Final Annotations

Marie Caulfield. Geoffrey Redden. Henry Sondheimer, “Graduation Rates and Attrition Factors for U.S. Medical School Students.” Association of American Medical Colleges. Volume 14, Number 5 (May 2014) https://www.aamc.org/download/379220/data/may2014aib-graduationratesandattritionfactorsforusmedschools.pdf

In the article, “Graduation Rates and Attrition Factors…,” written by authors Marie Caulfield, Ph.D and manager of data operations and services; Geoffrey Redden, Senior database specialist; and Henry Sondheimer, M.D and Senior director of medical education projects. Caulfield, Redden, and Sondheimer brake evidence down into three segments, “Methods”, “Results”, and “Discussion”. The authors discuss the collection of data displaying graduation rates from medical students depending on their time in school. In their discussion they argue, “While the ultimate graduation rate for M.D.-only medical students remains very high, there is a clear trend over the past 30 years showing a drop in the four-year graduation rate for single degree medical students” (Page 2). The non- fulfillment of single degrees can come from a multitude of different issues, but for a student to become derailed from a degree path a conflict must occur. Further discussion states that, “… this trend reflects a perceived need for additional experiences for career success or competitiveness in the residency matching process or, alternatively, a generational shift in the view of the educational timeline” (Page 2). The authors are explaining there are a multitude of reasons a student may take a premature exit to a medical degree. This supports my research because it gives a look into this trend that is happening all over the nation. Allowing one to see that not only in Florida but across the nation students are prematurely exiting medical degrees due to setbacks such as graduation timeline, competitiveness, and additional licensing that may or may not seem feasible to the student.

Authors Caulfield, Redden, and Sondheimer go further in their discussions about what may be causing the dip in graduation rate of medical students. A key portion of the text is that they contrast earlier statements by zeroing in on a specific reason for graduation decline. The article states, “In contrast, students who take a leave of absence are at significantly higher risk of not completing medical school” (Page 2). The authors are stating that its been proven through data that students who take a break or miss segments of schooling “fall into a category with a one-in three chances of not graduating…” (Page 2).

This source follows along the same streamline idea that there has been an increase of dropout and or major changes in medical degrees all over the country. These authors use slightly different examples to portray there claims than other sources. The use of graphs and the compare/contrast of past and present statistics where relied heavily upon in this source. The article was very clear cut in what the authors wished to portray. On the other hand, more evidence on what factors contributed to the drop in graduation rates would have strengthened the article.

Bridget M Maher. Helen Hynes. Catherine Sweeney. Ali S Khashan, Margaret O’Rourke. Kieran Doran, Anne Harris. Siun O’ Flynn, “Medical School Attrition-Beyond the Statistics a Ten Year Retrospective Study.” BMC Medical Education (January 2013) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3565981/

In the article, “Medical School Attrition-Beyond the Statistics A Ten Year Retrospective Study,” written by authors Bridget M Maher, Helen Hynes, Catherine Sweeney, Ali S Khashan, Margaret O’Rourke, Kieran Doran, Anne Harris, and Siun O’ Flynn gives retrospect to data found on students both male and female, live in the US and the UK. This data displays what factors contribute to medical dropouts. In the article these authors brake down the reasons behind medical dropouts and contribute it to various reasons. In the segment, “Factors associated with medical school attrition”, the authors brake down the main reasons for medical dropouts stating that not only age but gender and unpreparedness play a big role in these dropout rates. For example, the authors state, “However, academic preparedness has been the only consistent variable shown to be associated with dropout”. This meaning that students are coming in from lower education levels unprepared for the academic workload of a medical student. Thus, affecting their willingness to relive themselves from the program.

Authors drive the point home by breaking down there claims into smaller subsections. Some of these subsections included, academic preparedness, meaning students who struggled in certain subjects, such as chemistry or physics had a higher dropout rate; Socio-demographic factors, stating that gender, age, ethnicity, and social class where also factors contributing to dropouts; and Others student variables like academic difficulty, previouse degrees, and social isolation. This is important, it allows the authors to dive into their claims making them more credible. For example, in subcategory, Other student variables, the authors state, “failing at least one basic science course in Year 1(US) and low Year 1 grade point averages were strongly associated with dropout”. The breakdown of these categories allows for further explanation by the authors.

This source, along with most other sources of mine follows the same idea that there is an increase in dropout rate of medical students and there are various reasons why. The braking down of individual ideas and fact pulling of multiple credible outside sources played well to strengthen the credibility of this article. This was a good thing just because there was plenty of support to back up the claims the author made. However, one thing that could help this article is a clearer separation of data from one country to the next.

