Clinical oncology assistantship program for medical students

The Clinical Oncology Assistantship Program has been offered to approximately 16 sophomore medical students each year at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences since 1975. This is an elective, 10-week program given during the summer recess. In the first week of the program, core lectures are given by a multidisciplinary team of cancer educators affiliated with the University of Arkansas. Following this, students spend nine weeks rotating through medical, surgical, and pediatric oncology services of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In addition, they spend several hours during the program participating in self-directed learning activities at the university's Cancer Teaching Center. The program has been well received by the students, and each year all of the available positions have been filled. Responses on a follow-up questionnaire sent in July 1983 to past participants showed that they continued to rate the program highly. Moreover, 78 percent of the respondents felt the program had influenced positively their attitude toward cancer patients.     

Evaluation of simultaneous teaching of extremities in gross anatomy program

A gross anatomy program was designed to expose medical students to all areas of the body but shortened the dissection time on the extremities by having half the class dissect either the upper or lower extremity and then study the opposite extremity already dissected by other classmates. The program has been used for six years and was evaluated via an analysis of covariance by comparing the intramural examination performance on both the dissected and undissected extremities. There was no statistical difference in the students' performances regardless of the extremity dissected. The program was also evaluated externally by student performance on Part I of the examinations of the National Board of Medical Examiners. Students (n = 191) performed at the national average (69 percent) on all gross anatomy questions and on those questions pertaining to either extremity (66 percent). The program has efficiently utilized laboratory time with no measurable change in performance by six medical classes.     

The Minnesota Rural Physician Associate Program for medical students

The Rural Physician Associate Program (RPAP) at the University of Minnesota Medical School is a clinical education experience for third-year students that lasts nine to 12 months. In 1970 the Minnesota legislature required the medical school faculty to find an educational method to redistribute physicians into the medically underserved rural areas of Minnesota or lose state funds for the medical school. After 16 years of the program, all 87 counties in Minnesota have an acceptable ratio of general physicians for the first time in the state's history. RPAP students work directly with and are supervised by general physicians practicing in rural areas; these preceptors have an average age of 40 years, are board-certified, and have 12 years of clinical experience. They give their teaching services and a $2,500 stipend to the student; the state provides $7,000 to the student with no obligation that the student practice in rural Minnesota after training. The preceptors, RPAP staff members, and visiting university faculty members provide 50, 30, and 20 percent, respectively, of a student's grades for the program; the student receives six months of credit for the program. As of 1986, 57 percent of the former RPAP students in practice were practicing in rural communities, with a majority in Minnesota and a majority in towns with populations less than 10,000.     

实施“三习一育”社区实践教学模式培养医学生职业素质

广西医科大学将社区引入传统的医学实践教学体系,创建以社区卫生服务中心为基地,涵盖理论课程见习、毕业实习、专题实习及三早教育的“三习一育”社区实践教学模式,覆盖多个医学专业,共计2000余名医学生,使其科研、沟通、团队合作、“大卫生观”及社会责任感等职业素质在社区实践中得到提高和强化.     

Factors used by program directors to select residents

A national, stratified random sample of 405 graduate medical education program directors was surveyed on the way they selected their residents. The results from the 237 respondents reaffirm earlier studies which found that the interview was the most important selection variable. The results indicate that the recent increase in competition for residency positions has increased the importance of academic variables. For example, 86 percent of the respondents stated that they would not rank a candidate who had not passed the National Board of Medical Examiners Part I examination. Because 86 percent also stated that they give preference in ranking students to those who have done well in an elective at their hospitals, the senior year of medical school may be used as a "residency chase" rather than for the general professional education of the physician.     

