Family medicine
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Our objectives were to (1) compare Newest Vital Sign (NVS) scores and administration characteristics with the short (S) version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and Spoken Knowledge in Low-Literacy Diabetes (SKILLD) tool and (2) gather information from research assistants (RAs) regarding their perceptions of patient understanding of NVS items. ⋯ Related to the care of patients with diabetes, the most important feature of the NVS is that it can quickly provide a clinician with valuable insight regarding their patients' ability to complete a practical skill (ie, interpreting a food label) needed to achieve tight blood glucose control.
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Mismatch between program directors' expectations of medical school graduates and the experience of students in medical school has important implications for patient safety and medical education. We sought to define family medicine residency program directors' expectations of medical school graduates to independently perform various procedural skills and medical school graduates' self-reported competence to perform those skills at residency outset. ⋯ Incongruity exists between program director expectations and intern self-reported ability to perform common procedures. Both patient safety and medical education may be jeopardized by a mismatch of expectation and experience. Assessment of medical students prior to medical school graduation or at the start of residency training may help detect procedural skill gaps and protect patient safety.
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Knowledge of improvement practices is a critical skill for family medicine residents who will lead patient-centered medical homes. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education includes systems-based practice and improvement knowledge as a core competency for residency education. The objective of this report is to describe the 6-year implementation and development of our practice-based improvement curriculum in a family medicine residency. ⋯ We describe a longitudinal, practical, developmental, and clinically based experiential improvement curriculum that has been successfully integrated into a family medicine residency program.
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Medical students are exposed to a growing number of obese patients in clinical encounters. Many medical students harbor negative attitudes and stereotypes regarding obese patients, which lead to negative interpersonal behaviors. This study pilot tested the effectiveness of an educational intervention in reducing bias toward obese patients. ⋯ Implementing a short educational intervention was effective in improving medical students' beliefs and stereotypes regarding obese patients. This widely accessible and easily replicable program can serve as a model and springboard for further development of educational interventions to reduce weight bias among medical students.
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Lifestyle factors influence medical specialty choice, but which specialties are perceived to have the best lifestyles is poorly described in scientific literature. The objective of the study was to determine the rating of specialties by lifestyle. ⋯ The R.O.A.D. specialties (radiology, ophthalmology, anesthesia, and dermatology) are the top specialties with respect to lifestyle as viewed by current students. Students perceive their own specialty's lifestyle realistically. Research determining why a specialty perceived as having a lower-rated lifestyle is acceptable to some students and not others is needed.