Presents an assignment in which students choose a historical medical document, focusing on bloodletting techniques, tendon repair in the calf, or phrenology, and then convince the doctor or specialist who wrote the document that he was incorrect or did not use the best medical treatment. Provides historical background on phrenology. (CMK)

Comprehensive clinical programs for teenage mothers and their children have been a promising intervention to improve outcomes of teenage childbearing and parenting. Evaluations in this study reported moderate success in preventing repeat pregnancies, continuing education, and improving health care. It is concluded that increased support and…

Federal legislation (White House Executive Order 13166, 2000) mandates that language services be provided to limited English proficient populations by health care providers receiving federal funding. In order to do this, some basic resources have been developed to administer medical services. Nevertheless, the translation aspects of these…

Canadians have expressed concern that access to a family physician (FP) has declined precipitously. Yet FP to population ratios remained relatively stable over the last decade, and there were perceptions of physician surpluses, at least in urban centres, 10 years ago. We evaluated whether demographic changes among patients and FPs, and in the…

As part of a larger case study, this co-operative inquiry explores the lecturers' perspectives of the added value of the higher education experience of mixed ability groups of experienced care workers undertaking a 60 credit Certificate in Empowering Practice programme. Following consistent positive programme evaluations the success of the course…

In developing curricula for undergraduate and graduate medical education, educators have become increasingly aware of an interweaving of the formal, informal, and hidden curricula and their influences on the outcomes of teaching and learning. But, to date, there is little in the literature about the hidden curriculum of medical practice, which…

Many traditional classroom science and technology activities often ask students to complete prepackaged labs that ensure that everyone arrives at the same "scientifically accurate" solution or theory, which ignores the important problem-solving and creative aspects of scientific research and technological design. Students rarely have the…

Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2000 and 2002, we compared potential and realized use of health care for a national sample of working-age women with cognitive disabilities. Despite having similar likelihoods of potential access to health care as compared to nondisabled women, they had markedly worse rates of receiving…

Suicide by self-poisoning is a prevalent cause of death worldwide. A substantial proportion of individuals who poison themselves come into contact with medical services before they die. Our focus in the current study was the medical management of drug self-poisoning in industrialized countries and its possible contribution to suicide prevention.…

Although asthma deaths in children are rare, most asthma deaths should be preventable. No information has been identified in the professional literature addressing the occurrence of asthma deaths in schools. This investigation identified asthma deaths that occurred in US schools between 1990 and 2003 and the circumstances surrounding those deaths.…

Migration to the United States from Mexico is increasing every year. Mexican immigrants tend to be poor, uninsured, monolingual Spanish speakers without adequate access to appropriate medical care. As a further barrier, many are also undocumented. This article describes a program developed to improve access to health care among Mexican immigrants…

The resurgence of infectious diseases and the emergence of infectious diseases raise questions on how to cope with the situation. The germ or clinical approach is the hegemonic biomedical paradigm. In this article, the author argues that the spread of infectious diseases has posted a challenge to the biomedical paradigm and shows how lock-in…

Earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments have improved both morbidity and mortality associated with cystic fibrosis, making regular school attendance a reality. School nurses have a unique opportunity to assist students with cystic fibrosis successfully manage their disease. Medical treatment for cystic fibrosis can be complex, leaving…

Temple College (TC) is a comprehensive community college located in Temple, Texas. Temple also is home to Scott & White Hospital, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, King's Daughters Hospital, and Texas A&M University College of Medicine's clinical campus. In the summer of 2001, TC's health-sciences programs were scattered across…

The Terri Schiavo case was unique in the media attention it garnered, but the decision making challenges faced by Terri's family are common ones encountered by all families who must make choices about the use of life-sustaining medical treatment for an incapacitated loved one. This article highlights three key issues that were particularly…