Reducing 'information overload' in the teaching of pharmacology: the '200 Drug List'

The author in this report describes the development and use of a restricted list of drugs in the medical pharmacology course at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) School of Medicine. The "200 Drug List" was developed by the author by analyzing recent examinations given to students at the MCG and other places. The list contained 60 percent fewer drugs than had been taught in the course in prior years. Only those drugs on the list appeared on subsequent pharmacology examinations, regardless of the scope of the teaching program. Despite the limited number of drugs that the students were required to learn to satisfy the requirements of the teaching program, the average score for the class on the pharmacology subtest of the National Board of Medical Examiners Part I examination improved each year since the new approach was adopted. The 200 Drug List concept is viewed as an effective way to reduce the "information overload" for students without sacrificing the quality of an introductory course in pharmacology.     

Student evaluation of accelerated program at the University of Miami

The University of Miami School of Medicine has an accelerated, six-year B.S.-M.D. program called the Honors Program in Medicine (HPM). In 1985 the HPM and traditional program students were surveyed at the end of their first year in medical school regarding their opinions about accelerated medical education. Eighty-seven percent of the traditional students felt that HPM students had ability equal to that of the average medical student (that is, neither more nor less ability), but 41 percent felt that the HPM students were less mature than the average class member. The traditional students felt the HPM students were required to follow a rigid collegiate curriculum (76 percent) and had an inadequate nonscience background (68 percent) and that the HPM would negatively affect both the future professional competence of HPM participants (59 percent) and the medical profession (34 percent). A larger percentage of the HPM than the traditional students (63 versus 48 percent) reported earning more than a minor in nonscience subjects, and fewer HPM than traditional students (9 versus 36 percent) felt that pressure to maintain a high grade-point average limited their selection of college courses. The HPM students felt that they were well prepared for medical school academically (82 percent) and emotionally (91 percent). The HPM students excelled academically in college and in the preclinical curriculum.     

Summer research program for medical students

The decrease in the number of physician investigators is a serious national problem. Direct participation in research by medical students is widely regarded as a valuable component of medical education and as a stimulus to a career in research. A voluntary summer research program was implemented at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo with student participation exceeding 20 percent for the classes entering in 1980 and 1981 and reaching 40 percent for the freshman class that entered in 1982. The research program was planned along with implementation of a new four-year curriculum. First-year students were encouraged to participate in research projects during the summer between their first and second year. Interested students were matched with faculty members by mutual agreement. An evaluation of the program based on publications and presentations by medical students and on responses of students and faculty members to a questionnaire was made.     

A comparison of medical students' performances in independent study and traditional programs

Medical students at Ohio State University may study the basic medical sciences in an independent study program or in a conventional lecture-discussion program. In a study involving more than 2,000 students over a 10-year period, students pursuing the independent study program and students in the more traditional program performed similarly on Part I of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examinations and in their required clerkships. However, differences were identified in some content areas and resulted in curricular changes.     

Cost containment education efforts in United States medical schools.

Noting the increasing nationwide concern with factors relating to rising health care costs, the Association of American Medical Colleges surveyed 119 U.S. medical schools in the summer of 1978 to ascertain the degree of program activity in the area of cost containment education. A 100 percent response was achieved. An analysis of this data indicates that considerable activity is underway. Forty-one institutions (34 percent) have programs underway or planned specifically to teach health care cost containment to undergraduate medical students or residents or both. The majority of such programs were introduced during the past two years. The costs of such programs are fairly modest, averaging $22,680 per year. Respondents indicated that further activities might be enhanced by development of a primer for faculty and students on elements of cost containment education and the organization of a series of regional workshops related to this subject.     

A model for peer tutoring in the medical school setting

For the past several years, the University of Maryland School of Medicine has operated a successful and efficient basic science peer tutorial program through the management of the Office of Medical Education. During the 1981-82 and 1982-83 academic years, 122 tutoring dyads were formed to take advantage of the tutoring program in nine of the 10 basic science courses encountered during the first two years of medical training. The success of the program is evident in that tutored students received passing grades in 102 (84 percent) of the courses in which they were tutored. In this paper, the authors discuss the systematic procedure of managing a peer tutorial program and the potential positive effects the program has on student tutors as well as on the medical student in academic difficulty.     

