Simulation-based tools are increasingly used to improve procedural training in medical education. However, access to affordable and anatomically accurate models for teaching cardiac catheterisation remains limited. This study aimed to enhance medical education by developing a cost-effective three-dimensional-printed heart model for teaching basic cardiac catheterisation to medical students.

This open-label, single-site randomised controlled trial was conducted at Fu Jen Catholic University. Undergraduate and postgraduate medical students were recruited and randomly assigned to either a three-dimensional model group with hands-on practice or a control group receiving slide-based instruction. The effectiveness of a custom-made three-dimensional-printed heart model in teaching cardiac catheterisation was evaluated. A total of 35 participants were enrolled, including 18 in the three-dimensional model group and 17 in the control group.

Overall posttest scores were comparable between groups. However, among undergraduate medical students, posttest scores were significantly higher in the three-dimensional model group than in the control group (P = 0.03). The production cost of each three-dimensional-printed heart model was capped at US＄200, indicating that the model is a cost-effective educational tool.

Three-dimensional-printed heart models provide a feasible and cost-effective approach for teaching cardiac catheterisation in medical education. Their educational benefits appeared more evident among undergraduate medical students. Integrating such models according to learners’ training stages and procedural complexity may further enhance training effectiveness.

To characterise baseline levels and contextual triggers of public speaking anxiety (PSA) among family medicine residents and to examine whether a theory-driven educational intervention was associated with short-term changes in PSA across cognitive, behavioural, and psychological dimensions.

Effective communication is a core competency in primary healthcare. However, while clinical consultation skills are prioritised, academic presentation skills are systematically absent from most family medicine residency curricula. This ‘null curriculum’ leaves primary care trainees unprepared for professional advocacy, academic leadership, and teaching roles.

A quasi-experimental one-group pre-test–post-test study was conducted involving 199 family medicine residents at a tertiary hospital in Türkiye. A theory-based single-session educational intervention was delivered. PSA was measured using the validated Turkish Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAS). The study was reported in accordance with TREND and CRISP guidelines for primary care research.

Before the intervention, 87.4% of residents had never received formal PSA training. Academic instructors were the most frequently reported source of anxiety (82.9%) compared with patient encounters (4.0%). Following the intervention, total PSAS scores were associated with a statistically significant short-term decrease (p < 0.001). Significant short-term reductions were observed across cognitive (p = 0.005), behavioural (p < 0.001), and psychological (p < 0.001) dimensions. In exploratory subgroup analyses, married residents (p = 0.026) and senior residents (p = 0.002) appeared to experience larger short-term improvements, although these findings should be interpreted cautiously. These findings suggest that structured educational support may be beneficial for a subset of family medicine residents and that academic presentation skills warrant consideration as part of residency training; however, given the mixed individual-level responses and absence of a control group, this recommendation should be treated as preliminary pending controlled longitudinal evidence.

Bereavement care is integral to oncology but seldom formalized in residency curricula. We assessed bereavement education, self-perceived preparedness, and emotional burden among oncology residents, and explored associations between formal training and preparedness.>

We conducted an anonymous web-based cross-sectional survey of 165 oncology residents from 25 countries. Items assessed demographics, training characteristics, formal bereavement education, caregiver interactions, preparedness, challenges, and emotional consequences. Associations between formal training and 4-level preparedness used χ2; a binary contrast (≥“Somewhat prepared” vs <“Somewhat prepared”) estimated odds ratios (ORs). Pearson’s assessed correlation between caregiver-interaction frequency and preparedness.r

Respondents were 55.2% female; 47.9% worked in academic centers; 44.2% had ≥5 years of training. Formal bereavement education was uncommon (17.0%). Preparedness was “Somewhat/Very” in 53.3% and “Not very/Not at all” in 46.7%. Training was associated with higher preparedness (χ2=13.03, df=3, =0.0046); being at least “Somewhat prepared” was more likely with training (OR 3.94, 95% CI 1.51–10.33). Interaction frequency correlated weakly with preparedness (=0.15). Common challenges were emotional fatigue (64.8%), fear of overstepping professional boundaries (56.4%), lack of training (53.3%), and time constraints (50.3%). Emotional consequences were frequent: 54.5% occasionally and 27.3% deeply affected; 36.6% had considered leaving residency. Nearly all endorsed bereavement education as integral to oncology training (99.4%).

