Graduates' perceptions of self-assessment training in clinical dental hygiene education.
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Although research regarding self-assessment as a curriculum component has been undertaken previously, no data have been reported regarding the perceptions of graduates who were taught self-assessment as a formalized component of accredited dental hygiene programs. Aided by alumni insight and the belief that the dental hygiene curriculum has the potential for improvement, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate dental hygienists' perceptions regarding self-assessment as a curriculum component and its impact on their clinical dental hygiene education. This investigation drew a sample of subjects from forty-eight graduates of a bachelor's degree dental hygiene program located within a college of dentistry. Twelve graduates were selected to participate in the study. An audiotaped semi-structured interview with predetermined questions served as a focus for the interview, yet amplification and probing allowed the participants to further articulate their feelings and thoughts. Findings indicated that participants believed self-assessment to be a worthwhile and positive component of the dental hygiene curriculum. All participants emphatically recounted with dramatic examples that training in self-assessment positively influenced their clinical dental hygiene education, permanently impacted their thinking process, and is being used in their practices. (+info)
Use of a MeSH-based index of faculty research interests to identify faculty publications: an IAIMSian study of precision, recall, and data reusability.
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OBJECTIVE: To determine whether MEDLINE searches based on an existing automated faculty research interest index or on author name entities can be used to automate construction of accurate online lists of faculty publications. METHODS: Curricula vitae (CVs) for 36 faculty members were selected at random. Their lists of journal publications were used to determine recall and precision of two MEDLINE search strategies. OUTCOME: Most faculty publications in the CVs (86%) were indexed in MEDLINE. The research-interest-enhanced MEDLINE searches retrieved citations in the CVs that were also in MEDLINE with a recall of 0.53 and precision of 0.85. For every 10 citations in the research interest-enhanced search, on average 8.5 were in the CVs. The name entity searches retrieved a higher proportion of citations in the CVs (recall 0.94, precision 0.59) with a higher rate of citations not in the CVs: For every 10 citations in the faculty name searches, 7.3 citations were in the CVs. Name commonness or clinical or basic sciences appointment did not change these results. CONCLUSION: MEDLINE searches, especially those based on research interests, can be used to populate faculty publication lists with high rates of accuracy. Author based searches can also be used, but they retrieve a higher proportion of irrelevant citations. This study confirms a successful instance of data reusability and integration at a large health academic sciences institution. (+info)
Validation of self-reported cancers in the California Teachers Study.
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Self-reported cancer data from the California Teachers Study were validated by using California Cancer Registry data. The California Teachers Study cohort consists of 133,479 active and retired California teachers. In 1995-1996, data from a mailed questionnaire were linked to the California Cancer Registry data. Sensitivity and specificity of 11 types of cancer were calculated. Multivariate analyses were conducted to evaluate correlates of false-positive and false-negative reporting. Sensitivities showed great variation by cancer site. The highest sensitivities were observed for breast (96.4%) and thyroid (92.9%) cancers, whereas the lowest sensitivities were those for cervical (44.3%), endometrial (69.1%), and other skin (53.6%) cancers. The sensitivities for in situ cancers (at the time of diagnosis) were considerably lower than those for invasive cancers in about half of the cancer types surveyed. The specificities for individual cancer sites ranged from 90% to 99%; the highest were those for lung cancer, leukemia, and Hodgkin's disease (all 99.9%). The lowest specificity was for other skin cancer (90.2%). In situ stage at diagnosis and older age were significantly associated with false-positive reporting. Age and non-White race were associated with false-negative reporting. These findings suggest that the feasibility of using self-reported data without verification in epidemiologic studies of cancer varies by site. (+info)
The changing environment of graduate and postdoctoral training in drug metabolism: viewpoints from academia, industry, and government.
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This article is an invited report of a symposium sponsored by the Drug Metabolism Division of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics held at Experimental Biology 2002 in New Orleans. The impetus for the symposium was a perceived shortage in the supply of graduate students qualified for drug metabolism research positions in industry, academia, and government. For industry, recent hiring stems largely from the expansion of drug metabolism departments in an effort to keep pace with the demands of drug discovery and new technologies. In turn, regulatory scientists are needed to review and verify the results of the increased number and volume of studies required for drug development and approval. Thus the initial source of training, academia, has been forced to recognize these external hiring pressures while trying to attract and retain the faculty, postdoctoral scientists, and students necessary for active teaching and research programs. The trend of the expansion of the interdisciplinary nature of traditional drug metabolism to include emerging technologies such as pharmacogenetics, transporters, and proteomics and the implications for future needs in training and funding were acknowledged. There was also consensus on the value of partnerships between academia and industry for increasing student interest and providing training in disciplines directly applicable to industrial drug metabolism research. Factors affecting the sources of these trainees, such as federal funding, the number of trainees per institution, and recent issues with immigration restrictions that have limited the flow of scientists were also discussed. (+info)
Internationalization of the animal science undergraduate curriculum: a survey of its current status, barriers to its implementation and its value.
