Many medical schools have developed written expectations for their students that contain both cognitive and noncognitive academic criteria. Criteria included: honesty, professional behavior, dedication to learning, appearance, respect for law, respect for others, confidentiality, aid to others, substance abuse, and financial responsibility.…

Students participated in a videotaped feedback session. Issues addressed included preceptors' and students' expectations, integration of the students into the office practices, definition of responsibilities, feedback from preceptors, involvement in activities outside the physicians' offices, etc. The videotape was later shown to preceptors. (MLW)

Application of ethical principles to relationships and pedagogic problems in medical education is discussed, focusing on the associations medical students form with teachers, patients, school, each other that shape them as professionals. It is argued that introduction of ethics into these areas can help students and teachers and improve medical…

A survey of 222 obstetrics patients assisted by medical clerkship students from the University of Vermont and 78 who refused student participation found privacy the primary motivation for refusal and a desire to contribute to students' education a primary reason for accepting student participation. Patients frequently erroneously anticipated the…

A consumer research technique, conjoint analysis, was used to assess the relative importance of several factors in 104 fourth-year medical students' selection of specialty. Conjoint analysis appears to be a useful method for investigating the complex process of specialty selection. (SLD)

Describes a study conducted at Oregon Health Sciences University that compared the use of three retrieval systems by medical students: a Boolean system, a word-based natural language system, and a concept-based natural language system. Results showed no statistically significant differences in recall, precision, or user preferences. (Author/LRW)

A study compared student evaluations made by residency directors and deans in 2 medical schools, using 3 standard methods of ranking 20 students per school. Ordinal ranking showed substantial agreement for 15 of 16 residency directors. Two methods of clustering into fixed groups gave high agreement only for top students. (Author/MSE)

Analysis of medical residents' clinical performances in five teaching hospital anesthesiology departments revealed that noncognitive performance in some areas was a powerful predictor of overall clinical performance and was related to the occurrence of critical incidents. Noncognitive predictors included conscientiousness, management, confidence,…

A survey of 665 fourth-year medical students in 6 schools investigated whether students had encountered ethically problematic situations, their attitudes about them, and their perceptions of their personal ethical development. Results suggest that ethical dilemmas are commonly encountered and often detrimental, warranting attention of physicians,…

The study found that the actual coursework of 19 medical students following an individual study program deviated considerably from both the requirements of the traditional curriculum and the actual coursework followed by 302 students in the traditional program. Independent study students most commonly eliminated selected formal clerkship or…

The following essential elements of programs that prepare physicians to care for at-risk children effectively are described: (1) active participation in children's care; (2) effective service programs for learning; (3) comprehensive, multidisciplinary, flexible, and intensive programs; and (4) program evaluation. The policy implications in…

Perceptions of their learning environments are studied for 112 medical students in Canada through interviews over 2 years. Students perceive that structures of the learning environment foster a highly competitive milieu influencing their approach to learning. Processes of teaching are viewed somewhat more positively. (SLD)

The Computer-Assisted Medical Problem-Solving system, designed to teach problem solving and pattern recognition, has also been found useful for identifying medical students' problems with clinical reasoning. Analysis of individual test results allows development of a student problem-solving profile score that augments the initial test score. (MSE)

A study of 812 students entering Thomas Jefferson University (Pennsylvania) medical college in 1985-88 found students' basic sciences performance in medical school was the same for all undergraduate major groups. The groups had similar rates for delayed graduation, but attrition was highest for humanities graduates. Career plans and estimated…

A microcomputer program to provide health care workers with instruction in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infection control was assessed by medical residents. The experimental group (n=24) acquired more knowledge than controls (n=33). Response to the method was positive, and computer-assisted instruction is seen as useful for AIDS…