Jul 2026· European journal of dental education· 0 citations· 23 references
Medicine
TL;DR
A rapid review of the research literature on professionalism teaching and curricula in postgraduate oral health education highlights a scarcity of peer-reviewed research on professionalism teaching and curricula in postgraduate oral health education.
Abstract
Background
There is no empirical evidence guiding the teaching of professionalism in postgraduate oral health education. Therefore, the objective of this rapid review is to assess the current status of the research literature on professionalism teaching in postgraduate oral health education.
Methods
We conducted a rapid review searching four major electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, for articles published between January 1, 2004, and July 25, 2024, the date of our search. The search targeted qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies, as well as reviews focusing on professionalism in postgraduate dental education. Guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, articles were considered eligible for inclusion if they fulfilled the following criteria: 1. The study population consisted of postgraduate dental students. 2. The educational outcomes assessed an aspect of professionalism.
Results
Our search resulted in 1478 publications from databases. Following initial screening of titles and abstracts, 243 articles were selected for full-text review, from which 212 were excluded. A critical appraisal of the remaining articles was conducted after which a total of 21 studies were included. The data extraction yielded findings which can be categorized into four themes: 1. Professionalism Teaching/Curricula (n = 2). 2. Assessment of Professionalism (n = 3). 3. Professionalism Knowledge, Awareness and Attitude (n = 10). 4. Elements of Professionalism (empathy, emotional intelligence, reflection; n = 6).
Conclusions
This rapid review highlights a scarcity of peer-reviewed research on professionalism teaching and curricula in postgraduate oral health education. This does not imply an absence of professionalism teaching in practice, but rather a significant gap in the published scientific evidence base. This gap should be addressed through a cohesive and well-structured approach to professionalism education and its evaluation in postgraduate oral health education.
INTRODUCTION
Problem-based learning (PBL) is a student-centred, self-directed learning approach that has been widely adopted in medical education. Although many studies have investigated the effectiveness of PBL, few have synthesised the existing evidence. The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the characteristics of PBL applied in dental education, particularly comparing its effectiveness with other pedagogical approaches through Kirkpatrick's four-level evaluation model.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The authors applied the Arksey and O'Malley framework to undertake a scoping review. The search was conducted on 31 December 2024 in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and other databases, including all English-language publications from January 1990 to December 2024 with no restrictions on study design or country of origin. Outcomes were classified using Kirkpatrick's four-level model (Reaction, Learning, Behaviour, Results). Methodological quality was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). The review protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF).
RESULTS
A systematic search identified 2 754 records. After deduplication and screening, 245 papers underwent full-text evaluation, and 106 studies involving 15 675 students were included. Hybrid PBL (hPBL) was the most frequently adopted strategy (57.5%), followed by modified PBL (mPBL, 22.6%) and traditional PBL (tPBL, 17.0%). Of 256 individual outcome measures synthesised, 62.1% were at the reaction level, 30.9% at the learning level, and only 7.0% at the behaviour and results levels combined. PBL consistently enhanced student satisfaction, with 100% of satisfaction outcomes (20 of 20) favouring PBL and reaction-level evaluations showing an 86.8% superiority rate. At the learning level, 69.6% of outcomes significantly favoured PBL, particularly in clinical reasoning and long-term knowledge retention; 26.6% showed no significant difference; and 3.8% favoured non-PBL approaches. Among PBL strategies, mPBL demonstrated the highest learning-level superiority rate (78.6%), followed by tPBL (70.0%) and hPBL (63.4%). The mean MERSQI score was 9.42 out of 18 (SD = 1.93), reflecting generally limited methodological quality.
DISCUSSION
A pronounced satisfaction-performance disconnect was identified: An 86.8% reaction superiority rate contrasted with a 69.6% learning superiority rate-a 17.2 percentage-point gap. Comparator-stratified analysis revealed that single-group studies reported higher reaction superiority (90.7%) than studies with control groups (82.2%), whereas at the learning level this gap largely disappeared (70.8% vs. 69.1%). Nearly half (49.7%) of all reaction-level outcomes relied on vague or unstandardised constructs. Over half of included studies (51.9%) evaluated only a single Kirkpatrick level, predominantly reaction-only assessments, precluding within-study linkages between satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, and clinical behaviour change.