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The goal of this project was to identify the current level at which internationalization has been adopted as a theme in the North American animal science curriculum and to identify its value and the barriers to its implementation. We surveyed animal, dairy, and poultry science departments across Canada and the United States. One hundred twenty-four surveys were mailed and 60% were returned. Associations between aspects of internationalization and student outcomes (admission to veterinary and graduate schools and starting salaries) were examined. Although administrators strongly believed internationalization had value, implementation was limited. The most common practices included international content in core animal science classes, advising, international internships, and participation of faculty in international scholarly activities. Few departments have incorporated internationalization into their mission statements or developed a specific international-themed class, scholarships devoted to international activities, or roles for international students. Few departments reported participation of students in international programs. Barriers included finances and limited commitment from higher administration. Student outcomes were positively associated with faculty size, percentage of international faculty, the ratio of international students to the total student population, international content in core animal science classes, a specific international-themed class, availability of international internships, and exchange of class material internationally via the Internet. Departments that did not offer international opportunities had a negative association (r = -0.79) with starting salary, but these relationships may not be causal. Alternatively, progressive departments may attract and retain exceptional students. The analysis indicated an awareness of the value of international programs, positive impacts in student outcomes, and financial barriers to implementation. (+info)
Three soliloquies on tobacco industry funding of university research.
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The view on tobacco industry funding for university research, from three very differing perspectives (+info)
Differential risks of covarying and pure components in mother and teacher reports of externalizing and internalizing behavior across ages 5 to 14.
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In a sample of 585 children assessed in kindergarten through 8th grade, we fit a confirmatory factor model to both mother- and teacher-reported symptoms on the Achenbach checklists (CBCL, TRF) and determined that a covariation factor of externalizing and internalizing behaviors existed, in addition to the pure-form factors of externalizing and internalizing for each reporter. In 3 structural equation models, between 8 and 67% of the variance in these 6 latent factors was accounted for by a set of antecedent child, sociocultural, parenting, and peer risk variables. Each of the 6 latent factors, taken 2 at a time, was predicted by a unique set of risk variables; however, there were some patterns that held for both mother- and teacher-report symptom factors: Child temperamental unadaptability and female gender were predictors of higher internalizing symptoms; child temperamental resistance to control, parental harsh punishment, male gender, low SES, and peer rejection were related to higher externalizing symptoms whereas child temperamental unadaptability was related to lower externalizing symptoms; and peer rejection and family stress were also related to the covarying, externalizing-plus-internalizing component of both mother and teacher reports. (+info)
Hong Kong Chinese teachers' attitudes towards life-sustaining treatment in the dying patients.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese teachers towards life-sustaining treatment in the dying patients. DESIGN: Prospective structured questionnaire survey. SETTING: Hong Kong Institute of Education. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All teaching staff at the Hong Kong Institute of Education were sent the survey questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered demographic data, information on experience of 'life and death' decision-making, and views on life-sustaining treatment decisions. Respondents were also requested to respond to statements on life-sustaining treatment using a 5-point Likert Scale (1 representing strong disagreement and 5 representing strong agreement). RESULTS: A total of 436 questionnaires were sent to teaching staff at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The response rate was 27.8%. More than half (65.8%) of the respondents were aged between 30 and 49 years. There was an equal proportion of men and women among respondents. The respondents agreed with statements supporting end-of-life decisions (mean aggregate score, 3.13; standard deviation, 1.24; P<0.0001), and disagreed with statements against such decisions (mean aggregate score, 2.81; standard deviation, 1.22; P<0.0001). If the patient is competent, half of the respondents agreed that the patient alone should make the decision, while 27.2% believed that it should be a joint decision made by the patient, the family, and the doctor. Conversely, if the patient is incompetent, 52.6% agreed that it should be a joint decision made by the family and the doctor. There was strong support for advanced directives, whereby decisions in relation to life-sustaining treatment were legally recorded in advance (mean score, 3.62; P=0.0001). CONCLUSION: The teachers in this survey appear to support the practice of withdrawing and withholding life-sustaining treatment in the dying patients when medical treatment is considered futile. Although patient autonomy in decision-making was supported by the greatest number of respondents, joint decision-making by the patient, family members, and doctors was also favoured by a substantial group. There was strong support for the use of advanced directives with respect to life-sustaining treatment. (+info)