This is a report on the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, which is operating in Cincinnati despite more than six months of legal and administrative battles with Ohio educational authorities. (BB)

The costs and benefits of teaching activities in two Research Animal Diagnostic and Invetigative Laboratories (RADILS) were identified and measured. The question addressed is whether public investments in RADIL teaching activities are justified. (LBH)

A study of 184 third-year medical students randomly assigned to ambulatory care and traditional inpatient curricula in an internal medicine clerkship found those with the ambulatory care experience were somewhat more likely to choose an ambulatory care career than those in the traditional curriculum. However, the clerkship experience did not…

Describes an electronic database of clinical questions (CQs) and medical evidence, the Critical Appraisal Resource (CAR). Evaluation of ten months of use found that medical residents did engage the medical literature on behalf of their patients, which influenced approximately half of their patient-care decisions. (EV)

The discussion of score reporting methods to be used in new versions of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) examination defines selected aspects of score reporting, outlines the use of scores, and examines the potential for misuse by medical schools and in resident selection. An NBME opinion poll is reported. (Author/MSE)

Evaluation of a University of Calgary (Canada) program to train 11 Saudi Arabian physicians found variability in preparation and progress of the students but determined the benefits to the institution outweighed disadvantages. The review reinforced the value of periodic program review and yielded recommendations for improvement of training.…

Johns Hopkins Hospital expanded its health care delivery capabilities and strengthened its position in the marketplace by acquisitions of and mergers with other hospitals and a health maintenance organization. The resulting conglomerate has achieved its goals of expanding patient care, broadening the patient base, and enlarging the asset base and…

A study of 417 pediatric residents found more men than women had children during residencies. More married women than men without children felt it would have a negative effect on careers and saw difficulties with child care. Residents having children during residencies did not differ significantly by sex on these issues. (Author/MSE)

A 1990 survey of 281 health maintenance organizations found 42 were directly involved in graduate medical education, most through agreements with academic medical centers or teaching hospitals, to serve as an ambulatory care rotation site. One-sixth of these were accredited to serve as sponsoring organizations. Program model types were also…

A study of the performance of Brown University medical students admitted with and without an interview, based on course performance, standardized test scores, and residency evaluations, provides evidence that the selection interview does not contribute to the predictive capacity of the admission process. (Author/MSE)

A model for resident selection used scaled scores reflective of the applicant's characteristics to rank applicants at the Medical College of Milwaukee (Wisconsin). Data from three years indicate that as few as three faculty were needed to interview reliably, permitting a more cost-effective approach to selection. (Author/MSE)

The Tulane University (Louisiana) senior medical class (n=111) was surveyed concerning ranking of residency programs. Results suggest that the satisfaction of a program's house officers and seniors' general interview impressions were the most important selection factors. Diversity of training experience and geographic location were also important.…

A study examined the relationship between (1) internal medicine patients' total charges and lengths of stay and (2) the degree of autonomy that attending physicians (n=65) permitted their residents (n=40). Results suggest that internal medicine residents have an inherently conservative practice style valuing low-intensity workups and rapid patient…

Using a national sample of recent medical school graduates (n=12,213), a study of predictive validity of the National Board of Medical Examiners test parts I and II found strong correlations between performance on those parts and part III, supporting the test's use, at least in part, for selection of residency applicants. (MSE)

Evaluates an educational Web site in risk management and medical-legal issues. Quantitative analysis of a 25-question multiple-choice quiz found that residents who browsed the educational model scored significantly higher (81%) than those who did not (62%). Suggests that the Web site and accompanying quiz database offers a practical solution for…