A study that addressed the question of whether coaching for the MCAT biases the relationship between test performance and medical school performance is described. The criterion used was whether or not a student experienced academic problems in medical school. (MLW)

Conclusions of the report "Physicians for the Twenty-First Century," by the Panel on the General Professional Education of the Physician, are discussed, including: a shift in emphasis among the skills, values, and attitudes taught in medical school; breadth and rigor in the sciences and humanities; and encouraging independent learning.…

This article describes an interactive computer program that allows medical students to enter a completely free-form problem list at the keyboard and receive immediate analysis of the accuracy and thoroughness of their diagnostic impressions. (Author/LMO)

A survey on the teaching of liberal arts in internal medicine residency programs and the importance of liberal arts to the practice of medicine is discussed. Law and organization of the health care system as well as economics and bioethics were rated as essential to medical practice. (Author/MLW)

In an Ohio State study, medical students pursuing an independent study program and students in the traditional program performed similarly on part 1 of the National Board of Medical Examiners examinations and in their required clerkships. Differences identified resulted in curricular changes.(Author/MLW)

The variables affecting ratings of the importance of biopsychosocial versus biomedical assessments are examined. It was hypothesized that students would perceive the relative importance of biomedical and biopsychosocial assessments differentially based on the diagnoses of the patients and the students' level of training. (MLW)

The Reduced Load Program, instituted in 1973 at the Indiana University School of Medicine to allow students two academic years to complete their first-year course requirements, is described. This program was developed as an alternative to dismissal for students experiencing academic difficulty. (MLW)

The evaluation processes of 75 internal medicine residencies visited by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) in 1978-82 are reviewed. The methods of evaluation used by the residencies are described and compared with the findings from an earlier cycle of visits in 1972-75. (Author/MLW)

A discriminant analysis of objective and subjective measures from the records of students who graduated from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School over a six-year period was used to generate a model for the prediction of medical specialty choice. (Author/MLW)

A group of first-year medical students who demonstrated inadequate interviewing skills in a test with proven reliability and validity were identified. The usefulness of individualized tutorials as a means of helping them improve their skills was assessed. (Author/MLW)

Differences in ratings by faculty members and first-, second-, and third-year residents on measures of occupational stress, personal strain, and availability of coping resources were examined. The findings suggest that residency education interferes with first-year residents' abilities to cope and places their physical well-being at risk.…

The question of which set of scores for those students who retake the Medical College Admission Test yields a better predictive validity is addressed. Five sets were considered as predictors. Twenty-five criteria were used, including grades earned in the freshman and sophomore years. (Author/MLW)

A 5-year study of medical students who had participated in a first-year elective course on cancer found that 47% of all participants subsequently became involved in other cancer programs. Subsequent expressed and overt interests in cancer were related to achievement on neoplasm-related test items. (Author/MLW)

Recruiting and selecting first-year residents is a laborious and costly process for both the applicant and the institution. A methodology which may improve the quality of selection and decrease the number of faculty hours invested is presented. (Author/MLW)

A study of student stress before and after a clinical clerkship examined the relationship of favorable or unfavorable stress, as perceived by the student, to locus of control and self-esteem. The major finding was an association of unfavorable stress with poor academic performance. Stress management training is recommended. (MSE)