Family medicine
-
The management of chronic pain is an important topic for training competent family physicians. The purpose of this study was to determine factors in teaching about chronic pain and whether state overdose death rates were associated with teaching chronic pain topics. ⋯ The majority of family medicine clerkships teach about chronic pain, and the amount of time dedicated to this topic has increased over the last 5 years. A state's opioid overdose rate correlates with the amount of time spent teaching about opioids, but does not correlate with the amount of time teaching about other chronic pain subtopics. It is possible that the opioid crisis is causing a shift in the subtopics of chronic pain teaching.
-
For residents, uncertainty can be a source of motivation, interest, and stimulation, but it can also cause fear and anxiety that can lead to burn-out. Considering the prevalence of uncertainty in family medicine and the potential reactions from residents, reactions to uncertainty constitute an important research topic. This study sought to measure the evolution of reactions to uncertainty of family medicine residents in their first and second year, during a 6-month clinical rotation in a family physician's office. ⋯ During a 6-month clinical rotation, anxiety due to uncertainty decreased in first- and second-year residents. The frequency and the type of uncertain situations residents encountered could be investigated in future studies to better understand residents' reactions to uncertainty.
-
Residents as teachers (RAT) and medical students as teachers (MSAT) programs are important for the development of future physicians. In 2010, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (NUFSM) aligned RAT and MSAT programs, which created experiential learning opportunities in teaching and feedback across the graduate and undergraduate medical education continuum. The purpose of this study was to provide a curricular overview of the aligned program and to evaluate early outcomes through analysis of narrative feedback quality and participant satisfaction. ⋯ The aligned RAT and MSAT program across the medical education continuum provided experiential learning opportunities for future physician educators with evidence of high-quality written feedback to learners and program satisfaction.
-
Scarce evidence exists in the medical literature describing the attitudes of rural community residents about the impact of losing their local physician. This pilot study explores aspects of access to care, both within and outside of primary care settings, that result from loss of a rural family physician. ⋯ Our findings suggest that rural physicians offer tremendous value to their communities, both inside and beyond their clinic walls. Issues of social cohesion and local health leadership affected by physician loss should be addressed by policy makers and educators charged with designing patient-centered solutions to improve health outcomes in rural communities. Current health and medical education reforms would benefit from greater focused attention on these issues.