A study compared the effectiveness of traditional and computer-simulation methods for teaching pharmacy financial management in continuing education. Retention of material was similar for the groups (n=26 and n=24 students, respectively), and similar amounts of time spent on financial management were found in a followup. Both methods were found…

Analysis of characteristics of students (n=1,684) using the Postdoctoral Application Support Service found significant differences in applicants to various program areas. Applicants to pediatric programs had the most varied characteristics; applicants to oral and maxillofacial surgery were the most homogeneous. The study provides baseline data for…

A study investigated whether physicians (n=32) would generate less specific initial diagnoses than did medical students (n=39). Analysis of number, specificity, and breadth of diagnoses found students generated significantly more diagnostic hypotheses and more specific hypotheses, but breadth did not differ significantly. (Author/MSE)

Reports the results of a study which examined the need for and use of both academic and professional materials in library collections for professional education. The measures used included proportions of materials in an existing business collection, and comparisons of patron use and obsolescence rates of academic and professional materials. (CLB)

The role of law in social issues is reviewed in terms of the selection of research topics and the advantages and disadvantages of various methodologies used in both descriptive and inferential studies. (MSE)

A survey of 70 Nebraska pharmacists examined the nature and frequency of ethical problems with patient confidentiality, especially specific contextual features of practice and community life that made maintenance of confidentiality difficult. Differences between rural and urban pharmacists were noted. Implications for pharmaceutical education are…

Investigates minimum program standards established by all 50 state education agencies for preparation and certification of elementary school teachers. Results reveal a startling diversity about program requirements (general education versus professional education) likely to contribute to the development of excellent elementary school teachers. (RH)

A 1994 "U.S. News and World Report" ranking of professional schools of social work is examined and compared with the findings of 8 other attempts to rank social work schools in the last 20 years. Results indicate that the assessment measures used were primarily faculty products (for example, articles published), and that the reputational…

Self-teaching booklets and computer media were evaluated for teaching diagnostic testing with first (n=49), second (n=41) and third year (n=71) dental students as a foundation for further development of clinical decision-making skills. Results found the media more effective than no instruction and equally effective to the traditional lecture…

A survey of 567 graduates of 3 medical schools (Pennsylvania State University, University of Connecticut, and University of Massachusetts) showed medical school research involvement to be strongly associated with postgraduate research involvement. In residency specialty training, fellowship training, academic appointments, career practice choices,…

This working paper, part of an ongoing national study, presents preliminary analysis of public service professionalism among state public administrators in many states on the basis of data already produced by a continuing survey research project. Information about the data source and sample profiles are provided. Additionally, the research…

The strengths and weaknesses of five typical machine-scored test formats are discussed, specific recommendations for format selection are made, and reasons for the importance of format are examined. (MSE)

The McMaster University (Canada) undergraduate medical program participated in a nine-school self-study of clinical evaluation. Comparison of top-ranked problems found lack of transmission of evaluative information from one clerkship unit to subsequent ones to be a common problem. Faculty unwillingness to record negative evaluations was exclusive…

Data on 53 Jefferson Medical College (Pennsylvania) graduates specializing in emergency medicine (EM) found they had the highest senior year debt and expected the highest income among nonsurgeons, compared favorably in academic performance and examination scores and were very willing to treat low-income patients. Implications are discussed.…

Community pharmacists (n=176) were surveyed concerning their responses to four ethical dilemmas potentially resolvable by deception and their attitudes about deception in general. Results were compared to a similar study of physicians. The professions appear to have similar standards regarding use of deception, using it principally in the…