Clinical supervisors play key roles in facilitating trainee learning. Yet combining that role with patient care complicates both roles. So, we need to know how both roles can effectively co-occur. When facilitating their trainees' learning through practice, supervisors draw on their skills - clinical and supervisory - and available opportunities…

Mismatches between the needs of public health systems and student interests have led to renewed study on the factors predicting career specializations among medical students. While most work examines career and lifestyle values, emotional proclivities may be important; disgust sensitivity may help explain preferences for careers with greater and…

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Division of General Internal Medicine is described, focusing on personnel and organization, educational programs, clinical and research activities, special programs, finances, and related issues and pressures. The program is proposed as a model for other institutions. (MSE)

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…

Results of McGill University's program to encourage early specialization in medicine, surgery, psychiatry, and family medicine showed that: students chose the medicine specialty with increasing frequency; poor performance on licensing examinations may have resulted; the process did not lead to an early career choice; and students did not use…

A four-week geriatric rotation in a nursing home that emphasized rehabilitation for stroke victims, patients with fractured hips, and amputees, and the team approach in care for the elderly is described. Student response was very positive, student sensitivity was improved, and all students felt the team approach could be applied to later practice.…

Results of a survey to document the nature and volume of ambulatory care in the community, based on an assessment of the visit, indicate that nearly four of five ambulatory visits made to physicians are for primary care and that all physicians, even the most specialized, provide a substantial amount of primary care. Implications for medical…

This study represents a preliminary effort toward the ultimate goal of identifying some of the major determinants of final career plans of residents in internal medicine. Initial career goal statements indicating future subspecialization are found to be important but the incidence of goal reversal is high. (LBH)

A survey of several hundred internists, surgeons, and psychiatrists concerning their attitudes toward female and male alcoholics, alcoholism, the adequacy of their education about alcoholism, methods of handling alcoholics, and desire to learn about alcoholism is reported. Implications for continuing professional education are discussed. (MSE)

A study investigated whether internal medicine training program directors found feedback on their students' test performance helpful in understanding where their residents ranked nationally. Results suggest that directors have learned to rank their own candidates against a common standard but may have lowered the standards they used. (MSE)

To address problems of geographic and specialty distribution of physicians in the states of Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, the University of Washington School of Medicine developed a regional program of graduate medical education. The program is centrally coordinated by the school's associate dean for clinical affairs. (Author/MLW)

A survey of one university's internal medicine residency graduates from 1969-79 showed 30 percent had no change in plans regarding general versus subspecialty practice since medical school, and 41 percent made final decisions during residency. Inpatient care experiences, peer interactions, and faculty role models were most influential. (MSE)

At the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Penn State an internal medicine consulting resident sees all medical consultation requests not directed to a specific subspecialty division. A survey indicates that consulting residents are exposed to a quantitatively and qualitatively different spectrum of medical problems than on ward service.…

A survey of medical schools and residency programs in four specialties (family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry) sought information on the number and type of curriculum units on substance abuse offered by them. Considerable variation in offerings was found among the specialties. (MSE)

The spectrum of patients seen in a traditional hospital-based training program is compared with patients seen in the University of Minnesota's ambulatory care clinic. Records were kept of the author's primary care experience with 687 patients. (LBH)