Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
-
To examine the benefits of the shift of medical education into ambulatory primary care settings by investigating whether medical students exposed to a common primary care problem (low back pain) in ambulatory care settings develop better clinical skills. ⋯ The lack of difference between the groups' clinical performances indicates a need to more rigorously define and evaluate outcomes of education in ambulatory care settings. The generally poor clinical performance of all groups suggests that the current curriculum inadequately teaches clinical skills needed to assess and manage common problems. Clearer expectations of competencies and assurances that preceptors in ambulatory care settings will help students meet those learning objectives might lead to better outcomes.
-
Comparative Study
Influence of medical school on medical students' opinions about primary care practice.
To compare first- and fourth-year medical students' opinions about primary care practice. ⋯ It appears that students' positive perceptions about primary care practice may change as realistic perceptions about the professional demands on primary care physicians develop during medical school.
-
To determine (1) the prevalence of mentoring relationships for U.S. medical school junior faculty; (2) the quality of these mentoring relationships; (3) any variation by gender or race; and (4) the relationship between mentoring and junior faculty members' perceptions of institutional professional support; research-, teaching-, and clinical-skills development; allocation of time to professional activities; and career satisfaction. ⋯ Mentoring relationships are prevalent in academic medicine and should be promoted to support the career growth of junior faculty.
-
In 1995, the Health Professions Schools in Service to the Nation (HPSISN) program was launched under the auspices of the Pew Health Professions Commission as a national demonstration of an innovative form of community-based education called service-learning. The foundation of service-learning is a balanced partnership between communities and health professions schools and a balance between serving the community and meeting defined learning objectives. ⋯ Further, the author discusses how service-learning programs may benefit students, faculty, communities, higher education institutions, and the relationships among all these stakeholders. The article concludes with brief descriptions of recommended resources for integrating service-learning into the medical school curriculum.
-
Medical schools must become more successful in training minority faculty. Minority faculty development programs at schools of medicine must involve trainees from the undergraduate years (if not before) through junior faculty and must involve MD and combine-degree (MD-PhD) students. The authors describe the comprehensive minority faculty development program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which involves minority undergraduates, medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty. ⋯ The medical student component provides general counseling, research development, and activities to enhance performance in the clinical courses. The components for advanced trainees (residents, fellows, and postdoctoral trainees) and faculty consist of training in research methods, mentoring, teaching skills, and scientific writing skills. Through this program, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has increased the number of under-represented minority faculty by 32% since 1993-94 and created an environment conducive to the professional growth and development of minority faculty.