CONCLUSION
PBL consistently enhanced student satisfaction and preference. Its impact on academic performance was less definitive, with many comparative studies showing no significant difference on standardised examinations when PBL was compared with traditional methods. However, PBL demonstrated clear advantages in applied clinical competencies, long-term knowledge retention, and professional practice outcomes. Modified PBL showed the highest learning-level superiority rates, suggesting that enhancing PBL with targeted pedagogical innovations may yield greater gains than hybridisation with lectures alone. Future research should prioritise comparative studies with robust designs, longitudinal outcome tracking, and assessments aligned with PBL's problem-solving objectives.
Zhuoyi Liao, Zhen Chen, Hongbo Zhang et al.· European journal of dental e...· 0 citations
Introduction: Academic satisfaction is one of the key concepts in higher education. This narrative review was conducted to examine and analyze articles published in Iran from 2016 to 2026 regarding the level of academic satisfaction, its determinants, and educational implications.
Method: This study was a narrative review in which relevant studies published between 2016 and 2026 were searched non-systematically in relevant databases. The inclusion criteria were studies that reported academic satisfaction among Iranian medical students. The exclusion criteria included studies with irrelevant topics and studies lacking quantitative or qualitative data on satisfaction. The extracted data included study design, sample size, instruments used, key findings, and study setting.
Results: From a total of 329 studies, 10 studies were ultimately selected, covering various medical schools across Iran. The level of academic satisfaction ranged from moderate to relatively high. The quality of the educational environment, teaching methods, and teacher–student interaction were the strongest predictors of satisfaction. Contextual factors, including year of study and academic performance, also influenced satisfaction. Online learning was associated with moderate satisfaction due to limited interaction and infrastructural challenges.
Conclusion: Improving academic satisfaction requires multifaceted interventions, including improving clinical learning environments, empowering faculty members, expanding interactive online education, and providing psychological support and academic counseling. Standardized measurement tools and longitudinal studies are recommended to better understand the determinants of satisfaction and to inform educational policies and practices in Iranian medical schools.
Barati H, Moradi E, Fattahi E· Journal of Medical Education...· 0 citations
Residents serve as frontline educators in contemporary healthcare systems, yet formal preparation for this role remains uncommon globally. The persistent gap between teaching responsibility and structured institutional support represents a significant concern for educational quality, resident professional development, and patient safety. To synthesize the current evidence on residents’ involvement in teaching, their perceptions of the educator role, factors influencing teaching effectiveness, and the outcomes of formal Residents as Teachers (RaT) programs. A structured narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and ERIC from 2010 to 2025, guided by a PCO (Population, Concept, Outcome) framework. Studies involving medical or surgical residents in postgraduate years 1–6 examining teaching roles, perceptions, or RaT program outcomes were included. Systematic reviews and studies focused on faculty or undergraduate populations were excluded. The screening and reporting process was informed by PRISMA principles; narrative synthesis with thematic organization was applied. Thirty-two studies met inclusion criteria, yielding four interconnected themes: (1) residents universally recognize teaching as central to their professional identity yet carry substantial informal teaching loads without formal preparation; (2) institutional culture, prior experience, and motivational profiles significantly shape teaching effectiveness; (3) residents across specialties and regions consistently request structured training with explicit objectives; and (4) longitudinal, integrated programs produce more durable skill gains than brief stand-alone workshops. Despite substantial informal teaching activity, residents remain underprepared for their educator role. Structured, longitudinal RaT programs are needed, particularly in under-researched healthcare systems, where unique cultural, institutional, and workforce characteristics call for locally developed approaches.
Lateefa Mohamed AlMarzooqi, N. Goswami· BMC Medical Education· 1 citation
PURPOSE
Multimorbidity is an increasingly common clinical and public health challenge, yet undergraduate medical education (UME) frequently emphasizes single-disease models. Using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this review maps how multimorbidity is conceptualized within UME to inform more deliberate teaching and curriculum design.
METHOD
The authors conducted a scoping review to map the existing medical education literature on multimorbidity in the undergraduate setting. Search terms were developed using a Cochrane Multimorbidity Review as a foundation. Five databases were searched from inception to March 31, 2026: EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC and Web of Science. Data extraction was informed by CHAT, and findings were organized on whether articles positioned multimorbidity as a central or peripheral phenomenon of interest.
