Project GIVE: using a virtual genetics service platform to reduce health inequities and improve access to genomic care in an underserved region of Texas.

Background: The utilization of genomic information to improve health outcomes is progressively becoming more common in clinical practice. Nonetheless, disparities persist in accessing genetic services among ethnic minorities, individuals with low socioeconomic status, and other vulnerable populations. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) at the Texas-Mexico border is predominantly Hispanic/Latino with a high poverty rate and very limited access to genetic services.

Reducing Time to Diagnosis of Rare Genetic Diseases in a Medically Underserved Hispanic Population- Lessons Learned for Meaningful Engagement.

Background: The utilization of genomic information to improve health outcomes is progressively becoming more common in clinical practice. Nonetheless, disparities persist in accessing genetic services among ethnic minorities, individuals with low socioeconomic status, and other vulnerable populations. The Rio Grande Valley at the Texas-Mexico border is predominantly Hispanic with a high poverty rate and an increased prevalence of birth defects, with very limited access to genetics services.

Demise of the USMLE Step-2 CS exam: Rationalizing a way forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled rethinking and changes in medical education, the most controversial perhaps being the cancelation of USMLE Step-2 Clinical Skills exam (Step-2 CS). What started in March of 2020 as suspension of this professional licensure exam, because of concerns about infection risk for examinees, standardized patients (SPs), and administrators, soon became permanent cancelation in January 2021. Expectedly, it triggered debate in medical education circles.

Augmented Reality Application of Schizocosa ocreata: A Tool for Reducing Fear of Arachnids Through Public Outreach.

This study aims to create a mobile application for public interaction around the subject of wolf spiders, specifically the brush-legged wolf spider. The hope is that the public will have a reduced level of fear towards arachnids when given a chance to view arachnids in a digital setting. To assist this, the application employs augmented reality animation, which has been shown to have a positive impact on the viewer's interest and learning.

A non-destructive virtual dissection by micro-CT reveals diagnostic characters in the type specimen of Caloptilia stigmatella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae).

Nearly a century ago, wing venation was introduced in gracillariid taxonomy as a means to diagnose closely related genera and species groups. Recent advances in non-destructive virtual micro-dissections suggest promising approaches with which to revisit the relevance of wing venation characters on historic primary type specimens. Many unique type specimens in Gracillariidae and other microlepidoptera groups preserved in museum collections are in poor condition, and over the course of history have suffered loss or damage to their abdomens.

Vibration-guided mate searching in treehoppers: directional accuracy and sampling strategies in a complex sensory environment.

Animal movement decisions involve an action-perception cycle in which sensory flow influences motor output. Key aspects of the action-perception cycle involved in movement decisions can be identified by integrating path information with measurement of environmental cues. We studied mate searching in insects for which the primary sensory cues are mechanical vibrations traveling through the tissues of living plants.

Establishing the NeuroRecovery Network Community Fitness and Wellness facilities: multi-site fitness facilities provide activity-based interventions and assessments for evidence-based functional gains in neurologic disorders.

Background: Physical fitness is a necessity for those living with a spinal cord injury, yet access to fitness facilities, equipment, and specially trained fitness experts are limited.

Methods: This article introduces the concept of a network of fitness facilities specially geared towards individuals with spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders.

Results: The Community Fitness and Wellness branch of the NeuroRecovery Network was created to provide a continuum of care after traditional rehabilitation for individuals living with a spinal cord injury and other neurological disorders.

Development of the OnTrack Diabetes Program.

Background: Type 2 diabetes affects an estimated 347 million people worldwide and often leads to serious complications including blindness, kidney disease, and limb amputation. Comorbid dysphoria is common and is an independent risk factor for poor glycaemic control. Professional support for diabetes self-management and dysphoria has limited availability and involves high costs, especially after regular hours, and in rural and remote areas.

A questionnaire survey comparing the educational priorities of patients and medical students in the management of multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To compare the educational priorities patients and students raise concerning the management of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design/setting: A single-centre comparative questionnaire survey conducted in a foundation trust hospital which provides teaching for one UK medical school.

Participants: A total of 255 people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and 125 final year medical students attending a mandatory module were invited to participate.

Perfectionistic cognitions and eating disturbance: distinct mediational models for males and females.

Objective: Perfectionism has long been known to correlate with eating disturbance (ED). One mechanism through which this personality tendency may lead to ED is through increasing one's daily perfectionistic thoughts. This study examined the mediating role of perfectionistic thinking in the personality perfectionism-ED relationship among both male and female college students, and included measures assessing both typically-male and typically-female ED symptoms.

DrivAbility: teaching medical aspects of driving.

Context: Teaching medical aspects of fitness to drive (FTD) is currently inconsistent across UK medical schools, with almost one-third of UK medical schools offering no tuition on medical aspects of FTD. It is, therefore, not surprising to find that medical students and doctors tend to lack confidence regarding the medical aspects of FTD and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) medical standards.

Innovation: In response to this inconsistency we developed an innovative new learning module to teach our medical students the importance of giving appropriate advice to patients about driving, the role of the DVLA regarding medical aspects of FTD, how to recognise when patients should be referred to a driving assessment centre and what adaptations are available to allow patients with physical disabilities to drive safely.

Teaching medical students rehabilitation medicine.

Purpose: The principles of rehabilitation medicine will become ever more important across many medical and surgical specialties in view of the rising prevalence of chronic and disabling conditions. Yet rehabilitation medicine has traditionally been unpopular with medical students. This article aims to review the existing evidence of problems in teaching medical undergraduates in rehabilitation medicine and provide published recommendations and practical approaches from our own experience.