambientales trascendentales a los que se enfrenta la humanidad a escala global, sino que influye sobre muchos sectores, alcanzando su máximo exponente en el área de la salud

Cibercondría en la educación médica

La cibercondría es un término utilizado para describir la preocupación excesiva y la ansiedad que una persona experimenta debido a la información médica que encuentra en línea. Este término se refiere a la tendencia de algunas personas a buscar información sobre sus síntomas o preocupaciones de salud en internet y luego interpretar erróneamente esa información para llegar a la conclusión de que padecen una enfermedad grave o peligrosa, incluso cuando eso no es necesariamente cierto. Los cibercondríacos pueden pasar horas navegando por sitios web médicos, foros de discusión y otros recursos en línea, en busca de información sobre síntomas o enfermedades que creen tener. Esta búsqueda constante de información puede generar un aumento en la ansiedad y el miedo sobre la propia salud, lo que a su vez puede llevar a conductas evitativas, como evitar salir de casa o buscar constantemente atención médica. Es importante tener en cuenta que, si bien la información médica en línea puede ser útil, también puede ser incorrecta, incompleta o estar basada en suposiciones y especulaciones. Además, el exceso de información médica (infodemia) puede generar ansiedad y estrés innecesarios y puede dificultar la toma de decisiones informadas sobre la salud

Depression, anxiety, burnout and empathy among Spanish medical students

© 2021 Capdevila-Gaudens et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in PLOS. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0260359Medical Education studies suggest that medical students experience mental distress in a proportion higher than in the rest of the population In the present study, we aimed to conduct a nationwide analysis of the prevalence of mental health problems among medical students. The study was carried out in 2020 in all 43 medical schools in Spain, and analyzes the prevalence of depression, anxiety, empathy and burnout among medical students (n = 5216). To measure these variables we used the Beck Depression Inventory Test for assessing depression, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey for Students was used for burnout, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to assess anxiety state and trait and the Jefferson Empathy Scale 12 to obtain empathy scores. In relation to depression, the data indicate an overall prevalence of 41%, with 23.4% of participants having moderate to severe levels, and 10% experiencing suicidal ideation. Burnout prevalence was 37%, significantly higher among 6th year than among 1st year students. Anxiety levels were consistent with those reported previously among medical students (25%), and were higher than in the general population for both trait and state anxiety. The prevalence of trait anxiety was higher among women. Empathy scores were at the top end of the scale, with the highest-scoring group (>130) containing a greater percentage of women. Similarly to those published previously for other countries, these results provide a clear picture of the mental disorders affecting Spanish medical students. Medicine is an extremely demanding degree and it is important that universities and medical schools view this study as an opportunity to ensure conditions that help minimize mental health problems among their students. Some of the factors underlying these problems can be prevented by, among other things, creating an environment in which mental health is openly discussed and guidance is provided. Other factors need to be treated medically, and medical schools and universities should therefore provide support to students in need through the medical services available within their institutions

Academic climate and psychopathological symptomatology in Spanish medical students

© The Authors 2023. This document is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in BMC Medical Education. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04811-2Medical Education studies suggest that medical students experience depression, anxiety and psychopathological symptomatology in a proportion higher than in the rest of the population. In the present study, we aimed to conduct a nationwide analysis to describe student’s perceptions of Educational Climate in Spanish medical schools, and its relationship with psychopathological symptomatology.MethodsThe study was carried out in 2022 in all 44 medical schools in Spain, and analyses the academic climate, and psychopathological symptomatology among medical students (n = 4374). To measure these variables, we used the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) for academic climate, and the SA-45 (Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire was used to assess psychopathological symptomatology.ResultsThe mean DREEM global score was low, 95.8 (SD 22.6). Worse perception of the academic climate has been found in females (t -2.21, p 0.027), in students of the clinical academic years (t 16.9, p < 0.001), and public medical schools ( t 15.6, p < 0.001).The SA45 general index score was high (p90) in 25.6% of participants. In respect of gender, female students presented higher levels of SA45 general index score, depression, interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, anxiety, obsession-compulsion, and phobic anxiety symptoms.Higher DREEM global and subscale scores corresponded to a higher SA-45 global index score and higher SA-45 subscale scores.ConclusionsOur study suggests a correlation between a poor perception of academic climate, increased depression, anxiety, and other psychopathological symptoms, with a pattern that varies between different faculties. The perception of academic climate varied between medical schools, as did the psychopathological symptoms scores. Our finding suggests the prevalence of these variables in medical students is, at least in part, attributable to factors directly related to the learning atmosphere

Altered calcium signaling in platelets from nitric oxide-deficient hypertensive rats

BACKGROUND: In the present study we have analyzed the mechanisms of calcium entry and mobilization in platelets obtained from rats chronically treated with the nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, N-nitro L-arginine methyl ester [L-NAME, 40 mg/kg/day, 5 days). The platelets were obtained the day of the experiment, washed and loaded with fura-2. The intracellular calcium levels were determined in suspension of cells by means of fluorescence spectroscopy. RESULTS: Basal calcium levels were always elevated in the platelets of the L-NAME-treated rats, both in the presence and in the absence of extracellular calcium. The administration of thrombin in the absence and in the presence of extracellular calcium induced important elevations in calcium levels that were always of greater magnitude in the platelets of the L-NAME-treated rats than in those of the controls. The addition of calcium to thapsigargin-treated platelets produced a massive elevation in calcium levels in both groups that was significantly greater in the platelets obtained from the hypertensive rats than in those of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the arterial hypertension induced by the reduction of nitric oxide alters the regulation of platelet calcium levels so that elevated baseline levels and calcium entry and mobilization are enhanced. This could be the result of direct or indirect effects of the lack of nitric oxide synthesis in platelets or in other tissues