Undergraduate medical education

There were 35,944 applicants for the 1984-1985 year in US medical schools. Of this number, 17,194 were accepted by at least one school. First-year enrollment equaled 16,992. Be-accepted by at least one school. First-year enrollment equaled 16,992. Because some students were repeating the first year, the number of first-time enrolled students was 16,459. This represents a decrease of 113 from the previous year. The number of students enrolled in 127 US medical schools in 1984-1985 was 67,090; of this number, 21,287 (31.7%) were women. The estimated number of graduates in 1984-1985 was 16,347. The total enrollment of students of minority groups was 10,552 (15.7%), of which 3,663 (5.5%) were black not of Hispanic origin. The number of full-time medical school faculty was 58,767, another 123,002 were part-time or volunteer faculty. Medical school faculties also have teaching responsibility for a variety of other students, in addition to patient care and research responsibility. The average time needed to complete the curriculum requirements leading to the MD degree is 153 weeks. Twenty-one medical schools offered a combined college-medical school program. The length of these combined programs averaged 262 weeks. Ninety-six percent of students entering medical school in 1984-1985 had completed at least four years of college. More than two fifths of students had a premedical GPA of 3.6 or higher.     

Undergraduate medical education

There were 32,893 applicants for the 1985-1986 academic year in US medical schools. Of this number, 17,228 were accepted by at least one school. First-year enrollment equaled 16,929. Because some students were repeating the first year, the number of first-time enrolled students was 16,337. This represents a decrease of 122 students from the previous year. The number of students enrolled in 127 US medical schools in 1985-1986 was 66,604; of this number, 21,624 (32.5%) were women. The estimated number of graduates in 1985-1986 was 16 191. The total enrollment of students of minority groups was 10,964 (16.5%), of which 3556 (5.3%) were black (not of Hispanic origin). The number of full-time medical school faculty was 61,372; another 124,466 were part-time or volunteer faculty. Medical school faculties also have teaching responsibility for a variety of other students, in addition to patient care and research responsibility. The average time needed to complete the curriculum requirements leading to the MD degree is 156 weeks. Twenty-four medical schools offered a combined college-medical school program. The length of these combined programs averaged 265 weeks. Ninety-three percent of students entering medical school in 1985-1986 had completed at least four years of college. More than two fifths of students had a premedical GPA of 3.6 or higher.     

The stability of early specialty preferences among US medical school graduates in 1983

Medical graduates in 1983 were in preclinical training when the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee forecast a surplus of 70,000 physicians by 1990. Among the problems identified was the nuclear role of medical schools in affecting specialty choices. To understand this role further, the current study determined the stability and evolution of specialty preferences between the time of the Medical College Admission Test and the senior year of medical school. The study included 10,321 US medical school graduates in 1983. Eighty percent changed their specialty preference during this interval, demonstrating the substantial effects that medical schools have on specialty selection. The stability of early preferences ranged from 41% to 1%. Interest in primary care specialties declined among both men and women; interest in specialty care and supporting services increased during this five-year longitudinal study. These findings parallel shifts away from primary care among US medical school graduates in 1978 and 1983.     

Increasing the graduation rates of minority medical students

The University of Illinois College of Medicine has operated a program since 1969 to recruit minority students into the college and to increase the graduation rates of these students once they enroll. Known as the Medical Opportunities Program (MOP) until 1978, the program was expanded in 1978 and renamed the Urban Health Program (UHP). The authors of the present paper discuss the results of these programs, particularly the effect of granting minority students delays in completing graduation requirements. The MOP (1969 through 1978) increased graduation rates for minority students from 55 percent for those who graduated on time to 81 percent for both on-time and delayed graduates. Under the first seven years of the UHP (1979 through 1985), more minority students have been offered places, and more have enrolled than in the 10 years of the MOP. The retention rate under the UHP, if it holds, will be higher than that under the MOP. For the combined MOP-UHP period, the retention rate for minority students was 88 percent; 69.8 percent of the graduates were on time, and 30.2 were delayed.     

