Publications by authors named "Melissa A Carroll"

Survey-based research is vital in education and social sciences, offering insights into human behaviors and perceptions. The prevalence of such studies in medical education has risen by 33% over the past decade. Despite this growth, the utility of survey findings depends on the study design quality and measure validity.

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Systematic reviews and meta-analyses aggregate research findings across studies and populations, making them a valuable form of research evidence. Over the past decade, studies in medical education using these methods have increased by 630%. However, many manuscripts are not publication-ready due to inadequate planning and insufficient analyses.

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There are many variations of anatomy courses taught in accredited physician assistant (PA) programs in the United States. Course directors and program leadership must choose how to effectively deliver content within their program constraints. Our anatomy course has faced challenges related to instructional time for didactic and laboratory sessions, course length, curricular placement and alignment, assessments, and faculty availability.

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In 2021, the American Association for Anatomy (AAA) Board of Directors appointed a Task Force on Structural Racism to understand how the laws, rules, and practices in which the Association formed, developed and continues to exist affect membership and participation. This commentary is the first public report from the Task Force. We focus on African Americans with some comments on Jews and women, noting that all marginalized groups deserve study.

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A need currently exists for the establishment of anatomy learning objectives for physical therapist education programs. Developing recommended anatomy objectives to serve as a curricular guide may foster more consistent student outcomes while preserving instructional autonomy. These objectives could serve as a vital resource when making decisions during curricular reform or prioritizing and emphasizing the curriculum's anatomic content.

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As organizations that facilitate collaboration and communication, scientific societies have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to drive inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in science in academia. The American Association for Anatomy (AAA), with its expressed and practiced culture of engagement, can serve as a model of best practice for other professional associations working to become more inclusive of individuals from historically underrepresented groups. In this publication, we acknowledge anatomy's exclusionary past, describe the present face of science in academia, and provide recommendations for societies, including the AAA, to accelerate change in academia.

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This viewpoint proposes eight anatomy threshold concepts related to physical therapist education, considering both movement system theory and anatomical competence. Movement system theory provides classifications and terminology that succinctly identifies and describes physical therapy practice from a theoretical and philosophical framework. The cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, integumentary, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems are all included within this schema as the movement system theory encompasses all body systems interacting to create movement across the lifespan.

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Variants of the axillary artery and brachial plexus were found bilaterally in the axilla of an 86-year-old Asian female. On the left, the cadaver donor had a high bifurcation of the second part of the axillary artery, creating a superficial brachial artery. Meanwhile, the right axilla presented with root, trunk, and cord variations in the formation of the brachial plexus, the most interesting feature being a single, unified cord.

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Unique variants of the pectoralis major and biceps brachii were found during a routine student dissection of a 96-year-old Caucasian female's axilla and brachium. The donor cadaver had bilateral presentation of a muscle originating from the pectoralis major, near the lateral lip of the intertubercular groove, extending obliquely to insert on the medial intermuscular septum and medial epicondyle of the humerus. This muscle variant is currently described as a rare presentation of the chondroepitrochlearis, potentially a remnant of the panniculus carnosus in man.

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The Canalith Repositioning Procedure (CRP) was originally described as a non-invasive treatment for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) by Epley. Since its inception, the maneuver has undergone several modifications; and currently is performed in the absence of induced mastoid vibration (oscillation). Clinically, mastoid vibration may be used to assist in treatment of persistent cases of BPPV, where a simple CRP may fail to improve symptoms.

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Few research articles have addressed the anatomical needs of entry-level occupational therapy students. Given this paucity of empirical evidence, there is a lack of knowledge regarding anatomical education in occupational therapy. This article will primarily serve as a retrospective look at the inclusion of anatomical education in the occupational therapy curriculum.

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Delayed corneal reepithelialization is a complication of diabetes, and may lead to ulcers and erosions, which cause ocular morbidity and visual loss. This study examined the efficacy of naltrexone (NTX), a long-acting, potent opioid antagonist, applied topically, to facilitate the repair of standardized corneal abrasions in diabetic (alloxan-induced) New Zealand White rabbits (glucose levels>450 mg/dL). NTX at a concentration of 10(-4)M, or sterile vehicle (SV), was administered topically 4 times per day for 7 days to the abraded eye of uncontrolled Type 1 diabetic (DB), insulin-controlled Type 1 diabetic (DB-IN), or non-diabetic (Normal) rabbits.

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