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Resumo: Introdução: O curso de graduação em Medicina da Universidade Estadual de Londrina foi o segundo do Brasil a adotar currículo integrado e Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas (PBL). Apesar de seu currículo inovador ter servido de referência a outras escolas, avaliações recentes mostraram a necessidade de reforma. Relato de experiência: As avaliações sistemáticas do curso indicaram os seguintes problemas: dificuldade de adaptação dos ingressantes à primeira série; desorganização da sequência de conteúdos ao longo do curso; falta de motivação docente para as atividades da primeira à quarta série; necessidade de incluir tópicos obrigatórios e novas tendências; e desgaste da metodologia (PBL) a partir da terceira série. Um amplo trabalho de reforma curricular foi iniciado, baseado na construção coletiva, culminando em mudanças, como: o desenho de uma primeira série mais acolhedora por meio da inclusão de nivelamento de ciências básicas e mentoria; a reorganização cronológica dos conteúdos; o redesenho dos módulos, agora organizados ao redor de grandes áreas ou especialidades afins; a adoção de metodologias ativas mais motivadoras; e a inclusão de novos conteúdos. Discussão: A adoção de novas metodologias ativas em substituição à PBL em alguns momentos apresenta vantagens estratégicas. A Aprendizagem Baseada em Equipes (TBL), mais estruturada que a PBL, pode ajudar na adaptação dos ingressantes à primeira série e facilitar a realização de metodologias ativas num contexto de escassez de docentes. A Aprendizagem Baseada em Casos (CBL) é mais motivadora e pode ser mais efetiva para desenvolver habilidades de raciocínio clínico nas séries pré-internato. Conclusão: O novo currículo, que incorpora as mudanças mencionadas, foi implantado em 2022. Novas avaliações mostrarão se as mudanças trarão melhorias ao curso em termos de adaptação, motivação e resultados de aprendizagem.

Abstract: Introduction: The undergraduate medical course of the State University of Londrina was the second in Brazil to adopt an integrated curriculum and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). Despite its innovative curriculum, which became a reference for other schools, new assessments showed the need to reform it. Experience Report: Systematic course evaluations showed some issues: difficulties in adaptation of new students attending the first year; disorganized sequence of contents throughout the course; teachers' lack of motivation for activities from first to the fourth years; need to include new contents; and deterioration of the methodology (PBL) in third and fourth years. A wide collective effort for curricular reform was initiated, which led to important changes, such as: a more welcoming first year, by including mentoring and activities for the leveling of basic knowledge; chronological reorganization of contents; redesign of modules around great areas of knowledge or related specialties; adoption of new and more motivating active learning and teaching methodologies, and the inclusion of new topics/trends. Discussion: The adoption of other active learning and teaching methodologies present strategic advantages in replacement for PBL. Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a more structured method than PBL, so it can help newcomers to adapt to the first year and make it easier to implement active methodologies in a context of teacher shortage. Case-Based Learning (CBL) generates higher motivation and can be more effective to foster the development of clinical reasoning skills in the preclinical years. Conclusion: The new curriculum, incorporating the changes described above, started in 2022. Further evaluations will show whether the changes will improve the course in terms of adaptability, motivation and learning outcomes.

