Theory and practice in continuing medical education and continuing professional education are considered as they may help inform undergraduate medical education. Five approaches are considered: social learning theory; how physicians learn and change; competence in business and practice; how professionals learn in practice; and…

A study designed to establish criteria for requiring continuing medical education (CME) for family physicians by analyzing 14 structured oral interviews (SOIs) with physicians. The SOI consists of 40 cases, focuses on 10 aspects of physician competence required to face critical practice issues. Judges determined from the interviews a number of…

A study documented the practices of 14 peer-nominated medical educators who conduct faculty development programs in ambulatory care settings. Results indicate the programs were delivered almost exclusively in workshop format, with great similarities in topics and strategies. Evaluation was generally limited to satisfaction ratings. Makes…

The relationship between numbers (high or low) of patients per diagnosis-related group (DRG) treated by individual physicians and hospital resource consumption of the patients at a large academic medical center was studied for the period 1985-87. The findings, although a result of many varied factors, suggest a relationship between the two…

Rural training sites are ideal for students to confront social, political, and economic forces underlying ill health in our society. Medical education for rural practice must provide early and sustained exposure to rural communities and rural physician role models, particularly through university-community partnerships. (Author/MSE)

A study of multiple authorship in 1,908 papers in the "International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, and Physics" and "Radiotherapy and Oncology" from 1983-87 investigated patterns and trends in number of authors per article by journal, article type, country, author's institution, author gender, and order of listing of…

It is increasingly important to design local biomedical databases with attention to naming and classification standards. In some cases, common nomenclature will not be suitable, having been designed for another purpose, but much will be useful. Development of standard nomenclature is a social responsibility in the electronic biomedical community.…

Detailed recommendations for integrating preventive medicine into residency education and the continuum of medical care are outlined, with the goal of putting the patient's health rather than disease process into the forefront of primary care. Suggestions are based on a guide assessing the effectiveness of 169 types of preventive intervention.…

A study investigated optimal length of screening tests used to sort out medical students needing to take a full-length performance-based standardized-patient test from those not needing it. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined a good length is one-third the full test, with cutoff just above the mean case pass level. (Author/MSE)

A study examined a paper-based method of testing in a clinical biochemistry course, part of a new modular, systems-oriented medical curriculum at the University of Otago (New Zealand). The method of assessment was found easy to administer, and students valued the quizzes as a stimulus to study and as feedback. (Author/MSE)

Data used in a major review of the system for reporting scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are presented and discussed. The data demonstrated the value of the current score-reporting system and led to retention of the 15-point MCAT score scale in 1991. (Author/MSE)

The medical humanities program has 50 contact hours with medical students in the required curriculum, well-subscribed fourth-year electives, and programs for residents, fellows, and faculty. Course content is summarized by year. Several crucial decisions in the program's first year have affected its nature and development. (Author/MSE)

A study of 195,165 patient visits at the University of Illinois hospital's 5 clinics investigated the mix of ambulatory care diagnosis clusters for diversity. It concluded that, to create an appropriate patient mix for training medical students and residents in ambulatory care, supplementation with other clinics is necessary. (Author/MSE)

A survey of medicine clerkship directors in 101 United States and Puerto Rican medical schools found descriptor grades the most commonly used, letter grades next most common, and numerical grading systems used by 4 schools. However, there was a lack of consistency in the descriptor grades used. (Author/MSE)

Argues for the reorganization of medical education around professional values such as those delineated by the American Association of Medical Colleges' Medical School Objectives Project. Suggests that, if this is not done, managed medical education will follow existing models of corporate managed care and managed research to lower the costs of…