Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-created sensory experience that allows a participant to believe and barely distinguish a "virtual" experience from a real one using computer graphics, sounds, and images to reproduce electronic versions of real-life situations. This digest describes how VR works and discusses applications of VR in…

This brochure explains what a cochlear implant is, lists the types of individuals with deafness who may be helped by a cochlear implant, describes the process of evaluating people for cochlear implants, discusses the surgical process for implanting the aid, traces the path of sound through the cochlear implant to the brain, notes the costs of…

The longitudinal study compared the speech of two children (beginning at age 3) with cleft palate and inadequate velopharyngeal closure in an attempt to identify the patterns of production observed prior to surgery and the course and rate of change in production following surgery. Subjects' speech samples were evaluated prior to pharyngeal flap…

This report is a summary of the findings from the Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care of the United States House of Representatives Select Committee on Aging investigation of cataract surgery and the use of intraocular lenses (IOL's) in the United States. The document provides background on the definition and treatment of cataracts and…

Text, illustrations, and exercises are utilized in this set of learning modules to instruct nurses and other health care professionals in the symptoms and treatment of common medical disorders. The first module, by Fern A. Curran, discusses the causes of decubitus ulcers (i.e., bedsores), the physical damage they can do, and methods of preventing…

A study compared the attitudes of men and women junior medical students at one medical school before and after a surgery clerkship concerning their confidence in dealing with problems in the doctor-patient relationship, concerns about future practice, and the value of preventive care. (MSE)

Areas in which surgery is uniquely positioned to offer an outstanding experience to students and those areas in which it fails are discussed. Solutions to some of the problems of surgical education are proposed. (MLW)

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)

Studied two pediatric surgery populations (N=66) to determine differences in retention of preparatory information. Results showed that children exposed to a hospital-relevant film retained more information than those children not prepared regardless of age, IQ, previous experience, sex, and time of film preparation. (LLL)

A campaign to create an endowed chair in surgery for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center is described. More than $1.1 million was raised in less than six months for the chair, and a new set of prospective donors was found. (MLW)

Since 1974 the University of Louisville has sent medical students to a rural area to receive their core surgical clerkship experience as part of an area health education system program. The first five years of the program and its effect on residency selection are reviewed. (Author/MLW)

The undergraduate surgery program planned for the University of Tennessee and utilized at Michigan State University is described. The first year focuses on basic sciences; second year, core of medicine; and third year, clinics. (LBH)

Describes the use of a short, fictional story about a woman's surgery to illustrate issues and promote discussion about biomedical ethics, particularly the issue of informed consent. Discussion connects the personal story with specific litigation, comparing legal requirements and ethical responsibility in physician-patient communication. (MSE)

This article describes the assessment and rehabilitation processes of three children with deaf-blindness due to Usher syndrome who received cochlear implants at ages six and nine. Follow-up data two and three years after implant for two of the children are analyzed, indicating substantial positive benefits. (DB)

A study compared results of 2 teaching methods, traditional Socratic method (22 students) and a problem-based curriculum (35 students) in a University of Kentucky medical school surgery clerkship. Results showed the problem-based method resulted in similar knowledge level but improved clinical problem-solving skills. (Author/MSE)