Meet the KeyPURs Key Points & Useful Repetition

The Problem Content heavy curriculum and no where to cut Retaining basic facts over the course of the semester Retaining basic facts for professional practice

Solution Meet the KeyPURS Series of foundational blocks of information Points awarded weekly New information Repeat information

Explanation to students Useful repetition NOT busy work Points awarded for correct answers Manipulative created for professional practice Challenge  100% correct response on specific KeyPUR exam questions Ready, set, go!

Format Chart format Pathogen Environment Gram stain morphology Additional information (no more than 3)

Week 1 Meet the KeyPURS (fill in the blank challenge for week 1) WeekOrganism Environment Gram stain morphology Additional information 1Staphylococcus aureus

Week 1 Answers WeekOrganism Environment Gram stain morphology Additional information 1Staphylococcus aureus aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/cl Catalase+ Coagulase+

Week 2 WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional information 1Staphylococcus aureus 2Streptococcus pyogenes

Week 2 Answers WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional Info. 1Staphylococcus aureus aerobeGram + cocci/s/pr/cl Catalase+ Coagulase+ 2Streptococcus pyogenes aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/ch Catalase= PYR+ BSA

Week 3 WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional Info. 1Staphylococcus aureus 2Streptococcus pyogenes 3Enterococcus species

Week 3 Answers WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional Info. 1Staphylococcus aureus aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/cl Catalase + Coagulase= 2Streptococcus pyogenes aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/ch Catalase= PYR+ BSA 3Enterococcus species aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/ch Catalase= Hydrolyzes BE PYR+

Week 4 WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional Info. 1Staphylococcus aureus 2Streptococcus pyogenes 3Enterococcus species 4E.coli

Week 4 Answers WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphology Additional Info. 1Staphylococcus aureus aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/cl Catalase + Coagulase + 2Streptococcus pyogenes aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/ch Catalase= PYR+ BSA 3Enterococcus species aerobeGram + cocci s/pr/ch Catalase= Hydrolyzes BE PYR+ 4E.coliaerobeGram = bacilliOxidase= Indole+

And so on…..weeks 5,6,7,8,9 Building new information on top of the old New weekly information often corresponded with lecture material and laboratory experience 2 points for each correct line (all information had to be correct to receive credit for that line) Continues through week 10

Finally reaching week 10

WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphologyAdditional Info 1Staphylococcus aureus 2Streptococcus pyogenes 3Enterococcus sp. 4E. coli 5Pseudomonas aeruginosa 6Neisseria gonorrhoeae 7Haemophilus influenzae 8Bacillus anthracis 9Clostridium perfringens 10 Bacteroides fragilis group

WeekOrganismEnvironmentGram stain morphologyAdditional Info 1Staphylococcus aureus AerobeGram + cocci s/pr/clCatalase + Coagulase + 2Streptococcus pyogenes AerobeGram + cocci s/pr/chCatalase = PYR+ BSA 3Enterococcus sp.AerobeGram + cocci s/prs/chCatalase = Hydrolyzes BE PYR+ 4E. coliAerobeGram = bacilliOxidase= Indole+ 5Pseudomonas aeruginosa AerobeGram = bacilliOxidase + Green, grapes 6Neisseria gonorrhoeae AerobeGram = diplococciOxidase = G+MLS= STD 7Haemophilus influenzae AerobePleomorphic gram = coccobacilli X and V Weak oxidase + Mousy odor 8Bacillus anthracisAerobeGram + bacilliSpores Non hemolytic BT agent 9Clostridium perfringens AnaerobeGram + bacilliBox cars/ spores Double zones 10Bacteroides fragilis group AnaerobeGram = bacilliHydrolyzes BBE 9 species B. fragilis #1

By week 10 Possible points accumulated (110 points) Week 1 2 points Week 24 points Week 3 6 points Week 4 8 points Week 5 10 points Week 6 12 points Week 7 14 points Week 8 16 points Week 9 18 points Week points

Results 2005 Cohort (n=19) 2006 Cohort (n=24)

And Beyond… Student comments from Professional Practice: “My KeyPURs are a life saver” “I use my KeyPURs everyday in micro” “Review your KeyPURs, they really do help” “I LOVE Microbiology and the KeyPURs really helped me” “Micro ROCKS (with a little help from my KeyPURs)!!!!!!”

Clinical Faculty Comments “Student” seemed more comfortable with common pathogen information “Student” was well prepared on a daily basis (nice change from previous years ) “What a joy to teach micro when the student actually knows a little about the pathogens”- Good job with those cards!

Conclusion Basic key foundational material can be reinforced through useful repetition Students engage once they realize the value of the information Information can be retained beyond the semester’s end Information can be formatted for students to use as an immediate resource

“Meet the KeyPURs” This work was supported through a Teaching Innovation Grant Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology Illinois State University