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BACKGROUND: Most patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are followed by primary care physicians, who often lack knowledge or confidence to prescribe insulin properly. This contributes to clinical inertia and poor glycemic control. Effectiveness of traditional continuing medical education (CME) to solve that is limited, so new approaches are required. Electronic games are a good option, as they can be very effective and easily disseminated. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess applicability, user acceptance, and educational effectiveness of InsuOnline, an electronic serious game for medical education on insulin therapy for DM, compared with a traditional CME activity. METHODS: Primary care physicians (PCPs) from South of Brazil were invited by phone or email to participate in an unblinded randomized controlled trial and randomly allocated to play the game InsuOnline, installed as an app in their own computers, at the time of their choice, with minimal or no external guidance, or to participate in a traditional CME session, composed by onsite lectures and cases discussion. Both interventions had the same content and duration (~4 h). Applicability was assessed by the number of subjects who completed the assigned intervention in each group. Insulin-prescribing competence (factual knowledge, problem-solving skills, and attitudes) was self-assessed through a questionnaire applied before, immediately after, and 3 months after the interventions. Acceptance of the intervention (satisfaction and perceived importance for clinical practice) was also assessed immediately after and 3 months after the interventions, respectively. RESULTS: Subjects' characteristics were similar between groups (mean age 38, 51.4% [69/134] male). In the game group, 69 of 88 (78%) completed the intervention, compared with 65 of 73 (89%) in the control group, with no difference in applicability. Percentage of right answers in the competence subscale, which was 52% at the baseline in both groups, significantly improved immediately after both interventions to 92% in the game group and to 85% in control (P<.001). After 3 months, it remained significantly higher than that at the baseline in both groups (80% in game, and 76% in control; P<.001). Absolute increase in competence score was better with the game (40%) than with traditional CME (34%; P=.01). Insulin-related attitudes were improved both after the game (significant improvement in 4 of 9 items) and after control activity (3 of 9). Both interventions were very well accepted, with most subjects rating them as "fun or pleasant," "useful," and "practice-changing." CONCLUSIONS: The game InsuOnline was applicable, very well accepted, and highly effective for medical education on insulin therapy. In view of its flexibility and easy dissemination, it is a valid option for large-scale CME, potentially helping to reduce clinical inertia and to improve quality of care for DM patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT001759953; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01759953 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6oeHoTrBf).

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OBJECTIVE: We performed a pilot study to assess usability and playability of "InsuOnLine," a serious game for education of primary care physicians on insulin therapy for diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary team has designed and developed "InsuOnLine," using Andragogy and Problem-Based Learning principles, with game elements to improve players' motivation. The prototype was tested by four medical doctors and two medical students, using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and a questionnaire to assess playability. These results were used to guide corrections, after which the beta version was retested by 14 medical students and 6 residents. RESULTS: Out of a maximum score of 100 on the SUS, the "InsuOnLine" prototype was rated 88, and some areas for improvement were identified (game instructions, controls). After corrections, the beta version was rated 92.5 on the SUS. Users have found the beta version to be fun, engaging, challenging, relevant, and realistic. Users said that the game has increased their knowledge on diabetes and insulin, that it has made them feel more confident for prescribing insulin, and that it would have impact on how they treated patients with diabetes. Most users said they have learned more from the game than they would have from a lecture. Lessons learned were the need of early piloting, preferably by users with very little or very much gaming experience, on their own computers and free patterns of use. CONCLUSIONS: "InsuOnLine" was rated by users as easy to play, fun, and useful for learning. Further studies will assess its educational effectiveness. "InsuOnLine" is a promising tool for large-scale continuing medical education on insulin, helping to fight clinical inertia in diabetes.

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OBJECTIVE: This study assessed habits and opinions of medical educators and students from a Brazilian medical school about electronic games for learning or for fun. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to Universidade Estadual de Londrina medical school faculty members and undergraduate students. RESULTS: From the 50 faculty members, 20 percent reported regular use of electronic games (at least once a week), spending 1 hour/week with games (median). Among 302 medical students, 37 percent reported regular gaming. Students spent 3 hours/week playing games (median). Male students played games 4.4 times more often than female students. About 90 percent of faculty members and students believed that games are useful for medical education, and >80 percent would like to play games for education of health professionals, but only one-third of students and one-fifth of faculty had already played one of such games. More than 80 percent of faculty would like to use a game for their educational activities. The main obstacles to incorporation of games into medical education, reported by faculty members, were associated with lack of knowledge on available options, lack of time to develop new activities, and lack of resources or institutional support. CONCLUSIONS: Playing electronic games is common among medical faculty and students, who both present very positive opinions about games for learning, but the scarcity of available options and the lack of institutional support prevent a more widespread adoption of medical education games.

