Medical Students – ABC CARDIOL

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Research Letter

Relevant and Independent Scientific Publications: The Path of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Camila Mota Guida et al. Rhanderson Cardoso

According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), in 2023, the average number of publications per candidate accepted into medical residency programs in the United States was six for internal medicine, eight for neurology, nine for general surgery, and 19 for otolaryngology.Similarly, in countries such as Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Australia, publications are an important criterion in medical residency or postgraduate program evaluations.

In the United States, there is an established culture of participation in research projects among aspiring physicians even before entering medical school. Additionally, North American medical students commonly use the summer break between their first and second years to work in basic, translational, or clinical research laboratories to strengthen their applications for competitive residencies.

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Original Article

Retention of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Skills in Medical Students

Miguel Antônio Moretti et al. Adriana de Oliveira Camboim Caroline Awoki Ferrandez Isabela Corralo Ramos … Iaggo Bemini Costa Juliana Seidler Canonaco Vanessa Lopes Mathia João Fernando Monteiro Ferreira Antonio Carlos Palandri Chagas

Abstract

Background

Reduction of mortality and sequelae of cardiac arrest depends on an effective and fast intervention, started as soon as possible. Basic life support involves a series of steps that may be initiated out of the hospital setting and taught to any person in specific courses. However, it is important that the rescuers retain the knowledge and skills to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as one never knows when they will be required. Studies have shown that a loss of skills occurs as early as 30 days after the training course, with variations according to personal and professional characteristics.

Objectives

to assess whether medical students are able to retain skills acquired in a BLS course for more than six months.

Methods

Prospective, case-control, observational study. Medical students attended a 40-hour course on sudden death and cardiac arrest. Skills acquired during the course were evaluated immediately after and six months after the course. Students’ individual scores were compared between these time points, the percentage of correct answers was evaluated, and overall performance was rated as excellent, good, and poor. Observers and evaluation criteria were the same immediately after the course and six months later. Data were analyzed using the paired t-test and the McNemar test. The 95% confidence interval was established, and a p < 0.05 was set as statistically significant.

Results

Fifty students (27 female) in the first year of medical school aged from 18 to 24 years (mean of 21 years) attended the course. The number of steps successfully completed by the students at six months was significantly lower than immediately after the course (10.8 vs 12.5 p < 0.001). Neither sex nor age affected the results. Overall performance of 78% of the students was considered excellent immediately after the course, and this percentage was significantly higher than six months later (p < 0.01). After six months, the steps that the students failed to complete at six months were those related to practical skills (such as a correct hand positioning).

Conclusion

A significant loss of skills was detected six months after the BLS course among medical students, compromising their overall performance.