Future developments in the program's architecture will address both program effectiveness and optimizing the scoring and delivery process for formative components. In conclusion, we propose that the implementation of clinic-like procedures on donors in anatomy courses is an effective way to enhance learning in the anatomy laboratory and to emphasize the vital relationship between fundamental anatomy and future clinical work.
Future updates to the program aim to determine the program's effectiveness, as well as optimize the grading and delivery of the formative modules. Our collective proposal is that the implementation of clinic-like procedures on donors within anatomy courses is an effective method of enhancing learning in the anatomy laboratory, simultaneously underscoring the clinical importance of fundamental anatomical knowledge for future practice.

For the creation of an expert-generated guide outlining how medical schools should arrange fundamental science subjects within compressed preclinical curriculums, leading to early clinical application.
The process of achieving consensus on the recommendations involved a modified Delphi approach, spanning the period from March to November 2021. Semistructured interviews, conducted by the authors, elicited perspectives on decision-making processes at institutions that previously underwent curricular reforms, including those that impacted shortened preclinical curricula, from national undergraduate medical education (UME) experts. To gauge the level of agreement among national UME experts (drawn from institutions that have undergone prior curricular reforms or hold leadership positions within national UME organizations), the authors' condensed findings were presented as a preliminary list of recommendations, distributed across two survey rounds. Recommendations were amended in light of participant comments, and those receiving at least 70% 'somewhat' or 'strong' agreement after the subsequent survey were incorporated into the definitive, exhaustive list of recommendations.
A survey of 40 recruited participants followed the interviews of nine participants, delivering 31 preliminary recommendations. The first survey, completed by seventeen participants out of forty (425%), subsequently prompted modifications. This included three recommendations being withdrawn, five new ones being added, and five others being revised in response to feedback, ultimately resulting in thirty-three recommendations. A 579% response rate (22 participants out of 38) to the second survey ensured that all 33 recommendations were compliant with the inclusion criteria. Three recommendations, found to be non-essential to the curriculum reform effort, were removed by the authors. The remaining recommendations, totaling thirty, were then synthesized into five succinct, actionable takeaways.
This research offers 30 recommendations for medical schools aiming at a shorter preclinical basic science curriculum, condensed by the authors into 5 impactful takeaways. These recommendations emphasize the need for vertically integrating basic scientific instruction into the curriculum, explicitly connecting it to clinical relevance at all stages.
This research offers 30 recommendations, synthesized into 5 impactful takeaways, for medical schools planning a shorter preclinical basic science curriculum. Vertically integrating basic science instruction, incorporating clear clinical connections, into all curriculum phases is reinforced by these recommendations.