Thomas G. Bowma. Jay Herte. Heather D. Wathington, “Programmatic Factors Associated with Undergraduate Athletic Training Student Retention and Attrition Decisions.” ATHLETIC TRAINING EDUCATION JOURNAL. Volume 10, Issue 1, January-March 2015 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274708279_Programmatic_Factors_Associated_with_Undergraduate_Athletic_Training_Student_Retention_and_Attrition_Decisions

In the journal entry, “Programmatic Factors Associated with Undergraduate Athletic

Training Student Retention and Attrition Decisions” authors Thomas G. Bowman, PhD, ATC*; Jay Hertel, PhD, ATC, FACSM, FNATA; Heather D. Wathington, PhD talks about specific allied health programs experiencing similar dropout depressions as other undergraduate studies in the health field. These authors express the idea that the undergraduate major, athletic training is struggling to retain students from dropping out and that there are clear reasons for it. The text revolves around the idea that there are 5 variables that contribute to retention rates. These variables are learned through surveys and research broken down over the course of the text. Authors state, “the timing of formal admission into the ATP, the number of years the ATPs had been accredited, the number of students admitted to the ATP annually, and the number of years the PDs had held their position at their current institution to be significant predictors of athletic training student retention” (Page 7). Understanding what goes into timing of acceptance, number of student admissions, etc. is made clear through the breakdown of multiple journal sections like student enrollment, student success, and many others.

The conclusion segment is what brings the text all together. Authors summarize all the data covered in the text and give further explanation as to what they mean. The reflection on what was covered and what other athletic training programs can do to improve their retention rate solidifies the authors points even more. For example, in the conclusion segment authors state, “We identified several demographic variables that were helpful in predicting self-reported retention rates of undergraduate ATPs. From these results, ATP PDs should work to provide a dynamic and exciting atmosphere to help motivate students” (Page 9). Now the authors explain the importance of the 5 reasons of low retention rates and that if worked on would most likely result in less dropouts and more graduates from athletic training programs across the country.

This source gave credit to most of my other sources, keeping to the same idea that students all over the country are entering health degrees and taking a pre-mature exit. The informative position the journal entry took worked very well with the information provided. Pulling accredited information from other sources strengthened the text even more. Also having the visual displays of graphs and tables where a big help in understanding the text. I believe that there should have been a slight rebuttal in the texts conclusion to satisfy any readers that might feel like there are other more important reasons why students drop out of the original major.

Brett R. Merkley. “Student nurse attrition: A half century of research.” Journal of Nursing Education and Practice. Vol.6, No.3(November 2015)

http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/jnep

In the journal entry, “Student nurse attrition: A half century of research”, written by author Brett R. Merkley, it explains the battle institutions have been fighting for years, nurse attrition. Merkley argues that not only has the enrolment and graduation of nursing students been on a decline since the 1960’s but this problem is not only on American soil, it is happening all over the world. The text breaks down what happens to students that make them feel the need to drop out or switch carrier paths via multiple database searcher and references. Merkley states that all searches and research done where investigated under the searches of, “Student nurse AND attrition; student nurse attrition; student nurse drop-out; and nurse education policy. This study would include search outcomes from 1965 to 2015” (Page 71). Merkley found that there are numerous reasons one could be convinced to drop out of his or her major. This including, “academic preparation, academic performance, purpose, health, and socioeconomics are interrelated factors influencing a student’s success or failure” (Page 72). Given these examples of influences on a nursing student, the author to now supports these claims by addressing individual categories that Merkleys research has shown affects graduation rates.

The categories of influence broken down as, The student nurse, describes “multiple variables and the social relationships between the student and the institution” (Page 72); Learning environment and instructor, describing “literature identified the environment of learning as a research theme relevant to student nurse retention and attrition” (Page 73); Clinical placement, conveying that if students “are not provided good placement early in the program, they often become disillusioned” (Page73); and Policy, stating that “Legislative decisions impact student and faculty in nursing education programs” (Page 73). All these categories help support the idea that nursing student attrition is a topic of discussion and will continue to be.

This journal entry supports and follows the trending idea that there is something going on with students in health tracks that is causing pre-mature exits from programs. The support given to this text by the research the author did for his own writing gives accreditation to the reading. I believe the source could have used more visual examples such as graphs to display data. Other than that, the text was well written.

Catherine Mary Griswold. "Understanding Causes of Attrition of 1st- and 2ndYear Nursing Students." Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection. (2014) http://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1141&context=dissertations

This source, “Understanding Causes of Attrition of 1st- and 2ndYear

Nursing Students” written by Catherine Mary Griswold of Walden University states that there is something that occurs between year on and year two of nursing students that causes some student to drop out of programs. Grisworld states, “Students entering higher education are unaware of the transition issues that lie ahead that may thwart their success” (Page 1). She explains through her research she has discovered there are many roadblocks students face in hopes of becoming a nurse that they where not informed of before being excepted into programs. The author states, “It is estimated that, on average,

approximately 20% of students entering college will not graduate” (Page 1). She sees that students are not graduating and attempts to label a cause for this.

Using multiple sources, she explains her main problem, the high attrition of nursing students has been discussed for years but not resolved. This text breaks down why exactly this problem occurs both on a “local level” and a “professional” level. Students all over the nation blindly walk into situations they are not prepared for, this resulting in dropouts.

This text gives a deep detailed investigation into the exact idea that mostly all my other sources support. The statement that there are multiple things that can derail a student but students in the health fields seem to be trending these obstacles. The support given from various outside sources is always something that gives power to a text. It is a long source so there is no shortage of details.