Evie Kendal

Evaluating the use of twitter as a tool to increase engagement in medical education

Background: Social media is regularly used by undergraduate students. Twitter has a constant feed to the most current research, news and opinions of experts as well as organisations. Limited evidence exists that examines how to use social media platforms, such as Twitter, effectively in medical education. Furthermore, there is limited evidence to inform educators regarding social medias potential to increase student interaction and engagement. Aim: To evaluate whether social media, in particular Twitter, can be successfully used as a pedagogical tool in an assessment to increase student engagement with staff, peers and course content. Methods: First year biomedical science students at Monash University completing a core public health unit were recruited into the study. Twitter-related activities were incorporated into the semester long unit and aligned with both formative and summative assessments. Students completed a structured questionnaire detailing previous use of social media and attitudes towards its use in education post engagement in the Twitter-specific activities. Likert scale responses compared those who participated in the Twitter activities with those who did not using students t-test. Results: A total of 236 (79.4%) of invited students participated in the study. Among 90% of students who reported previous use of social media, 87.2% reported using Facebook, while only 13.1% reported previous use of Twitter. Social media was accessed most commonly through a mobile device (49.1%). Students actively engaging in Twitter activities had significantly higher end-of-semester grades compared with those who did not [Mean Difference (MD) = 3.98, 95% CI 0.40, 7.55]. Students perceived that the use of Twitter enabled greater accessibility to staff, was a unique method of promoting public health, and facilitated collaboration with peers. Discussion: Use of social media as an additional, or alternate, teaching intervention is positively supported by students. Specific use of micro-blogs such as Twitter can promote greater student-staff engagement by developing an ongoing academic conversation.

The Perfect Womb: Promoting Equality of (Fetal) Opportunity

This paper aims to address how artificial gestation might affect equality of opportunity for the unborn and any resultant generation of “ectogenetic” babies. It will first explore the current legal obstacles preventing the development of ectogenesis, before looking at the benefits of allowing this technology to control fetal growth and development. This will open up a discussion of the treatment/enhancement divide regarding the use of reproductive technologies, a topic featured in various bioethical debates on the subject. Using current maternity practices in Western society as a comparator, this paper will conclude that neither naturally nor artificially gestated fetuses have interests that can conflict with those of potential parents who might want to use this technology to control fetal development. Such control may include selective implantation of embryos of a desired gender, deliberate choice of genetic traits, or maintenance of an ideal incubation environment to avoid fetal damage. Objections on the basis of disability as well as concerns regarding eugenics will be addressed. The paper will conclude that none of these objections are compelling grounds to prevent the development and use of ectogenesis technologies for the purpose of achieving specific reproductive goals, particularly when compared to current practices in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and selective abortion on the grounds of undesired traits. As such, when deciding whether to support ectogenesis research, the enduring interests of parents must be the primary consideration, with societal concerns regarding potential misuse the only valid secondary consideration.

Should patients in a persistent vegetative state be allowed to die? Guidelines for a new standard of care in Australian hospitals

In this article we will be arguing in favour of legislating to protect doctors who bring about the deaths of PVS patients, regardless of whether the death is through passive means (e.g. the discontinuation of artificial feeding and respiration) or active means (e.g. through the administration of pharmaceuticals known to hasten death in end-of-life care). We will first discuss the ethical dilemmas doctors and lawmakers faced in the more famous PVS cases arising in the US and UK, before exploring what the law should be regarding such patients, particularly in Australia. We will continue by arguing in favour of allowing euthanasia in the interests of PVS patients, their families, and finally the wider community, before concluding with some suggestions for how these ethical arguments could be transformed into a set of guidelines for medical practice in this area.

Introduction: The Use of Popular Culture in Medical and Health Education

There is an increasing awareness of the role of mass media and popular culture in communicating health information to the general public and medical students. Medical television series in particular have been identified as a rich source of health information and medical ethics training, depicting doctor–patient relationships that are both entertaining and educational. Recent research has shown that these fictional representations of the medical profession have an impact on perceptions of real-life doctors, and can influence recruitment of students into medical, nursing and health science degrees. The purpose of this edited collection is to discuss the use of popular culture in medical education, paying particular attention to medical television dramas.

Teaching Millennials: A Three-Year Review of the Use of Twitter in Undergraduate Health Education

Research on the use of social media in healthcare indicates that Twitter is the most commonly used platform for disseminating public health information, and has been used effectively when dealing with emergencies, such as natural disasters. This chapter focuses on the impact of social media—particularly Twitter—in raising awareness of public health issues among tertiary students engaged in health-related degrees. It provides practical suggestions for educators interested in using social media for pedagogical and communication purposes.

An Empirical Study of Student Engagement with Professional and Ethical Issues in Medical Television Dramas

This project engages with motivating factors that inspire students to enrol in medicine and allied health degrees, with a particular interest in exploring the impact of popular culture on the perception of medical studies and careers, and whether this may motivate and prepare future doctors and allied health professionals. If accepting that a parent can serve as a role model for a future doctor, it seems reasonable to hypothesise that a fictional character may function as a substitute role model for students who may not have doctors or health professionals in their families. Furthermore, this project gauges students’ exposure to popular medical television and their perception of its pedagogical value in medical education.

Background: The Story Thus Far

Kendal explores the history of humidicribs and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) as two of the existing technologies expected to aid the development of ectogenesis. Conservative and feminist reactions to reproductive biotechnologies are discussed, before addressing the representation of ectogenesis in popular media and its impact on public opinion. Finally, Kendal discusses recent advancements in ectogenesis research using animals and how these may inform human studies.

Providing Equal Opportunity to Ectogenesis

Kendal considers a number of possible distribution methods for ectogenesis services, concluding that state sponsored services are an ethical requirement to ensure equality of opportunity is not compromised for women of low socio-economic status. Alternative allocation methods considered include a user-pay system, priority on the basis of medical need and utilitarian considerations. This discussion is set within Australia’s public healthcare system, Medicare.

Promoting Equal Opportunity through Ectogenesis

Kendal addresses various threats to equal opportunity arising from women’s reproductive capacity, including inequalities between men and women, women and other women (including the fertile and infertile) and between heterosexual and homosexual individuals. She posits that ectogenesis represents a necessary addition to the current suite of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) available in fertility care.

Protecting Equal Opportunity from Ectogenesis

Kendal addresses some of the leadingfeminist concerns regarding assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), including that they are potentially coercive for infertile women. This chapter also discusses pregnancy discrimination, abortion, fetal rights and disability discrimination, ultimately concluding that none of these concerns represents an insurmountable obstacle for the ethical pursuit of ectogenesis research.