The Impact of an Introductory Course on Ph.D. Students: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Perceptions

This qualitative case study examined Ph.D. students’ perceptions of the impact of a full semester introductory course at a Tier-1 research institution. Results from multiple data sources including open-coded interviews and reflective entries yielded three overarching perceptions of the impact of the introductory class by its first-year students: (1) the establishment of community; (2) contributions to students’ knowledge base through cultivation of academic tools within a Ph.D. program, both departmentally and programmatically; and (3) addressing and relieving “imposter syndrome.” Results indicated participants benefited from a semester-long introductory course as it contributed to community building and socialization, acquisition of needed skills and dispositions of the field, and assisted in managing imposter syndrome. Additionally, participants offered suggestions regarding course improvement. The study contributes to the body of post-secondary literature, as little work has been conducted on semester-long introductory courses at the doctoral level

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Using Photovoice as an Arts-Based Method for Grieving: LGBTQ + Students and the Pulse Nightclub Shooting

Given the increase of gun violence in the United States, teachers are left with the added obligation of helping students process traumatic events. The present study seeks to address the following questions: What are some ways in which students process grief through arts-based methods? What can we observe through photovoice, a community-based method that uses photography, about the perceptions of six LGBTQ + students at a predominantly white institution after the Pulse Massacre? The study consisted of semi-structured focus group interviews with these students, all of whom spent a week creating photos in response to the tragedy. In order to understand the depth of how stories may have oppositional counter-stories, we look to narrative inquiry and find intersectionality and colorblind intersectionality at play. Implications for practice, policy, and research are included