Using Teaching Excellence Surveys to Evaluate Improvements in Teaching Confidence

BACKGROUND: There are many surveys to assess teaching excellence, but few validated tools to assess improvements in teaching confidence among faculty over time. We hypothesized that previously validated surveys for learner evaluation of faculty teaching excellence also can be used as a self-evaluation tool to assess changes in faculty teaching skills confidence over time. METHODS: A cohort study was designed using a composite survey from two previously validated surveys (SETQ and CanMEDS) on teaching excellence. The composite survey was administered before and after a faculty development course on teaching excellence at the University of Kansas Medical Center in the Spring of 2012. Course “completers” attended more than 50% of the course and “non-completers” attended 50% or less of the course. RESULTS: The overall mean change in survey result scores on a five-point Likert scale was nearly one point for “completers” (mean difference = 0.92, SD = 0.41) as opposed to 0.34 for “non-completers” (SD = 0.34, p = 0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the pre-course surveys were 0.83 and 0.85 versus 0.88 and 0.83 for the post-course surveys, indicating a high internal consistency for both survey instruments. CONCLUSIONS: Measurable improvements in teaching skills confidence occur following faculty professional development courses. These improvements can be assessed more efficiently by using previously validated and reliable assessment tools in new and innovative ways

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dental-maxillofacial emergency service of a German university hospital in the year 2020

Objectives!#!COVID-19 is considered one of the most serious pandemic in history and has posed major challenges to the world's health care. Dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery (CMFS) are particularly affected due to direct exposure to the respiratory tract, as the reservoir of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, the impact of the COVID-19-pandemic on a dental and CMFS emergency services in Germany in 2020 was first time investigated and correlated with governmental restriction measures in public life.!##!Materials and methods!#!Epidemiological data of a German University Hospital were analysed from a total of 8386 patients in 2019 and 2020. Parameters included information on demographics, time, weekday and reason for presentation, as well as diagnosis and therapy performed. Data from 2020 were compared with those from 2019, taking into account the nationwide periods of public life restrictions.!##!Results!#!In 2020, 22% fewer patients presented via dental and CMFS emergency service. In a monthly comparison, there were negative peaks of up to - 41% in November, but also a plus of 26% in July. The largest decreases were recorded during the lockdown periods in spring (- 33%) and winter (- 39%). Further, a threefold increase in actual emergencies and inpatient admissions revealed during these time periods (p < 0.001).!##!Conclusions!#!COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the dental and CMFS emergency service in 2020 resulting in more severe cases.!##!Clinical relevance!#!This study underlines the importance of maintaining an emergency service system and basic outpatient care in these specialities, which requires uniform recommendations from the medical-dental societies and politics

Late Aptian-Albian primitive Radiolitidae (bivalves, hippuritoidea) from Spain and SW France

The late Aptian-Albian radiolitid taxa, Praeradiolites cantabricus (Douvillé) and Praeradiolites ibizanus Astre, from SW France and Spain, are transferred to Eoradiolites. Eoradiolites jumillensis nov. sp. is described from southern Spain, while the so-called “Sphaerulites cantabricus” sensu Toucas (1907) is moved to Praeradiolites and may be of Late Cretaceous age. The Eoradiolites cantabricus group of species is mainly Clansayesian-early Albian in age and possesses an advanced evolutionary status, mainly regarding shell size and cellular structure. Praeradiolites may have been derived from Eoradiolites jumillensis nov. sp. through paedomorphosis while Eoradiolites cantabricus may have been the source for Sphaerulites. Our study shows that the names Sphaerulites and Praeradiolites cannot be applied to pre-Cenomanian Radiolitidae and that Eoradiolites was the foremost genus in Late Aptian-Albian times in terms of species biodiversity. The Eoradiolites cantabricus group is restricted to the northwestern Mediterranean Tethyan margin.Our field investigation in southern Spain have been founded by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia of Spain, number of project: REN2001-1067/GLO (Aplicacion de tecnicas del analisis de cuencas sedimentarias en el uso no destructivo del patrimonio natural en al Prebetico oriental. El altiplano de Jumilla-Yecla). At the Université de Provence, we have benefited from the technical assistance of A. Arnoux. Fruitful discussions with L. Villiers (Université de Provence, Marseille)Peer reviewe