Training gaps co-exist with substantial emotional burden. Structured bereavement curricula, mentorship, and reflective practice may strengthen preparedness and resilience and improve caregiver support. Prospective studies should evaluate implementation strategies and effects on clinician well-being and care delivery.>

To explore existing knowledge on autism in medical education and early clinical training, examine the lived experiences of autistic doctors, review relevant National Health Service policies and legal frameworks, and propose a practical framework for improving inclusion. This study comprised a narrative review of the published literature on autism in medical education, foundation training and healthcare settings, supplemented by a positionality statement informed by the author’s clinical experience.

Common barriers include the hidden curriculum of clinical placements, neurotypical templates in communication assessment, sensory demands of clinical environments, significant risks associated with disclosure and inadequate supervisor awareness. Masking imposes substantial psychological costs, including risk of autistic burnout. Legal frameworks exist but are inconsistently applied in practice. The SUPPORT framework is proposed as a structured model: Structured learning environments, Understanding neurodiversity, Predictability, Practical adjustments, Open culture, Relationships and mentorship, and Trainee well-being.

Autistic doctors bring valuable strengths to clinical practice. The barriers they face during the transition from medical school to clinical practice are documented and preventable. Despite legal protections and growing awareness of neurodiversity, National Health Service training frameworks do not consistently address the needs of autistic clinicians. The SUPPORT framework provides a practical, low-resource approach to addressing these barriers, with implementation requiring greater awareness and institutional commitment. These findings identify the need for medical training to move past recognition of neurodiversity and towards creating clinical environments in which autistic doctors can thrive.

It was aimed to determine the competencies of Family Medicine residency students regarding the treatment planning of diseases coded with diagnosis-treatment in the ‘National Core Education Programme’ (NCC) in Turkey. We aimed to identify areas where residents feel less competent, which can inform curriculum improvements to better address gaps in treatment planning skills for core diseases.

The study was conducted with Family Medicine residency students from one medical school selected from each geographical region of Turkey. Students were asked to assess themselves at the time of graduation from medical school and currently during their residency training, in terms of ‘appropriate drug selection’, ‘prescribing’, ‘non-drug treatment planning’ and ‘processing treatment management and giving information’ competencies for 59 diseases in the NCC.

The rate of Family Medicine residency students who felt competent in treatment planning/management when they graduated from medical school was very low; although this rate increased to a certain extent with residency training, it could not reach an acceptable rate. Despite partial improvements after graduation, the results suggest potential gaps in achieving the desired competency levels, even after 1–3 year of residency training. The residency students’ competency perceptions ranged from 10–30% to 60–80% across different diseases.

It is important to review and reconstruct the six-year medical education and Family Medicine residency training programs, based on the framework drawn by NCC, focusing on rational treatment planning/management to reconceptualize treatment planning/management and decision-making.

Otoscopy is an essential but technically challenging diagnostic skill, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to specialist training is limited. Simulation may provide a scalable approach to improve otoscopy education.

A retrospective evaluation was conducted following an Otosim®-based quality improvement training initiative at three clinical sites in Malawi. Participants included ENT clinicians, audiologists, audiology students, clinical officers, and physicians. Pre- and post-training surveys assessed preparedness, confidence, perceived diagnostic ability, realism, and educational value. A literature review of otoscopy training modalities was also performed.

Forty-six participants completed the training. Participants had varied clinical backgrounds and otoscopy experience. Most reported improved preparedness following simulation training and rated Otosim as useful, realistic, and effective for improving diagnostic ability and confidence. Participants also perceived simulation as more effective than traditional classroom teaching.

Simulation-based otoscopy training was feasible and well received in Malawi and improved participants’ perceived preparedness and confidence. Simulation may offer a valuable strategy for expanding otoscopy education in resource-constrained settings, although future studies should include objective competency measures and assessment of long-term skill retention.

This study aimed to design and evaluate a low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model (CauterClay) for increasing user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery.

We created CauterClay with an air-dry clay scaffold, simulated nasal mucosal lining and bleeding point. We carried out single-centre assessment with a variety of nasal cautery-naive and experienced doctors. Doctors were asked to complete pre- and post-induction surveys regarding confidence, prior experience and model fidelity.

CauterClay use was associated with a statistically significant increase in user confidence in carrying out nasal cautery. All nasal cautery-naive users reported an increase in self-reported confidence following model use. Users rated the fidelity of our model highly, here we demonstrate how others can create their own CauterClay model.

