A program of computer-assisted patient-management problems for teaching pediatrics is described. At each decision point, the computer provides choices or an opportunity for the student to enter a statement. The students review their performance, checking their choices against those of the instructors at each point. (Author/MLW)

As the profession of podiatric medicine becomes more closely identified with the delivery of primary care, it is suggested that it is essential for practicing podiatrists and students to have more educational opportunities in the field of holistic health care, psychiatry, and the behavioral sciences. (Author/MLW)

The effectiveness of multidisciplinary patient conferences was examined. The question of multidisciplinary conference productivity was addressed by examining the impact of these conferences on a team's formulation of patient therapy plans, problem lists, hospitalization goals, and discharge date. (Author/MLW)

The roles of ethics and law in contemporary pharmacy practice are investigated. Four ethico-legal issues are discussed: profile maintenance and use, patient counseling, drug product selection, and delegation of professional tasks. The drug product selection movement has forced upon pharmacists a reassessment of ethical and legal standards.…

Evaluating a person's physical and psychological make-up along with physical and cultural environment are skills that must be learned by physicians-in-training. The faculty of the Boston City Hospital Primary Care Training Program uses the home visit to help residents develop these skills. (Author/MLW)

Social, cultural, economic, psychological, and interpersonal dimensions of cancer and cancer patient management were addressed in an elective course conducted at the University of Pennsylvania. Student attitudes toward the disease were tested before and after taking the course. Significant attitudinal shifts, new insights, and new skills resulted…

Initial efforts at the University of North Carolina to develop a social science curriculum that is relevant to medical practice are reported. Descriptions of course content, format, teaching strategies, and course evaluation are included with a focus on the question of relevance. (Author/JMD)

Describes how the discussion of a few short poems on abortion was used to show how the special language of poetry can help doctors share the experience of their patients, as well as recognize their own feelings and attitudes. (JL)

Two clinical courses for first-year dental students were designed to develop students' interaction skills through actual patient case presentations and discussions and an interdisciplinary teaching approach. Results indicate students preferred the case presentations, with or without lecture, to the lecture-only approach and felt they learned more…

The teaching of humanities and human values in medical schools has resulted from public concern about value decisions in medicine and from dissatisfaction of patients with the doctor-patient interaction. The Institute on Human Values in Medicine, Yale-New Haven, provides support to medical centers concerned about these issues. (SW)

Presents an ethnographic study into whether or not reading and writing about literature helps medical students communicate more effectively in the physician-patient encounter. Demonstrates that although medical students were embedded in the discourse of medicine, reflective writing enabled them to conceive medicine as an interpretive, personal,…

Medical educators must acquaint students with the advantages of assessing the patient's total needs and of utilizing a broad range of services to help the patient achieve his fullest health potential. A schema is described for implementing the comprehensive health care concept. (Author/LBH)

"Clinical Nutrition in an Interdisciplinary Setting" is a course designed to introduce basic nutrition knowledge and concepts of nutritional assessment, counseling, and intervention in the clinical care of patients. Provides a brief course overview and descriptions of its development, use, and preliminary evaluation of the patient simulation…

The authors present their journey through the development of an action research project based on collaboration between university health lecturers and a practice development and research nurse in an NHS Trust hospital. The project was designed to raise awareness and improve the practice of all staff in relation to the dignity and respect shown to…

Experience at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey suggests that consumer health education can be incorporated into a medical school curriculum. It can be included in the existing courses in occupational medicine, behavioral sciences, and psychiatry and other preclinical and clinical areas. (LBH)