RESULTS
A total of 3636 articles were identified; 348 underwent full-text review, and 30 met inclusion criteria. Included publications comprised original research (17 [56.7%]), conference abstracts (5 [16.7%]), innovation reports (3 [10%]), opinion pieces (3 [10%]), one short communication, and one letter. Sixteen articles (53.3%) discussed multimorbidity as a central phenomenon of interest, while 14 (46.7%) addressed it as a peripheral phenomenon. When discussed as a central phenomenon, multimorbidity was consistently conceptualized, primarily addressed in formal classroom settings, frequently linked to clinical reasoning, and described as a curricular challenge. When addressed as a peripheral phenomenon of interest, conceptualizations were variable. Multimorbidity appeared within clinical teaching environments, was connected to diverse skills and topics, but educational initiatives were developed with minimal patient involvement.
CONCLUSIONS
This review reveals a core tension: although multimorbidity is common in clinical practice, its presence in UME remains limited and fragmented. It is inconsistently conceptualized and often disconnected from clinical contexts. Strengthening multimorbidity education through stronger conceptual foundations and better integration across curricula and authentic clinical environments is essential to preparing learners to deliver effective care to people living with multimorbidity.
Cara Bezzina, Marina Politis, N. Szmidt et al.· Academic medicine : journal...· 0 citations
Introduction The Brazilian medical undergraduate curriculum
mandates a compulsory rotation in Primary Health Care (PHC), which
calls for an understanding of the assessment modalities for acquired
clinical competencies. Objectives: The study aims to identify the
currently employed methods for evaluating clinical skills in the PHC
setting, contributing to a comprehensive medical education. Method:
A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, Medline, LILACS,
SciELO, and Portal Capes databases, encompassing articles written in
English, Portuguese, and Spanish, utilizing the following descriptors:
“Clinical Competence”, “Medical Student”, and “Primary Health Care”.
743 quantitative and qualitative studies were identified, 40 selected for
full-text reading and 24 ultimately for analysis. Results: Among 24
analyzed studies, 12 evaluated methodologies employing real patients,
and 12 others discussed evaluations involving simulated patients. OSCE
was the most employed in simulated patient scenarios, while in real
patient scenarios, the checklist, teacher feedback, and direct observation
were noteworthy. OSCE allows standardized evaluation, but its
implementation proves resource-intensive. Assessment involving actual
patients cannot be fully replicated, and checklists and direct observation
to mensurate the acquired skills. Final considerations: The evaluation
methods were diverse, however, Feedback stands out as a guiding and
qualifying tool for learning and reflective practice, and the refinement
of implemented activities.
Victor dos Reis Cunha, Luiz Henrique de Oliveira Bernardino, Letícia de Castro Martins Ferreira et al.· Revista Médica de Minas Gera...· 0 citations
Introduction Oral examinations are central to medical and paramedical education for assessing reasoning, communication, and professional competencies, but remain challenged by issues of reliability, bias, and standardization. This systematic review synthesizes evidence on issues, requirements, and solutions to optimize oral exam outcomes in these fields. Materials and methods Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across 14 databases (e.g., PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) up to June 23, 2025, using PICO-framed queries focused on medical and paramedical students. Inclusion criteria encompassed English-language full text studies on oral assessments; exclusions included editorials and reviews. Three independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts, extracting data on study characteristics, challenges, requirements, solutions, and outcomes. Quality appraisal utilized QUADAS, with thematic analysis and matrix patterns to identify correlations. Results From 25,594 records, 102 studies were included after deduplication and screening. The number of publications increased substantially after 2000, with the majority originating from the field of medicine (70.6%) and primarily addressing undergraduate (44.1%) and postgraduate (37.3%) education. Structured oral examinations (SOEs) dominated (56.9%), outperforming traditional formats in reliability (median Cronbach’s alpha 0.75; inter-rater interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.47–0.82) and validity (modest correlations with objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), r=0.10–0.74). Key challenges included examiner variability (66.7%), student anxiety (41.2%), and logistical constraints (34.3%). The important requirements included assessment design, examiner calibration, technological integration, and equity. Solutions were emphasized on training (60.8%), standardization (56.9%), and technology (27.5%), yielding improved pass rates (50–100%) and satisfaction (72–96%). A comprehensive framework recommends multi-station objective structured viva examinations (OSVEs), hybrid delivery, combined rubrics, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted scoring for optimization. Limitations included generalizability (91.3%) and small samples (49.5%). Conclusions This review outlines key challenges and strategies to improve the quality of oral examinations. Standardized oral examinations, supported by technology, offer fair and reliable assessments. The findings provide a framework for educators and researchers to optimize their use, while future studies should validate predictive validity and explore AI-driven solutions to reduce bias and enhance scalability.
Amir Torab-Miandoab, M. Ghafourifard, Sogand Habibi-chenaran et al.· PLoS ONE· 0 citations