Here we outline the first published low-cost, high-fidelity nasal cautery model. Our findings demonstrate it is associated with increased user confidence, suggesting it may be valuable for training nasal cautery-naive clinicians.

Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) depends on the immediate provision of high-quality bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during the prehospital phase. In many community settings, repeated training opportunities are not guaranteed, making early attainment of guideline-consistent CPR skills during a single training exposure particularly important.

This study evaluated whether a scalable, feedback-enabled CPR training model was associated with earlier attainment of guideline-recommended chest compression metrics compared with conventional instruction.

A quasi-experimental study was conducted among medical students who received CPR instruction during two consecutive teaching periods (2014-2015, conventional instruction [CONV]; 2016-2017, simplified feedback-enabled kit [SIM]). Overall CPR performance was assessed at three pre-defined time points: pre-Basic Life Support (BLS), immediate post-BLS, and delayed follow-up (two-to-twelve months post-BLS). The primary outcome was attainment of the target compression rate (100-120 compressions/minute). Mixed-effects regression models were used to account for repeated measurements and to evaluate group × assessment interactions.

A total of 334 students were included: 171 in the CONV group and 163 in the SIM group. At the pre-BLS assessment, students in the SIM group demonstrated higher odds of achieving the target compression rate (odds ratio [OR], 3.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13–5.71), target compression depth (OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.24–5.64), and complete chest recoil (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.05–2.78). Mixed-effects modeling demonstrated that the between-group difference in target compression rate changed over time, with convergence observed at delayed follow-up.

A scalable, feedback-enabled CPR training model was associated with earlier attainment of guideline-consistent chest compression performance. These findings may support further evaluation of scalable feedback-enabled approaches in community-based or resource-limited training environments where repeated CPR instruction may not be feasible.

Traditional lecture-based learning (LBL) is often insufficient for cultivating the practical decision-making skills required in high-stakes environments like Emergency Medical Response (EMR). While game-based learning (GBL) offers an immersive alternative, it can lack immediate expert guidance. This study addresses this gap by exploring the integration of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an “intelligent tutor” within GBL. The objective was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of LBL, GBL, and generative AI-powered game-based learning (AI-GBL) on medical students’ knowledge acquisition, retention, learning motivation, and cognitive load in an EMR course.

A retrospective, comparative study was conducted with 86 medical students from three consecutive cohorts (2022-2024), each exposed to one of the three teaching modalities (n = 29 LBL, n = 28 GBL, n = 29 AI-GBL). Knowledge was assessed via pre-test, post-test, and final-test scores with a maximum score of 10 points. Student feedback was collected for learning motivation, cognitive load, and technology acceptance.

For immediate knowledge acquisition, both GBL (mean difference = 1.124/10 points; 95% CI [0.297, 1.952]; P = 0.008) and AI-GBL (mean difference = 0.897/10 points; 95% CI [0.076, 1.717]; P = 0.033) significantly outperformed LBL. For delayed knowledge retention, the AI-GBL group demonstrated significantly superior retention compared to both the GBL group (mean difference = 0.689 points; unadjusted 95% CI [0.080, 1.299]) and the LBL group (mean difference = 1.310 points; unadjusted 95% CI [0.706, 1.915]). The AI-GBL group also reported significantly lower cognitive load than the GBL group (mean difference = −0.273 points; unadjusted 95% CI [−0.456, −0.090]). Finally, students perceived the AI-powered approach as significantly more useful than the standard game-based approach (mean difference = 0.513 points; unadjusted 95% CI [0.137, 0.889]).

The AI-enhanced GBL model for EMR training improves knowledge acquisition and retention while reducing cognitive load, representing a promising approach for developing proficiency in complex, high-stakes medical competencies.

This study aimed to explore the educational experiences of medical students and psychiatry residents within a large mental health trust, identifying areas for improvement. A qualitative methodology using four focus groups was employed, grouped by training level: medical students, foundation doctors, core psychiatry residents and higher-specialty residents. Discussions were guided by a standardised topic guide and analysed thematically.

Participants highlighted key issues including induction length and quality, access to written information, rota gaps and inadequate facilities; challenges in achieving psychotherapy competencies, teaching inconsistency, lack of supervision and insufficient development of non-clinical skills were also noted.

Enhancement of induction, supervision, psychotherapy training and non-clinical skills development can significantly improve psychiatric education. Addressing structural and systemic issues will strengthen trainee experience and support high-quality patient care.