Decline in Pediatric Shelf Examination Performance During COVID-19

Background Medical student education has been impacted by the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Medical students were removed from clinical settings, and the censuses in pediatric hospitals decreased. While there have been studies starting to evaluate these effects on medical students training in surgical subspecialties, the literature in pediatrics is limited. Objective This study analyzed third-year medical students’ National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Clinical Science Pediatrics Shelf Exam scores at the conclusion of their core pediatric clerkship. We compared the exam scores before COVID-19 pandemic to those during the pandemic. We hypothesized that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic would have a negative impact on NBME shelf exam scores and that shelf exam failure rates would increase. Methods Institutional Review Board approval was obtained prior to initiation of this study. We conducted a retrospective review of medical student pediatric shelf exam scores from June 2017 to December 2020 from one large, single institution. We adjusted scores for block schedule timing and standardized them based on national norms published for the year prior. We compared two groups: those who completed their pediatric clerkship experiences before pandemic (predominantly in-person learning) vs. those who completed it during the pandemic (predominantly virtual learning). Groups were compared using chi-square and analysis-of-variance testing. Results We included 991 medical students, 772 before COVID-19 and 219 during COVID-19. Of these, 19 of 772 (2.5%) students failed the exam prior to COVID-19 compared to 19 of 219 (8.7%) during COVID-19 (p < 0.001). Students who completed their pediatric clerkship during COVID-19 were 3.77 times more likely to fail their end-of-clerkship NBME shelf exam (p < 0.001). Conclusions Students who completed their core pediatric clerkship in a predominantly virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly more likely to fail their end-of-clerkship NBME shelf exam. Increased failure rates may suggest issues with acquisition and retainment of pediatric medical knowledge throughout the clerkship, creating knowledge gaps in the foundation of their pediatric experience. Long-term effects of virtual learning platforms will need to be studied further

Speculum.

Patent for an improved speculum, including instructions and illustrations

Attachment for Kitchen-Cabinets

Patent for an attachment for kitchen cabinets that has a mechanism for measuring out flour and other dry ingredients, a knife sharpener, and a breadboard

Cleaner For Firearm Barrels.

Patent for a cleaner for firearm barrels that is small enough to be carried in a pocket. "May be used for cleaning firearms of the repeating type.

Kitchen Cabinet.

Patent for a kitchen cabinet that is uniquely constructed and compactly stores condiments and food articles. The food can be easily accessed, and the cabinet has an apparatus for sifting flour "that may be delivered thereby from the sealed bins in the cabinet, in any desired quantity for use" (lines 18-20)

Westinghouse Hanford Company Effluent Discharges and Solid Waste Management Report for Calendar Year 1989: 200/600 Areas

This report presents calendar year 1989 radiological and nonradiological effluent discharge data from facilities in the 200 Areas and the 600 Area of the Hanford Site. Both summary and detailed effluent data are presented. In addition, radioactive and nonradioactive solid waste storage and disposal data for calendar year 1989 are furnished. Where appropriate, comparisons to previous years are made. The intent of the report is to demonstrate compliance of Westinghouse Hanford Company-operated facilities with administrative control values for radioactive constituents and applicable guidelines and standards (including Federal permit limits) for nonradioactive constituents. 11 refs., 20 tabs

U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Idaho Operations Office Reports

Report that summarizes the design work of the radioactive chop-leach demonstration at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant presented in two parts

Interim Report on the Development of an Air Pulser for Pulse Column Application

The Idaho Chemical Processing Plant for several years has been studying various pulsing systems, used in extraction columns for processing irradiated nucIear fuel elements, in an effort to eliminate the mechanical difficuittes in present pulsing systems. An air puising system has been demonstrated, and a discussion is given of experimental work, pulser design, and plant operational experience with this system. It is concluded, from work completed thus far that air puising of extraction columns is a considerable improvement over other systems. (auth