Background: Strong learner-teacher relationships are associated with more successful learning outcomes. With shortened modular curricula and increased availability of online resources, fostering faculty interaction with preclinical medical students has become more challenging. We sought to enhance learner-teacher relationships by engaging in discussion with preclinical medical students in their own online space. Methods: We utilized a closed Facebook discussion group, where faculty and students voluntarily joined in informal discussions and shared announcements related to their courses. The closed discussion group allowed only participating students and faculty to see others' posts within the group. This provided a platform to freely interact within the confines of the group while maintaining privacy for the personal Facebook accounts of both faculty and students. We utilized the discussion group through three separate organ system-based modules for 14 weeks. Afterward, students were asked to complete an anonymous, voluntary online survey about their experience. Results: 94.1% (160/170) of enrolled second-year medical students joined the voluntary FB discussion group. There were 214 posts, 628 comments, and 4166 reactions in this discussion group during the three modules. Of the students in the group, 74.4% (119/160) responded to the online survey. Overall, students strongly agreed that the Facebook discussion group fostered better rapport with faculty, helped content learning, and improved emotional well-being. Also, they felt more comfortable seeking academic help after using the discussion group. They reported a slight preference for Facebook over email as a medium for asking questions, but no preference for either as a medium for distributing announcements. Students overwhelmingly recommended that the discussion group should be continued in future years. Conclusion: The Facebook discussion group was a free, efficient, and effective method of cultivating the learnerteacher relationship with the preclinical medical students, resulting in reported enhancement of learning and morale.

No abstract

No abstract

The practice of prescribing beta-blockers to lower blood pressure and mitigate perioperative cardiovascular events has been questioned due to reports of an increased risk of stroke. The benefit of beta-blocker therapy primarily relies on preventing activation of cardiac β1-adrenergic receptors (β1AR). However, we reported that β1ARs also mediate vasodilator responses of rat cerebral arteries (CA), implying that betablockers may impair cerebral blood flow under some conditions. Here, we defined the impact of metoprolol (MET), a widely prescribed β1AR-selective antagonist, on adrenergic-elicited diameter responses of rat CA ex vivo and in vivo. MET (1-10 µmol/L) prevented β1AR-mediated increases in diameter elicited by dobutamine in cannulated rat CA. The β1AR-mediated dilation elicited by the endogenous adrenergic agonist norepinephrine (NE) was reversed to a sustained constriction by MET. Acute oral administration of MET (30 mg/kg) to rats in doses that attenuated resting heart rate and dobutamine-induced tachycardia also blunted β1AR-mediated dilation of CA. In the same animals, NE-induced dilation of CA was reversed to sustained constriction. Administration of MET for two weeks in drinking water (2 mg/mL) or subcutaneously (15 mg/kg/day) also resulted in NE-induced constriction of CA in vivo. Thus, doses of MET that protect the heart from adrenergic stimulation also prevent β1AR-mediated dilation of CA and favor anomalous adrenergic constriction. Our findings raise the possibility that the increased risk of ischemic stroke in patients on beta-blockers relates in part to adrenergic dysregulation of cerebrovascular tone.

Background: Strong learner-teacher relationships are associated with more successful learning outcomes. With shortened modular curricula and increased availability of online resources, fostering faculty interaction with preclinical medical students has become more challenging. We sought to enhance learner-teacher relationships by engaging in discussion with preclinical medical students in their own online space.Methods: We utilized a closed Facebook discussion group, where faculty and students voluntarily joined in informal discussions and shared announcements related to their courses. The closed discussion group allowed only participating students and faculty to see others' posts within the group.This provided a platform to freely interact within the confines of the group while maintaining privacy for the personal Facebook accounts of both faculty and students. We utilized the discussion group through 3 separate organ system-based modules for 14 weeks. Afterward, students were asked to complete an anonymous, voluntary online survey about their experience.Results: 94.1% (160/170) of enrolled second-year medical students joined the voluntary FB discussion group. There were 214 posts, 628 comments, and 4166 reactions in this discussion group during the three modules. Of the students in the group, 74.4% (119/160) responded to the online survey.Overall, students strongly agreed that the Facebook discussion group fostered better rapport with faculty, helped content learning, and improved emotional well-being. Also, they felt more comfortable seeking academic help after using the discussion group. They reported a slight preference for Facebook over email as a medium for asking questions, but no preference for either as a medium for distributing announcements. Students overwhelmingly recommended that the discussion group should be continued in future years.Conclusion: The Facebook discussion group was a free, efficient, and effective method of cultivating the learner-teacher relationship with the preclinical medical students, resulting in reported enhancement of learning and morale. BackgroundThe learner-teacher relationship in medical education is important for cultivating successful learning