Men engaging in same-sex sexual activity (MSM) globally continue to experience a significantly higher than average HIV infection rate. Within Rwanda's HIV epidemic, a generalized infection pattern among adults coexists with concentrated infection risks among certain key populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). Nationwide population estimates for men who have sex with men (MSM) are unavailable due to limited data, thereby creating a significant deficit in the denominators required by policymakers, program managers, and planners for monitoring HIV epidemic control.
The research project aimed to produce the first national population size estimate (PSE) and a map illustrating the geographic distribution of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Rwanda.
In Rwanda, between October and December 2021, a three-source capture-recapture method was carried out to ascertain the MSM population size. MSM networks facilitated the distribution of unique objects, which were then categorized according to service provision suited for MSMs. A final respondent-driven sampling survey concluded the data collection process. Capture history data was aggregated into a 2k-minus-1 contingency table, with k denoting the number of capture occasions, where 1 and 0 represent captured and not captured cases, respectively. Vitamin B3 The final PSE was generated using statistical analysis in R (version 40.5), leveraging the Bayesian nonparametric latent-class capture-recapture package, with 95% credibility sets (CS) included.
The MSM samples taken in capture one, capture two, and capture three were 2465, 1314, and 2211, respectively. Between the first and second captures, there were 721 recaptures; between the second and third captures, 415; and between the first and third captures, 422 recaptures. Vitamin B3 The three captures yielded a combined total of 210 captured MSM. Based on estimations, there are approximately 18,100 men aged over 18 in Rwanda. This constitutes 0.70% (95% confidence interval 0.04%–11%) of all adult male citizens in the nation. The Western province (2469, 95% CS 1994-3518) follows Kigali (7842, 95% CS 4587-13153) in MSM population, while the Northern (2375, 95% CS 842-4239), Eastern (2287, 95% CS 1927-3014), and Southern (2109, 95% CS 1681-3418) provinces follow in decreasing order.
For the first time, our Rwanda-based study documents the PSE of MSM who are 18 years of age or older. MSM activity is clustered in Kigali, yet the distribution across the other four provinces is quite uniform. The national estimates of MSM prevalence among adult males, within the bounds of the World Health Organization's 10% minimum, are based on 2021 population projections from the 2012 census. By utilizing the data provided, denominators for service coverage estimations for HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) nationwide can be defined. This will help fill existing knowledge gaps, ultimately enabling policy makers and planners to monitor the HIV epidemic effectively. Small-area MSM PSEs offer a chance to improve subnational-level HIV treatment and prevention strategies.
Novelly, our research provides a social-psychological experience (PSE) description of men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 18 or more in Rwanda. MSM are clustered within Kigali, and the other four provinces show roughly an equal distribution of the same. The World Health Organization's minimum recommended proportion (at least 10%) for MSM, based on 2012 census projections for 2021, is encompassed within the national proportion estimate bounds for MSM out of the total adult male population. Vitamin B3 Estimates of service coverage, predicated on these results, will fill existing knowledge gaps for policymakers and planners to effectively monitor the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men nationally. Subnational-level HIV interventions targeting treatment and prevention can find opportunity in small-area MSM PSEs.

To effectively implement competency-based medical education (CBME), a criterion-referenced assessment strategy is crucial. Although considerable efforts have been made to advance CBME, a demand for norm-referencing, both subtly implied and sometimes explicitly articulated, remains, especially where undergraduate and graduate medical training converge. The authors' investigation in this paper aims to ascertain the root causes for the continued employment of norm-referencing in the context of the movement towards competency-based medical education. The root-cause analysis consisted of two stages: (1) plotting potential causes and consequences within a fishbone diagram, and (2) uncovering the underlying reasons using the five whys approach. The fishbone diagram identified two fundamental drivers; namely, the misconception about the objectivity of metrics like grades, and the need for varied incentives for various key stakeholders. It was determined from these drivers that norm-referencing is a critical aspect in selecting residency programs. The repeated application of the five whys provided detailed explanations for the continuation of norm-referenced grading for selection, including the need for efficient resident program screening, the reliance on ranked candidate lists, the belief in a predetermined best match, a deficiency of trust between residency programs and medical schools, and insufficient resources supporting resident development. The authors, based on these findings, posit that the intended purpose of assessment in UME is fundamentally to stratify applicants for residency. Because stratification necessitates comparison, a norm-referenced approach becomes obligatory. The authors posit that a re-evaluation of assessment practices within undergraduate medical education (UME) is vital for the advancement of competency-based medical education (CBME). This is to maintain the purpose of selection whilst simultaneously enhancing the determination of competency levels. A shift in strategy necessitates joint efforts from national organizations, accrediting bodies, graduate medical education programs, undergraduate medical education programs, learners, and patient advocacy groups. The necessary approaches for each key constituent group are outlined in detail.

The study involved a retrospective examination of existing records.
Examine the surgical features and long-term (two-year) outcomes of the PL method for spinal fusion.
Spinal surgery utilizing a single prone-lateral (PL) position has seen an increase in adoption recently, attributed to its potential for reduced perioperative blood loss and operative time. However, the effects of this approach on spinal realignment and patient-reported outcomes require further study.