Journal of medical education
-
The nature and direction of changes in empathy as measured by Hogan's empathy scale was explored over time (1975, 1976, and 1979) for medical students in the class of 1979 at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine. Results indicated that empathy scores declined slightly over time, correlated negatively with Medical College Admission Test scores, and were unrelated to academic performance or performance on Part I or Part II examinations of the National Board of Medical Examiners.
-
The purpose of this study was to test a theory of affective learning and to develop a data-gathering instrument for evaluation of affective learning. Two primary areas of affective learning were conceptualized for study: coping with feelings about professional knowledge and coping with feelings about the necessity for development of professional attitudes toward illness and disability and toward death and dying. This two-year study project (1977-1979) involved a total of 70 first-year medical students. ⋯ Observer reliability was tested. Study results suggested that students progress through phases of affective learning as described in the theory. Implications of the findings are discussed.
-
Prescription-writing is an important aspect of medical practice. Illegible and/or incorrect prescriptions can result in loss of patient, physician, and pharmacist time and may cause therapeutic errors or drug toxicity. ⋯ Deficient prescription-writing techniques and weakness in the therapeutic knowledge of beginning pediatric interns were identified. The data indicate that proper prescription-writing (especially the use of controlled substances) should be taught to house officers and that the therapeutic knowledge of beginning pediatric interns cannot be assumed to be adequate.
-
Data derived from high-fidelity simulation studies of medical diagnostic reasoning are reanalyzed and critiqued. Results from the reanalyses do not support the earlier findings. The reanalyses also raise questions about the validity of a psychological model of diagnostic inquiry that formed the foundation of the high-fidelity simulation research. Suggestions regarding alternate methods for conducting research on diagnostic problem-solving are offered.