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BACKGROUND: Physicians´ lack of knowledge contributes to underuse of insulin and poor glycemic control in adults with diabetes mellitus (DM). Traditional continuing medical education have limited efficacy, and new approaches are required. OBJECTIVE: We report the design of a trial to assess the educational efficacy of InsuOnline, a game for education of primary care physicians (PCPs). The goal of InsuOnline was to improve appropriate initiation and adjustment of insulin for the treatment of DM. InsuOnline was designed to be educationally adequate, self-motivating, and attractive. METHODS: A multidisciplinary team of endocrinologists, experts in medical education, and programmers, was assembled for the design and development of InsuOnline. Currently, we are conducting usability and playability tests, with PCPs and medical students playing the game on a desktop computer. Adjustments will be made based on these results. An unblinded randomized controlled trial with PCPs who work in the city of Londrina, Brazil, will be conducted to assess the educational validity of InsuOnline on the Web. In this trial, 64 PCPs will play InsuOnline, and 64 PCPs will undergo traditional instructional activities (lecture and group discussion). Knowledge on how to initiate and adjust insulin will be assessed by a Web-based multiple choice questionnaire, and attitudes regarding diabetes/insulin will be assessed by Diabetes Attitude Scale 3 at 3 time points-before, immediately after, and 6 months after the intervention. Subjects´ general impressions on the interventions will be assessed by a questionnaire. Software logs will be reviewed. RESULTS: To our knowledge, this is the first research with the aim of assessing the educational efficacy of a computer game for teaching PCPs about insulin therapy in DM. We describe the development criteria used for creating InsuOnline. Evaluation of the game using a randomized controlled trial design will be done in future studies. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that the design and development of a game for PCPs education on insulin is possible with a multidisciplinary team. InsuOnline can be an attractive option for large-scale continuous medical education to help improving PCPs´ knowledge on insulin therapy and potentially improving DM patients´ care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01759953; http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01759953 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Dq8Vc7a6).

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The aim of this research was to understand the reasoning developed by medical students in a public university in Brazil. This research on education included semi-structured interviews and film recordings of interns discussing 10 clinical cases. A sample of 16 interns analyzed cases presented on a notebook computer with a webcam. They were instructed to verbalize all their thoughts on the procedures they would use. The film recordings and transcripts of the interviews were analyzed. Quantitative data was evaluated using Yates' chi-squared test and speech analysis was used to evaluate the transcripts. The theme worked on in the practice of reasoning was: the student's perceptions of their clinical practice. Of the 160 diagnoses, 57% were done with analytical reasoning and 43% with non-analytical reasoning. The hypothetical deductive method was employed by 31% of the interns and the inductive method was employed by 69%. The diagnostic accuracy was 81% correct for easy cases and 85% correct for difficult cases. We observed two empirical categories: the cognitive universe of the student and the patient's context.

Esta pesquisa teve como intuito compreender o raciocínio desenvolvido pelos estudantes de Medicina de uma universidade pública do Brasil. Trata-se de uma pesquisa educacional, que abrangeu filmagens da resolução de dez casos clínicos e entrevista semiestruturada. A amostra foi formada por 16 internos, que responderam aos casos, apresentados em um notebook com webcam, e foram instruídos a verbalizar todo pensamento neste procedimento. Para a análise foi realizada a transcrição das falas e a observação da filmagem. Os dados quantitativos foram avaliados pelo Teste do Qui-Quadrado com correção de Yates, e os descritivos, por análise de discurso. O tema trabalhado na prática do raciocínio foi: percepções dos alunos de sua prática clínica. Entre as 160 resoluções, 57% foram por raciocínio analítico e 43% por não analítico. O processo hipotético-dedutivo foi empregado por 31% dos internos, e o indutivo por 69% dos participantes do estudo. A acurácia diagnóstica foi de 81% de acertos nos casos fáceis e de 85% de acertos nos casos difíceis. Observamos duas categorias empíricas: o universo cognitivo do estudante e o contexto do paciente.

