Loss of British-trained doctors from the medical workforce in Great Britain

OBJECTIVE: To summarize trends over time in the percentage of British medical graduates who subsequently practise in Great Britain in the National Health Service (NHS), in Great Britain outside the NHS, outside Great Britain, or do not practise medicine. DESIGN: Questionnaire-based postal surveys and government employment records. SETTING: Great Britain. SUBJECTS: All British medical graduates of 1974, 1977, 1983, 1988, and 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Type and location of employment at successive years after graduation. RESULTS: Differences in career destination between cohorts were generally small. Combining data from all cohorts studied, 85% of doctors were working in the NHS 2 years after graduation, 82% after 5 and 10 years, 81% after 15 years, and 77% after 20 years. Part-time working was much higher among women than among men. Allowing for loss and part-time working, the whole-time equivalent available to the NHS at 15 years after graduation was 60% of women and 80% of men. More men than women worked in medicine outside the NHS in Britain and abroad. Loss from medicine altogether was small, and higher among women. CONCLUSIONS: Medical workforce planning in Great Britain should assume that 15-20% of home-trained doctors will not be working in the NHS within a few years of graduation. Comparing cohorts at the same career stage showed no evidence of increased loss from the NHS in recent times. Although a higher percentage of women than men were not working in medicine at all, recent trends suggest that this percentage is falling.     

Issues of intervention aimed at preventing prospective surplus of physicians in Japan

OBJECTIVES: In Japan, regulatory intervention aimed at preventing a prospective surplus of physicians is an important medical issue. The study committees organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) in 1986, 1993 and 1998, concluded that the number of physicians would exceed demand for their services in the future. As a result, the government planned to reduce the number of medical students. However, MHW has not been successful in the intervention so far, as shown by the fact that their initial plan for a 10% reduction in the number of students enrolled in medical school has not been attained. In this paper, we examine why the MHW policy failed. METHODS: We reviewed those forecasts performed by past MHW study committees and examined whether the government policy of controlling physician training was appropriate. Additionally, we did a preliminary projection of specialty-specific demand for physician services as a reference for future physician manpower policies in Japan. RESULTS: We found that both conflicts among various interest groups and a lack of precise projections of physician services hampered the proper formation and implementation of a physician manpower policy in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: It might be necessary to examine the appropriateness of the MHW policy in reducing the overall number of students enrolled in medical schools. As a first step in formulating and implementing a physician manpower policy, we should begin to consolidate the necessary data to conduct precise and proper projections of future physician demand.     

Meeting the needs of future physicians: a core curriculum initiative for postgraduate medical education at a Canadian university

In addition to possessing medical expertise, contemporary physicians are expected to be skilled communicators, critical consumers and users of medical research, teachers, collaborators, health care advocates, and managers. A core curriculum is a common set of learning experiences designed to help prepare physicians for these complex roles. PURPOSE: This article describes the design and implementation of one core curriculum, summarizes the feedback received from residents, and shares some of the lessons we are learning as we use feedback to develop our programme. METHOD: The core curriculum described was implemented at a Canadian university which offers 56 residency programmes with a total enrollment of approximately 360 students. The curriculum consisted of 30 sessions organized around four themes: biostatistics and epidemiology; communications and teaching skills; healthcare management, and ethical, medicolegal and lifestyle issues. Each session in the Core Curriculum was evaluated by residents with respect to the timing, quality, and value of the learning experience. In addition, residents participated in focus group discussions of their Core Curriculum experiences. RESULTS: Key findings related to the characteristics of effective core curriculum learning experiences and to the barriers to implementing a core curriculum across programmes. Of particular salience were findings related to explicit issues of attendance and the diverse needs of learners and programmes, and to more implicit issues of communication and managing change. The specific content and format of the Core Curriculum and the results of the evaluation process will be of interest to others considering a core curriculum for postgraduate medical programmes.     

