A national study investigated whether four factors in medical school admission (generalist-admission committee chair, greater representation of generalists on admission committee, offering preferential admission to likely generalists, premedical recruitment activity targeting generalists) affected matriculation of underrepresented minorities and…

Surveys of faculty and graduating students at 125 medical schools found that by 1998 the schools, collectively, had made little progress in accomplishing recommended educational technology goals; there was much more use of technology in basic science courses than in clinical clerkships. Great variability was found across schools in the uses of…

Discusses what the predoctoral dental curriculum should emphasize, in both general content and learning and teaching processes, in order to fully integrate a postgraduate-year experience. Two reports recommending strategies for dental education are compared for suggested curriculum structure, instructional modes, articulation, practicum design,…

Use of the case study method to develop nursing students' skills in clinical decision making is discussed. The topic-development approach used in the course design included selection of appropriate cases, use of guidelines for analysis of cases, and development of interrelated formats for teaching. Students and lecturers reported satisfaction with…

A survey investigated the extent of use of case-based learning in 141 dental hygiene programs. A majority of responding schools use the approach, most frequently in clinical dental hygiene, community dental health, and dental science courses. Proportion of instructional time was greatest in the content areas of special needs, ethics, medical…

Examines changes in student assessment methods in courses and clerkships at eight medical schools participating in a large-scale medical curriculum development project, including specific forms of assessment (self-assessment, feedback, standardized patients). For most schools, changes were controlled by course or clerkship directors and managed by…

Discussion of issues in implementation of problem-based curricula in health professions schools lists some obstacles, offers guidelines for planning the implementation process, describes the use of the guidelines in implementation at one medical school, and outlines some essential elements for success, including administrative support, a…

A study assessed pharmacy students' perceptions about the importance of learning about health beliefs and behaviors of ethnic minority groups, views on the mechanisms by which such cultural information should be conveyed, and differences in perceptions related to student demography. Students believed this information was important but did not make…

To teach first-year pharmacy students (P1s) about compliance and patient behavior and third-year students (P3s) about patient interviewing and counseling, and reduce P1s' stress and isolation, an interactive activity in which P1s acted as simulated patients and P3s as simulated pharmacists was undertaken. The activity has effectively met its…

A survey of 794 program directors in 14 specialties assessed actual and projected changes in the selection process for medical residents and determined the relative weights the directors assigned to personal and academic criteria. Results indicate significant changes in the selection process, including a continuing decrease in residency positions…

Describes a University of Kentucky program in advanced general dentistry offered by compressed video and computer in remote areas of the state. Topics discussed include program development, the technology, instructional design principles used, student recruitment, program evaluation, student evaluation, faculty evaluation, laboratory exercises,…

Proposes a problem-solving process for finding unique solutions for specific learning problems of medical students, particularly in clinical preceptorships. Suggestions are offered for evaluation of the problem learner, including more emphasis on peer and self-evaluation and insights into teaching and implementing the proposed model, including the…

To assess the effectiveness of a curriculum in telephone medicine taught to residents in two medical schools, objective structured clinical examinations were conducted before and after the curriculum was taught. Post-curriculum scores improved significantly, and gains were maintained six months. Residents felt significantly better able to manage…

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of an educational intervention on the knowledge and attitudes of pre-allied health students toward older adults. The subjects were 41 pre-allied health students assigned to an intervention (n = 19) or comparison group (n = 22). The intervention group participated in a six-hour multi-modal…

The profession of psychology is responding to this culture's rapidly changing problems related to an aging population. A central theme regarding the training of clinical geropsychologists has been that education should be sequentially organized across levels, from undergraduate, to graduate, internship, postdoctoral, and continuing education for…