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A carência de docentes qualificados na Região Amazônica levou à adoção de tecnologias de Educação à Distância para organizar a disciplina de Nefrologia do quarto ano do curso de graduação em Medicina da Faculdade São Lucas (FSL), localizada em Porto Velho (RO). Neste trabalho, descrevemos a construção do curso na plataforma Moodle, usando uma estrutura de módulos para discutir os principais tópicos de Nefrologia em fóruns de discussão assíncronos online com base em problemas clínicos ilustrativos, e mostramos os resultados do curso, que já foi realizado com três turmas de alunos, bem como as avaliações da metodologia, realizadas pelos alunos e pela instituição.

The relative lack of qualified teachers in the Amazon Region led to the adoption of Distance Education technologies in order to implement Nephrology classes in the fourth year of the medical course in São Lucas College (Faculdade de São Lucas), located in Porto Velho, Rondonia. In this paper, we describe the construction of the course on the Moodle platform, using a modular structure to discuss the main topics of Nephrology in online asynchronous forums based on illustrative clinical problems, and we also show the results of the classes, which has already been completed with 3 groups of medical students, and the evaluation of the methodology by the students and by the institution.

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This study is part of a prospective case study carried out to assess the required faculty activities (no studentcontact hours) identified with the Model to Estimate the Total Educational Costs (MECEE) of an IntegratedNursing Curriculum Program at a Public University. Fifty-two members were interviewed in order to describe theirworking hours. Non-contact hours were also assigned in the interviews. The non-acknowledged hours could beidentified as: time for class preparation, research, outreach services, patient assistance and personal educationneeds fulfillment. It is important to know all the college faculty work hours whereas the actual work hours isdifferent from the prescribed ones, and must be identified, so that all costs can be effectively acknowledged andmeasured, as well as the teaching work duly paid.

Esta pesquisa, parte de um estudo de caso prospectivo, teve como objetivo descrever as atividades de trabalhodocente prescrito (sem o contato com o aluno), relacionadas ao preparo educacional e identificadas pelo Modelode Estimativa de Custos Educacionais Totais do Currículo Integrado do Curso de Enfermagem da UniversidadeEstadual de Londrina. Foram entrevistados 52 sujeitos sobre as horas-contato e nas entrevistas surgiram dadossobre as horas não-contato. Nos resultados foram identificadas as atividades de trabalho docente prescrito:preparo para o ensino, participação em pesquisa e em projetos de extensão, serviços de assistência deenfermagem, capacitação profissional e os serviços prestados fora do ambiente acadêmico. Concluiu-se que éimportante elucidar aspectos do trabalho docente de Ensino Superior considerando que a carga horária detrabalho real é diferente da prescrita e deve ser identificada para que todos os custos possam ser de fatomensurados assim como o trabalho docente devidamente remunerado.

Esta investigación es parte de un estudio de caso prospectivo que tuvo como objetivo describir las actividades detrabajo docente prescripto (sin contacto con el alumno), relacionadas con la preparación educacional,identificadas por el Modelo de Estimación de Costos Educacionales Totales del currículo integrado del Curso deEnfermería de la Universidad Estatal de Londrina. Fueron entrevistados 52 sujetos sobre las horas-contacto y en las entrevistas surgieron datos sobre las horas no contacto. En los resultados fueron identificadas las actividadesde trabajo docente prescrito: preparación para la enseñanza, participación en investigación y en proyectos deextensión, servicios de asistencia de enfermería, capacitación profesional y los servicios prestados fuera delambiente académico. Se concluye que es importante elucidar aspectos del trabajo docente de enseñanzasuperior, considerando que la carga horaria de trabajo real es diferente de la prescripta y debe ser identificadapara que todos los costos puedan ser, de hecho, mensurables así como el trabajo docente debidamenteremunerado.

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