Family medicine
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We conducted a six-pronged preceptor faculty development program that included a listserve and interactive Web-based teaching scenarios. A total of 144 preceptors in a required preceptorship program were offered traditional continuing medical education (CME), a preceptor listserve, an electronic clinical teaching discussion group, an orientation videotape, a CD-ROM on teaching skills, and technology support. ⋯ One third of preceptors responded to an electronic clinical teaching case discussion, most rating it useful to their precepting. The listserve and electronic teaching cases hold promise for preceptor faculty development.
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This study's purpose was to measure the current status of research funding and mentoring in family medicine residencies and to ascertain what resources are needed to increase residencies' research output. ⋯ The majority of family medicine residencies did not receive grant funding for research, reported that time and money were the most significant barriers to research, but were ineligible to receive support from NIH K awards. More realistic funding mechanisms are needed to support residency-based research faculty.
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Utilization of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in residency education is common, but information about their use and how residents are trained to use them is limited. Better understanding of resident and faculty PDA use and training is needed. ⋯ PDAs have become a commonly used clinical tool. Lack of time and adequate training present a barrier to optimal application of PDAs in family medicine residency education.
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Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour regulations have significantly changed residency education. Initial research focused heavily on resident experiences, while changes in faculty roles and effects on patient care and resident education have received less attention. This survey examines faculty perceptions of the effect of duty hour changes in academic family medicine. ⋯ Consistent with research from other specialties, many faculty members perceive that their work roles have increased in certain areas. Resident performance and patient care are not seen to be improved as a result of duty hours. Further research into the unexpected findings involving labor and delivery responsibilities is needed.
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This study analyzed our family medicine department's after-hours telephone medicine systems at an academic health center from a patient safety perspective. The research questions were (1) What are the threats to patient safety associated with after-hours telephone medicine and (2) What kinds of errors are made during after-hours telephone medicine? ⋯ Situations that threaten patient safety occur frequently in telephone medicine. Although this study is too small to draw strong conclusions, it suggests that there are risks to patient safety associated with after-hours telephone medicine.