A program using medical students to teach high school students about AIDS

In the spring of 1987, 20 medical students from the Eastern Virginia Medical School of the Medical College of Hampton Roads were involved in a pilot program to teach about the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) to high school senior students in Norfolk, Virginia. The medical students received instruction about AIDS from basic science and clinical faculty members at the medical school in preparation for the project. All participating high school seniors completed a 15-item knowledge test about AIDS prior to the intervention and an equivalent posttest one week after the program was completed. T-test analysis revealed a significant increase in knowledge by students at all five high schools. Responses to 10 subjective posttest questions indicated that the high school students were interested in learning about AIDS and having medical students as their teachers. This program provides an example of how medical institutions can develop a collaborative community education project that contributes to the education of medical students.     

武警部队卫生干部晋职培训课程设置探讨

自2004年起,武警医学院连续承担了20期卫生专业技术干部晋职培训工作,共培训人员1800余人次。经过四年多的实践,现已逐步形成了一套较为全面、切合学员实际需要的课程体系,普遍受到培训学员的欢迎。     

Beneficial effects of treatment of nicotine dependence during an inpatient substance abuse treatment program

The Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center began an intervention for tobacco use in its inpatient substance dependency treatment program on June 19, 1988, including an institutional smoke-free policy and a smoking cessation program. Sequential substance-dependent patients admitted before institution of the policy (n = 455) were compared with patients admitted after institution of the policy (n = 457). Patients completed self-administered questionnaires regarding smoking practices and attitudes. Seventy-six percent of patients were current cigarette smokers. Fifty-eight percent of patients after institution of the policy described themselves as "not smoking regularly," compared with 19% of patients admitted before the institution of the policy. Similar proportions of patients admitted before and after the institution of the policy believed that quitting smoking would threaten recovery. Forty-one percent of patients hospitalized after institution of the policy abstained from smoking for more than 1 week during their hospital stay. Rates of early termination of treatment did not change. We conclude that concurrent intervention for nicotine addiction during inpatient treatment of substance dependence is associated with a temporary reduction in smoking and increased motivation to quit smoking.     

Career choice of 'fifth pathway' graduates from New York state medical schools

Graduates of "fifth pathway" programs at medical schools in New York state between 1976 and 1978 were studied to determine their professional careers and choice of medical specialties. Of the 545 physicians participating in the program, 510 were able to be located. Of this latter cohort, 177 (34.7 percent) had entered primary care fields as of 1981. Of the physicians no longer in residency training, 19.1 percent had full-time salaried positions in academic institutions, and the remaining physicians were engaged in various clinical medical activities. Of the 545 fifth pathway graduates, 74 (13.6 percent) had not been able to pass the licensing examinations as of 1981, and an additional 54 (9.9 percent) had not taken those examinations. Comparisons with regular students graduating from a medical school in New York state showed that fifth pathway graduates were more likely to select nonprimary care specialties than primary care specialties (p less than 0.001). These data suggest that although a majority of graduates of fifth pathway programs in New York state are involved in the provision of health care, a small number are still unable to engage in the practice of medicine.     

Emotional disorders among medical students in a Malaysian private medical school

INTRODUCTION: A study was done between December 2005 and January 2006 to determine the prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students in a private medical school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia and to determine the demographical characteristics, contributing factors and the key person consulted for emotional problems. METHODS: Medical students in the private medical school completed the 12-item English version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and a demographical questionnaire. A cut-off point of 3/4 for the GHQ was used to determine negative and positive scores for emotional disorders. RESULTS: Out of 292 medical students, 86.6 percent completed the questionnaires. A total of 117 students (46.2 percent) were found to have emotional disorders. There was no significant association of ethnicity, gender, age group, number of examinations sat, examination performances, past medical conditions and relationships with parents, siblings, course-mates and lecturers with positive GHQ scores. A significant association, however, was found between positive GHQ scores for emotional disorders and the year of study, pressure faced due to examinations, and not having a love relationship. 39 percent of the students stated friends as their main preference for consultation of any emotional problem. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students was high. Further studies and diagnostic measures are recommended, including a more systematic screening and counselling programme by the medical school for early diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications.