A Canadian simulation experience: faculty and student opinions of a performance evaluation study.
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One hundred and forty-three students and 18 faculty at the University of Toronto participated in a study of the anaesthesia simulator as an evaluation tool. Both student and faculty opinions regarding the experience were elicited using questionnaires with a five-point scale, 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree. Faculty and student opinion were similar and positive with respect to the use of the simulator and matching of educational objectives, its use as a learning experience, its use as an evaluation tool and the need for familiarity with the tool before use as an assessment method. This study supports the use of the simulator as an evaluation tool based on faculty and student opinions provided that prior exposure to the environment is offered. (+info)
Career and training patterns of students entering Canadian medical schools in 1965.
(50/2287)
This paper follows the careers of the 1128 students who entered Canadian medical schools in 1965, most of whom graduated in 1969. The type of career pursued (whether general or specialty practice or some combination thereof), the type of specialty undertaken, the place of internship and residency training and the 1973 practice location of the graduates are examined. The wide variation in careers followed by the 12 schools' graduates provides the major focus of the paper. (+info)
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine's independent study pathway program: an alternative medical school curriculum design.
(51/2287)
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine has developed an independent study pathway as an alternative to the traditional medical school curriculum design. Beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year, three equivalent and distinct curriculum pathways will be available to medical students at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine: the lecture/discussion pathway, the problem-based learning pathway, and the independent study pathway (ISP). The ISP program will provide flexibility for students during their preclinical years. Using highly structured faculty-developed modules, students in the ISP program will be responsible for their own learning in a self-directed, independent manner, including when, where, what, and how to study. Examinations will be taken when students consider themselves ready. If examinations reveal deficiencies in student preparation, these deficiencies must be remedied before students continue their studies. Faculty will be available, as needed, to assist the students through difficult concepts and material. (+info)
Making our voices heard: Why student journals are crucial.
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The studentBMJ has provided a forum for medical student debate for the past eight years. The issues that students need to discuss deserve dedicated journal space. Being able to comment on issues such as admissions policies and teaching styles may affect many future generations of doctors as well. As there are thousands of doctors in training world wide, the more ways available for students to express themselves, the better. A specific journal for Croatian medical students will allow a national perspective on these issues as well. (+info)
Medical students exchange program organized by Croatian Medical Students International Committee, 1996-2000.
(53/2287)
AIM: To assess the interest of Croatian medical students in going to foreign countries and foreign medical students' interest in coming to Croatia for one-month professional and research clerkship in the period from 1996 to 2000. METHOD: Data were obtained from contracts between Croatian Medical Students' International Committee and other National Member Organizations of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations; from student Application forms; reports of the Local Committees of Croatian Medical Students' International Committee summed up in a Statistical form and used for statistical analysis in the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations; and from Cards of acceptance and Cards of confirmation. RESULTS: The number of available bilateral exchange places increased from 28 in 1996 to 66 in 1999. Croatian students going for clerkship abroad used 65.8% of available places and foreign students realized 59.3% of all places available in Croatia. Most of the exchange students chose clinical, whereas only a small number chose preclinical clerkship. The most visited were the departments of medicine and general surgery. All the students preferred doing their clerkships in August. Most foreign students came from Italy, Spain, Slovakia, and Hungary. Croatian students preferred to go to Italy, Spain, Egypt, and Finland. CONCLUSION: Political problems strongly affected students' interest in doing clerkship in a certain country. Croatia needs to attract more students from different countries and to increase the interest of Croatian students in doing clerkship in Eastern European countries. (+info)
Asthma education: how much does it improve knowledge of childhood asthma amongst medical students and paramedics?
(54/2287)
The objective of this study was to measure the knowledge of childhood asthma among medical students and paramedics. A previously validated questionnaire about childhood asthma was completed by 281 of 314, third and fifth year medical students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Their knowledge of asthma was assessed during the first and last weeks of their paediatric rotation. A similar questionnaire was completed by 23 of 60 paramedics from various medical disciplines in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. They had attended a two-day seminar on respiratory diseases and their knowledge was assessed prior to and six weeks after the seminar. On the initial assessment the mean score for the final year medical students was 24.5, third year medical students 20.9 and paramedics 18.3. After intervention their mean scores increased significantly to 26.3 (p < 0.0001), 24.6 (p < 0.0001) and 21.3 (p < 0.0001). After intervention, the final year medical students improved significantly in all questions except in the management of acute asthma. Post intervention, third year medical students showed a significant increase in knowledge pertaining to symptomatology, pathophysiology, trigger factors and prophylactic drugs used in asthma management. Although the knowledge of paramedics improved post intervention, they had major deficiencies in knowledge about pathophysiology, trigger factors, preventive and acute asthma therapy, side effects of asthma treatment as well as clinical scenarios. Improvement after intervention was only seen in six of the 31 questions. This study demonstrated an increase in knowledge about childhood asthma among medical students and paramedics after a short intervention. (+info)
An ethical paradox: the effect of unethical conduct on medical students' values.
(55/2287)
OBJECTIVE: To report the ethical development of medical students across four years of education at one medical school. DESIGN AND SETTING: A questionnaire was distributed to all four classes at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine during the Spring of 1996. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred and three students provided demographic information as well as information concerning their ethical development both as current medical students and future interns. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Results were analyzed using cross-tabulations, correlations, and analysis of variance. RESULTS: Results suggested that the observation of and participation in unethical conduct may have disparaging effects on medical students' codes of ethics with 35% of the total sample (24% of first years rising to 55% of fourth years) stating that derogatory comments made by residents/attendings, either in the patient's presence or absence, were "sometimes" or "often" appropriate. However, approximately 70% of the sample contended that their personal code of ethics had not changed since beginning medical school and would not change as a resident. CONCLUSIONS: Results may represent an internal struggle that detracts from the medical school experience, both as a person and as a doctor. Our goal as educators is to alter the educational environment so that acceptance of such behaviour is not considered part of becoming a physician. (+info)
The effect of obesity on medical students' approach to patients with abdominal pain.
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Because widely held stereotypes characterize obese people as less intelligent, unhappy, lacking in self control and more prone to psychological problems, we tested whether obese appearance alone would affect medical students' decisions about the diagnosis and management of simulated patients. We videotaped 4 patient simulators presenting each of 4 cases in 2 states: normal and obese (by using padding and bulky clothing). Seventy-two clinical students at 2 medical schools viewed the cases and answered questions about diagnostic tests and management. We found the expected biases toward patients when in their obese form as well as pessimism about patient compliance and success of therapy, but there were no significant differences in tests or treatments ordered except where appropriate for an obese patient (e.g., weight reduction diet). Thus, the appearance of obesity alone biased the students' impressions of the patients, but did not affect diagnostic test ordering. (+info)