Questionnaires were sent to the directors of combined residency programs in internal medicine and pediatrics. All the programs emphasized training in primary care and included the use of outpatient clinics where residents often work with nonphysician health care providers. (Author/MLW)

Medical records of older outpatients treated at 15 university teaching hospitals were reviewed to evaluate how their medical problems were managed in university-based internal medicine practices. The finding suggests either that these patients were extremely atypical or that their geriatric problems were unrecognized. (Author/MLW)

The contribution of private physicians to medical student education in ambulatory care was determined by a questionnaire directed to departments of family practice, internal medicine, and pediatrics in U.S. medical schools. Departments of family practice were most likely to offer ambulatory care courses. (Author/MLW)

Some of the programs in general internal medicine are now reaching the point at which surveys of graduates can help assess program strengths and weaknesses. A survey of graduates from the University of Colorado School of Medicine is described. (MLW)

A pilot study is described that was designed to make medical students' early professional contact with the elderly occur with those who are well enough to function as independently living individuals. The students felt the teaching value of the experience equaled or exceeded that of their experience with hospitalized patients. (MLW)

All U.S. internal medicine residency programs were surveyed in 1981-82 to obtain quantitative information on specific program features, formal teaching conferences, supervision of residents, and evaluation of residents in ambulatory care. (Author/MLW)

The organization and curricula of internal medicine residencies programs that emphasize primary care are described and compared with traditional residencies in internal medicine. It is noted that primary care residents spend more time in ambulatory care and are allowed more electives in specialties outside of internal medicine. Out-of-hospital…

After identifying four medical specialty services in a hospital where patient lengths of stay were excessive, two educational interventions to decrease the time were developed. In meetings with each physician data on lengths of stay were discussed, and then a continuing education meeting was held. Improved efficiency resulted. (Author/MLW)

Some of the differences between in-hospital and ambulatory medicine and their implications for the teaching and practice of ambulatory care are explored. The availability of time, the role of patient cooperation, and the decision-making process differ in the two settings. (MLW)

Performance on patient management problems and multiple-choice questions was analyzed for candidates for American Board of Internal Medicine certification whose residencies had been problem-oriented, for candidates whose residencies had been classified as nonproblem-oriented, and for the national pool of U.S. medical graduates. (Author/MLW)

A study to assess medical students' attitudes about the diagnostic value of the history and physical examination, as compared with diagnostic testing, examined attitudes at the beginning of ward rotations and during the clerkship. It was found that students beginning clinical rotations have respect for the value of these procedures and are…

A study to determine whether general internal medicine and traditional track medicine residents differed in their outpatient management of essential hypertension is discussed. General internal medicine residents seem to do better in the areas of assessment of drug side effects and patient education. (MLW)

The American Board of Internal Medicine's experience with the evaluation of clinical skills from 1971 to 1975 based on visits with the administrators of 166 residency training programs is described. Included are the evaluative methods employed by the programs, minimum standards of performance, and the benefits to training in internal medicine…

The skills of interns in obtaining body fluids for analysis were observed after six months of a categorical internal medicine program. The results suggest that training in the proper technique in lumbar puncture in medical schools is inadequate. Recommendations for improvement are offered. (LBH)

A study involving volunteer clinical faculty members in a randomized education trial to improve patients' everyday functioning is described. Participants were 76 clinical faculty physicians in office practice of internal medicine, who completed an evaluation questionnaire at the end of the study. (Author/MLW)