JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Acute traumatic spinal cord injury results in disability and use of health care resources, yet data on contemporary national trends of traumatic spinal cord injury incidence and etiology are limited. ⋯ Between 1993 and 2012, the incidence rate of acute traumatic spinal cord injury remained relatively stable but, reflecting an increasing population, the total number of cases increased. The largest increase in incidence was observed in older patients, largely associated with an increase in falls, and in-hospital mortality remained high, especially among elderly persons.
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Comparative Study
Association of MCAT scores obtained with standard vs extra administration time with medical school admission, medical student performance, and time to graduation.
Individuals with documented disabilities may receive accommodations on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Whether such accommodations are associated with MCAT scores, medical school admission, and medical school performance is unclear. ⋯ Among applicants to US medical schools, those with MCAT scores obtained with extra test administration time, compared with standard administration time, had no significant difference in rate of medical school admission but had lower rates of passing the USMLE Step examinations and of medical school graduation within 4 to 8 years after matriculation. These findings raise questions about the types of learning environments and support systems needed by students who test with extra time on the MCAT to enable them to succeed in medical school.