医学生睡眠质量影响因素的通径分析

  [目的] 了解海南省医学大学生睡眠质量的影响因素。[方法] 采用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数自评量表（PSQI）、症状自评量表（SCL-90）、艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)及自制的睡眠质量影响因素调查表，对海南医学院551名大一到大五的本科生进行调查。[结果] ①匹兹堡睡眠质量总平均得分为5.74（s=2.78）分，21.42%的学生睡眠质量有问题。男女差别无统计学意义。②通径分析结果显示学习负担和应激事件是睡眠质量差的诱发因素，但不起主要作用，人格因素、年级直接和间接作用于中间变量对睡眠质量产生影响作用，宿舍环境是睡眠质量的直接影响因素。心理疾病倾向的直接效应为0.2650，即直接作用最强。神经质总效应为0.3575，即其总作用最强。[结论] 影响医学生睡眠质量的因素是多方面的,应采取综合措施进行防治。     

Pre‐registration house officer rotations incorporating general practice: does the order of rotation matter?

CONTEXT: In relation to pre-registration house officer (PRHO) rotations incorporating general practice, previous research has recommended that where possible, no PRHO should undertake general practice as the first placement, because of the difficulties encountered. It was recognized that logistically, this could make such schemes almost unworkable. Within the context of a larger qualitative evaluation comparing how 24 PRHOs learned in hospital and general practice settings, the issue of rotation order was explored. METHODS: In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with the 12 PRHOs who were involved in general practice rotations. They were interviewed at the beginning and end of the PRHO year, and following their return to hospital work after the general practice placement. RESULTS: Each rotation order had both advantages and disadvantages, with no particular rotation order being obviously better or worse for the PRHOs involved. CONCLUSIONS: This small qualitative evaluation has highlighted a number of advantages and disadvantages specific to each rotation order, and makes some practical recommendations to help alleviate the problems encountered. It is important that future evaluations of similar schemes consider this issue, as there are conflicting reports about the significance of the rotation order.     

推广网络媒介素养教育提升医学研究生人文素质

当今医学高校研究生在新的媒体环境中逐渐成长,新媒体是他们认识社会的重要手段。媒介素养显得尤为重要。为更好发挥新媒体的便利性、智能性,提升研究生的媒介素养成为目前的重要议题。在医学院校,媒介素养是校园文化素养和医德教育的重要组成部分。我们以军医大学研究生的实况调查报告为基石,了解医学研究生的媒介素养现状,我们发现研究生在媒介认知方面较为薄弱,很多研究生的媒介使用主要是为满足休闲娱乐需要,真正用到专业知识学习需要比例略低。且新媒体负面形象对研究生的消极影响较重,频繁接触新媒体,但缺乏伦理道德诉求及法律规范。还有,研究生对媒介素养教育有着更高的期待,希望通过更加轻松自由的形式认识并接受媒介素养教育。因此我们探讨研究生网络媒介素养教育的理论变化和真实世界的诉求,并提出教育对策,以促进高素质医学人才的培养。     

医学研究生教育思考与实践

如何保证质量、突出创新、提高综合素质是研究生培养中存在的切实问题,也是培养研究生的目标和任务。研究生教育要以培养高质量人才为目的,使他们掌握学术研究的思维和方法,以创新为核心,突出"研究"二字。科研能力的培养是研究生教育的根本任务。研究方向和论文选题要体现创新性、实用性、前瞻性,在内容和方法上承前启后。在注重学术能力培养的同时,要兼顾培养实事求是的精神、百折不挠的毅力、虚心学习的态度和善于与他人沟通和协作的能力。作为导师,必须开阔眼界,注重选材,以能力培养为中心,因材施教,坚持对学生高标准、严要求。培养高素质的综合型学科人才,是新世纪研究生教育工作的核心。     

临床-病理相结合教学模式在皮肤科教学中的实践

采用计算机多媒体辅助教学、皮肤病教学阅片、提问-互动式带教方式、提供课后自学条件及制订科学的考核方式与反馈体系等一系列措施,建立皮肤科临床-病理相结合的教学模式。这种教学模式弥补了目前皮肤科教学中临床教学与病理教学脱节的现象,调动了学生的主观能动性,提高了学生的诊疗水平,拓宽了其诊疗思路,对研究生临床思路的培养起到重要作用。     

眼科研究生教学中应用PBL的调查问卷分析

对参与PBL教学的眼科研究生和教师进行问卷调查分析,结果显示：双方对PBL均给予了积极评价,认为PBL在增加学习主动性、提高学生自学能力等方面效果显著;但也需要在学习方法、教学技巧等方面进行改进,以逐步推进PBL教学改革。