An interdisciplinary faculty of the University of Califiornia at Los Angeles School of Medicine has developed a behavioral science program to teach interns the interpersonal skills necessary for effective physician patient encounters. Curriculum topics include interviewing, problem identification, and situational stress. (JMD)

The development of a diary-based technique to describe and classify the content of attending physicians' discussions in medical attending rounds and a demonstration of its use at the Seattle Veterans Administration Medical Center are reported. The technique may be of use to medical educators and researchers for exploring the activities of the…

A seminar series was developed in a family medicine training program to provide residents with some basic skills required to interpret medical studies critically. The sessions were designed to be clinically relevant, dependent on active resident participation, and focused on research methodology and interpretation. (Author/JMD)

The performance of psychiatric residents with various lengths of medical primary care internship during their first year of residency training are compared. The results suggest that first-year residents without a traditional 12 months medical internship are not at a substantial disadvantage compared with those with a year's internship. (JMD)

Describes development of a curriculum in medical information science that focuses on practical problems in clinical medicine rather than details of information technology. Design was guided by identification of six key clinical challenges that must be addressed by practitioners in the near future and by examination of past failures of informatics…

A University of Washington study investigated predictors of performance for 205 students in a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency. Results show clinical residency performance was predicted by clerkship honors grades, probation predicted by failing a basic science course, written board performance related to status with a medical…

Forty-four University of Kansas medical residents and nine associated community family physicians recorded their impressions of each patient's truthfulness and related issues after half-day patient care sessions. Analysis indicated residents doubted patients in 19.5% of encounters, senior physicians in 8.7%. Both groups had more negative than…

A study of 16 years of records of a general internal medicine faculty at a university hospital and its affiliated Veterans Administration medical center suggests the faculty involved in subspecialties and who have protected research time can improve their research productivity. (Author/MSE)

Expectations of graduate medical education consortia are contrasted with the experiences of 36 such groups. Results indicate consortia differ markedly in structure, functions, and other features but have some common concerns. Recommendations for improvement addresses such issues as leadership, needs assessment, and resource allocation. (Author/MSE)

Data on 270 graduates of the Boston (Massachusetts) Children's Hospital's pediatric residency program during 1974-86 indicate an unusually high percentage (66 percent) in academic pediatrics careers, 31 percent in pediatrics practice, and 3 percent in other professional activities. The percentage of women increased steadily, from 30-39 percent,…

Analysis of responses of 63 medical faculty involved in formal ethics teaching programs for medical residents indicated such perceived problems as time constraints resulting from residents' heavy schedules; attitudes of residents; logistical problems; time demands on faculty; lack of reinforcement for teaching ethics; and deficiencies in faculty…

General information about Steps 1 and 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) are offered to support proper use of the results for three general, nonlicensure applications: (1) evaluation of academic achievement; (2) program evaluation; and (3) selection for residencies. (Author/MSE)

A study investigated whether medical residents' compliance with guidelines for health promotion and disease prevention improved after exposure to a revised curriculum over three years. Chart audits indicate that, although compliance increased during the first year, activities returned to baseline levels thereafter, despite continued exposure to…

The Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center (New York City) program of preemployment urine toxicology examinations for beginning housestaff physicians has resulted in treatment for two physicians testing positive for illegal drugs. The program's primary purpose is to focus on substance abuse issues in graduate medical education. (Author/MSE)

From 1984-87, 12 pediatrics residents from the Yale University School of Medicine participated in a 3-year program emphasizing well-child care, developmental/behavioral pediatrics, chronic illness, and adolescent medicine. Participants performed better than others on interview skills and management of behavioral problems, but not in other areas.…