Advanced search

Search results      

Social congruence between Osteopathic medical students and figures of support at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Doty, J. E. [2]
Thompson, N. E. [3]

Journal: Journal of Osteopathic Medicine Date: 2023/12, 123(12):Pages: A22-A23. doi: Subito , type of study: cross sectional study

Full text    (https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/jom-2023-2000/html)

Keywords:

cross sectional study [597]
medical students [402]
osteopathic medicine [1540]
USA [1086]

Abstract:

Statement of Significance: Medical students who lack support from their peers and institutions are at greater risk for depression and burn-out than students with support networks1. Thus, medical schools have an incentive to better support their students. Literature suggests students most value supporters who are relatable and have shared experiences (i.e. social congruence)2. Understanding the social congruence between students and who they contact for support may be crucial in improving medical student well-being. This study aimed to identify the social congruence between students and possible figures of support at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine. It also investigated the correlation between who students utilize for support and for what reasons. Research Methods: A RedCap survey was distributed to first- and second-year D.O. students at NYIT COM (637 students). The survey was designed to evaluate the presence of social congruence between students and the following types of support figures: faculty, Academic Medicine Scholars (AMS; 3rd year medical students at NYIT COM selected to train and assist in teaching and research), tutors (2nd year medical students at NYIT COM selected to tutor 1st year students), “Bigs” (2nd year students at NYIT COM paired with 1–2 first-year students to help guide them during the transition to medical school), peers within a class year, peers in another class year, Student Government Association (SGA) members, and Student Advisement and Mentoring (SAM) faculty mentors (faculty at NYIT COM paired with 1st year students to help guide them during the transition to medical school). For each of these support figures, respondents were asked to rate their relatability, approachability, and feelings of being understood on Likert scales (1-5). The survey also inquired from which of these figures students actually sought support (either academic assistance, general medical school advice, general personal advice, general mentoring, or mentorship in a specific field). Kruskal–Wallis tests with a post-hoc Dunn’s test and false discovery rate corrections were used to evaluate differences in feelings of relatability, approachability, and feeling understood between each category of supporting figure. Chi-square goodness of fit tests were used to compare relationships between frequencies of seeking support from each category, as well as to compare the proportions of participant’s reasons for reaching out to each figure group. In response to this study, Osteopathic medical schools can better train students to become competent Osteopathic physicians. Data Analysis: Ninety-two participants completed the survey. There were significant differences in the relatability, approachability, and feeling understood, among support figure category (p<0.001). Peer groups (own class, other classes, AMS, and “Bigs”) achieved the highest rating for relatability (3.8–4.2), approachability (3.8–4.4), and the feeling of being understood (4.4–4.6), though the specific order of these peer groups changed depending on the variable. These peer groups received significantly higher ratings than faculty (relatability: 2.6; approachability: 3.5; and being understood: 3.5; p<0.01) and SAM faculty mentors (relatability: 2.0; approachability: 2.8; and being understood: 3.7; p<0.01). When seeking support, most students contacted peers in the same class year (86), followed by “Bigs” (65), AMS (64), peers in another class year (63), faculty (58), tutors (38), SAM faculty mentors (24), and SGA members (12). Students’ reasons for seeking support were significantly related to who they contacted, but only for faculty, AMS, tutors, “Bigs”, peers in the same class year, and peers in another class year (p<0.01). For SAM faculty mentors and SGA members, there were no significant patterns in the reasons why students contacted them. Tutors (35/38) and faculty (26/58) were most contacted by students seeking academic assistance. For both faculty and tutors, academic assistance was the primary reason a student would contact these groups. For general medical school advice, medical students most contacted peers in another class year (47/63) and “Bigs” (45/65). However, among all support groups, aside from faculty and tutors, general medical school advice was the primary reason for a student to contact a support figure. For general personal advice, students mostly contacted peers in their own class year (20/86). Faculty (12/58) and SAM faculty mentors (10/24) were contacted most for general mentorship, and faculty were contacted most for mentorship in a specific field (4/58). Conclusion: The types of support figures that were most relatable, most approachable, and most understanding of students were the various types of peer groups (own class, other classes, AMS, and “Bigs”). It is assumed that these groups have the most social congruence with students because of these attributes. This also matches the findings of this study that suggest students utilized these peer groups the most for general medical school advice. Thus, social congruence may play a role in who students contact for support surrounding general medical school advice. This can be especially true during the first year of medical school, in which students face major career and social transitions. In the context of academic assistance, this study identified tutors and faculty as the most contacted figures for support. Given their standing as slightly more senior students, tutors may be viewed as more socially congruent than faculty, explaining why tutors were more sought after for academic assistance. This is supported by previous literature that claims students felt their peers were more approachable and receptive to input than institutional figures 3. Among U.S. medical schools, there is an increasing focus on student support through the implementation of mental health initiatives, additional academic support, and peer guidance programs. This study identifies a useful distinction that medical schools can utilize when implementing student support programs—that students most often seek support from figures with which they experience social congruence. Additionally, the reasons for support play a role in who a student first contacts. Osteopathic medical schools carry a responsibility to train future physicians that are competent in caring for their patients’ emotional, spiritual, and health needs. Utilizing this data, Osteopathic medical schools can create more nurturing support systems, placing students on the best pathway to fulfill the Osteopathic mission.

Search results      

 
 
 






  • Impressum • Legal notice • Datenschutz •


ostlib.de/data_drzknvwuamqhgbpjtyfe



Supported by

OSTLIB recommends