Family and internal medicine were rated high by the groups studied. Neurological and colon-rectal surgery were rated low. Males gave higher ratings to surgical specialities, whereas females express stronger preferences for obstetrics and gynecology. (Author/KE)

Graduate medical education is defined as the phase that begins at graduation from medical school and ends after completion of the requirements for one of the specialty certifying boards. A chronology of events in the history of graduate medical education, 1844-1981, is provided. (MLW)

Patient management problems were found to be favorable methods of self-assessment by an overwhelming majority of practicing dermatologists and those in training, regardless of the type of practice or the number of years in practice. (LBH)

Both the physician and the patients he serves have a crucial stake in questions of specialty choice. (HS)

Relying upon grant-supported salaries, many medical schools have greatly expanded their faculties; but if new funding devices are not discovered, retrenchment will occur. Physicians, who are trained to look at the big picture, must continue to be an essential element in the biomedical research team. (MLW)

It is suggested that, although family practice generally has no subspecialties, such subspecialization need not cause a major distortion in the traditional role of the family physician. Data gathered from profiles of two "model" practices support the thesis. (LBH)

Presents the findings of a survey on factors that physicians said were important in locating their practices, supplemented with data on specialty distribution obtained from the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician Masterfile. This is the eighth in a series that included every fifth American medical school graduating class since 1915. (JT)

A study examined the usefulness of "dangerous answers", or incorrect answers that if implemented, would be dangerous in patient care, as a technique for scoring on certifying examinations and found that 10% of the passing students gave more than average dangerous answers. (MSE)

Factors that help determine physicians' practice locations and specialties were listed by students and medical school faculty at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Students, while acknowledging the importance of clinical experiences, said faculty members had little influence on their specialty choices. (Author/MLW)

The number of U.S. graduates who enrolled in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) in 1984 increased by 577 from a year ago. The most competitive programs were in emergency medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedic surgery, otolarynology, urology, and diagnostic radiology. (MLW)

A study examined changes in specialty preferences at three points: sophomore year of medical school, residency, and practice. A high (70 percent) consistency rate in career choices designated as primary care and nonprimary care over this time span was recorded. Medical school programs may strengthen existing preferences. (MSE)

Departments of preventive medicine can survive through unity, which can be achieved through majority agreement on a new and specific definition of preventive medicine. A definition is proposed that is based on a review and analysis of recent progress in the prevention of the major causes of mortality. (MLW)