What do Turkish, Spanish, and Pakistani medical students value in specialty training positions? A discrete choice experiment

© The Authors 2022. This document is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in BMC Medical Education. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03798-6The aim of this study was to find out specialty training preferences of senior medical students from three medical schools in Turkey, Spain, and Pakistan.Methods:A Discrete Choice Experiment was carried out using an electronic form for students in three countries in 2021–2022 term. Each choice set in the form consisted of two hypothetical specialty training positions. The attributes were location, earnings, working conditions, personal perspective, quality of education, probability of malpractice, and prestige. Conditional logit model was used to estimate participants’ preferences and “willingness to accept” values.Results:The most valued attribute was “personal perspective on specialty area” for Turkish and Spanish students, while this attribute was not meaningful for Pakistani students. Turkish students needed a 204% of change in their income for a swap between the specialty that they like and not like. This tradeoff necessitated a 300% change for Spanish students. The most valued attribute for Pakistani students, which was “working conditions”, necessitated a 97% increase in income to switch from working in good conditions to working in poor conditions.Conclusion:In this first multinational DCE study in the medical education literature, we found the preferences of medical students in Turkey, Spain, and Pakistan are affected to various extents by several factors

Tres semanas de docencia virtual en la Universidad de Murcia (II): Fisioterapia, Odontología, Cirugía y Fisiología.

Presentamos un resumen de las actividades que algunos de los profesores de la Facultad de Medicina de Murcia han llevado a cabo durante las 3 semanas previas a las vacaciones de primavera. En éstas, la docencia presencial tuvo que ser sustituída por actividades en línea o virtuales, a causa de la implantación del estado de alarma en España, que motivó el cierre completo de las Universidades desde el 13 de marzo de 2020. Las experiencias son de Fisioterapia, Odontología Pediátrica, Fundamentos de Cirugía y Fisiología

Experiencia piloto de ECOE (Evaluación Clínica Objetivada Estructurada) en la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Murcia en el curso académico 2012/2013

[SPA] Esta comunicación pretende describir la primera experiencia de ECOE (Evaluación Clínica Objetivada Estructurada) que se ha llevado a cabo de manera experimental (piloto) en la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Murcia durante el curso académico 2012/2013 con los alumnos de sexto curso. Se trata de un sistema de evaluación totalmente novedoso en esta facultad. La innovación de este tipo de formato es su gran potencia evaluadora ya que mezcla métodos de evaluación muy distintos permitiendo explorar, en un mismo alumno y simultáneamente, varios niveles de conocimiento y habilidades: saber cómo y demostrar cómo, simulando situaciones clínicas lo más parecidas a la práctica médica habitual y en diferentes asignaturas de la carrera. Los resultados han sido muy satisfactorios como reflejamos en la comunicación. En la actualidad estamos preparando el ECOE de este curso académico, que ya tendrá valor en la calificación final del alumno. [ENG] This paper aims to describe the first experience of OSCE (Objectified Structured Clinical Evaluation) that has been performed experimentally in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Murcia during the 2012/2013 academic year, among sixth year students. The OSCE is a completely novel evaluating system that explores several levels of knowledge and skills simultaneously in each student. It also allows the examiner to play real diary clinical situations and to test how the student unfolds in it. As reflected on this communication, results have been very convincing. Currently we are working on a new OSCE and this time, the score obtained by the student will already have value for his/her final grade

Vasoconstrictor and Pressor Effects of Des-Aspartate-Angiotensin I in Rat.

© 2023 The Authors. This document is made available under the CC-BY-NC 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc /4.0/ This document is the Accepted version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Biomedicines. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10061230This study investigated the vasoactive effects of des-aspartate-angiotensin-I (DAA-I) in male Wistar rats on whole body vascular bed, isolated perfused kidneys, and aortic rings. Dose– response curves to DAA-I were compared with those to angiotensin II (Ang II). The Ang II-type-1 (AT1) receptor blocker, losartan, was used to evaluate the role of AT1 receptors in the responses to DAA-I. Studies were also conducted of the responsiveness in aortic rings after endotheliumremoval, nitric oxide synthase inhibition, or AT2 receptor blockade. DAA-I induced a dose-related systemic pressor response that was shifted to the right compared with Ang II. Losartan markedly attenuated the responsiveness to DAA-I. DAA-I showed a similar pattern in renal vasculature and aortic rings. In aortic rings, removal of endothelium and nitric oxide inhibition increased the sensitivity and maximal response to DAA-I and Ang II. AT2 receptor blockade did not significantly affect the responsiveness to DAA-I. According to these findings, DAA-I increases the systemic blood pressure and vascular tone in conductance and resistance vessels via AT1 receptor activation. This vasoconstrictor effect of DAA-I participates in the homeostatic control of arterial pressure, which can also contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension. DAA-I may therefore be a potential therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease