Medical education
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This study aimed to compare data on the employment profiles (such as grade, place of work, etc.) of male and female clinical academics. ⋯ In England only 1 in 10 medical clinical professors are women. At the onset of the study period, 6 medical schools employed no female professors, with a consequent lack of female role models at these institutions. Large variations between schools suggest that some workforce practices may be detrimental to women's academic careers.
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Faculty attitudes are believed to be a barrier to successful implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives within academic health sciences settings. The purpose of this study was to examine specific attributes of faculty members, which might relate to attitudes towards IPE and interprofessional teamwork. ⋯ The findings have implications for both the advancement of IPE within academic institutions and strategies to promote faculty development initiatives. In terms of IPE evaluation, the findings also highlight the importance of measuring baseline attitudinal constructs as part of systematic evaluative activities when introducing new IPE initiatives within academic settings.
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Students can take different approaches to learning and studying: deep (understanding material); surface (memorizing details), and strategic (motivated by assessments). It is important to know how assessments affect student choices of approach. ⋯ The correlations met our expectations in terms of direction, but were weaker and less consistent than anticipated. Possible reasons include the drive to test basic (core) material, the use of questions that may limit students' scope of expression and markers' ability to detect a deep approach. It is, however, important to refine medical programmes, particularly assessments, so that they concur with and do not adversely affect students' learning approaches.
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Considerable research has been conducted recently into the notion of patient-centred consulting. The primary goal of this approach is to establish a clear understanding of the patient's perspective on his or her problem, and to allow this understanding to inform both the explanation and planning stages of the consultation. The quality of this understanding is largely determined by the empathic accuracy achieved by the doctor; the primary benefit is a therapeutic rapport between doctor and patient. ⋯ The model appears to capture the dynamic process of establishing a therapeutic relationship (rapport) between doctor and patient, defined by the quality of the doctor's understanding of the patient's perspective on his or her problem. Arguably, the most important contribution of the model is to highlight the fact that 'empathy' and consequent 'rapport' are not mystical or exclusive concepts but, rather, involve the use of specific skills accessible at some level by all.
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The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of how medical trainees define medical errors and what factors influence medical trainees' perceptions of medical errors. ⋯ Trainees' perceptions and attitudes towards errors vary depending on whether they are in their clinical years, the severity of outcome, and whether the error is attributable to an individual or a team. These factors will have to be explored in greater depth if we are adequately to prepare young doctors for the errors they will inevitably make.