An experience with learner-centered instructional units in an otherwise traditional second year course in medical interviewing found that students (n=71) strongly supported the approach and that learner-centered experiences can be embedded in a teacher-directed curriculum and compete successfully with other, more directive, and, as perceived by…

Strategies used at several medical schools to address common issues in ambulatory care clerkship programs are presented. These include institutional and policy concerns (institutional resistance, financing, faculty incentives), administrative and implementation problems (logistics, faculty recruitment, student recruitment/placement), and…

In response to HE 528 462, the author suggests the use of student-generated learning issues in problem-based medical education should place more emphasis on mechanisms in the generation of learning issues, the ramifications of various degrees of student input into the identification of issues, and the role of teacher-learner negotiations in the…

Interviews with faculty in seven problem-based medical school curricula concerning use of student-generated learning issues found that uses of such issues have evolved in terms of content definition, direct examination planning, student evaluation, and curriculum review. Results also suggest these curricula may encourage development of…

The ambulatory care segment of the Southern Illinois University internal medicine clerkship provides extensive clinical exposure in a variety of settings and includes formal educational activities in seminars and workshops. Despite problems, educational quality has improved. Planned expansion includes a longitudinal experience for students.…

The University of Manitoba (Canada) medical school is introducing teaching in the ambulatory care setting as traditional inpatient wards become less suitable for clerkships. However, few faculty are willing to accommodate students in their clinics, and other educational and administrative difficulties impede program expansion. (MSE)

The Department of Community Health and Family Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine developed a curriculum component integrating epidemiologic concepts into a third year family medicine clerkship through a small-group project on a specific condition likely to be encountered by primary care physicians in community practice. (MSE)

The primary care clerkship at George Washington University (District of Columbia) medical school, the only required ambulatory care experience in the curriculum, is described. Topics discussed include the interdisciplinary structure of the program, its goals, curriculum and student evaluation, and challenges faced in implementation (faculty,…

It is argued that in the trend away from inpatient and toward ambulatory care clerkships in undergraduate medical education, certain educational issues must not be ignored, including the need for clear educational objectives, curriculum design, different teaching styles, teacher role, program length, and the value of the inpatient "ward…

The development and design of a Michigan State University program providing research training to graduate medical students are described. The program addresses topics of critical reading skills, computer database searching skills, basic research methodology, and scientific communication skills. Since its inception, student scholarly activity has…