ObjectivesTo explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students’ work-life balance. MethodsA cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). ResultsSeven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p< 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p< 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p<0.01). ConclusionsStudy skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study.

BackgroundVirtual reality technology is an exciting and emerging field with vast applications. Our study sets out the viewpoint that virtual reality software could be a new focus of direction in the development of training tools in medical education. We carried out a panel discussion at the Center for Behavior Change 3rd Annual Conference, prompted by the study, “The Responses of Medical General Practitioners to Unreasonable Patient Demand for Antibiotics––A Study of Medical Ethics Using Immersive Virtual Reality” (1).MethodsIn Pan et al.’s study, 21 general practitioners (GPs) and GP trainees took part in a videoed, 15-min virtual reality scenario involving unnecessary patient demands for antibiotics. This paper was discussed in-depth at the Center for Behavior Change 3rd Annual Conference; the content of this paper is a culmination of findings and feedback from the panel discussion. The experts involved have backgrounds in virtual reality, general practice, medicines management, medical education and training, ethics, and philosophy.ViewpointVirtual reality is an unexplored methodology to instigate positive behavioral change among clinicians where other methods have been unsuccessful, such as antimicrobial stewardship. There are several arguments in favor of use of virtual reality in medical education: it can be used for “difficult to simulate” scenarios and to standardize a scenario, for example, for use in exams. However, there are limitations to its usefulness because of the cost implications and the lack of evidence that it results in demonstrable behavior change.

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BackgroundTimely availability of blood sample results for interpretation affects planning and delivery of patient care from initial assessment in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments.Materials and methodsRates of, and reasons for, rejected blood samples submitted from all clinical areas over one month were evaluated. Haemoglobin (Hb) represented haematology and potassium (K+), biochemistry. A prospective observational study evaluated the methodology of sample collection and impact on utility.Results16,061 haematology and 16,209 biochemistry samples were evaluated; 1.4% (n = 229, range 0.5–7.3%) and 4.7% (n = 762, range 0.9–14%) respectively were rejected, with 14% (n = 248/1808) K+ rejection rate in A&E. Patients with rejected K+ and Hb had a longer median in-hospital stay of 9 and 76 h respectively and additional stay fixed costs of £26,824.74 excluding treatment. The rejection rate with Vacutainer and butterfly (4.0%) was lower than Vacutainer and cannula (28%).ConclusionSample rejection rate is high and is associated with increased in-hospital stay and cost. Blood sampling technique impacts on rejection rates. Reduction in sample rejection rates in emergency care areas in acute hospitals has the potential to impact on patient flow and reduce cost.

System review and improvement is paramount to ensure the diagnostic pathway is of a high clinical quality, efficient, patient focused and sustainable.