A collaborative study between two medical schools to evaluate the teaching of physical examination skills to medical students, assess the effect of different instructional methods, and improve teaching programs is presented. Students at the two schools were videotaped and the videotapes were sent to a third school for independent evaluation.…

A study of a medical student clinical assessment program since 1986 at the University of Massachusetts indicates student awareness of increased faculty observation and increased feedback to students during and following clinical rotations. Results indicate a conscious faculty effort to improve students' clinical skills by improved observation and…

Medical students (N=284) from four Northeastern medical schools interacted with standardized patients, then were given a free-response form (blank form for writing diagnostic impressions) and then they completed a cued-response form, which listed a series of diagnoses generated by the case author. The patients also completed a checklist. (MLW)

Medical schools (N=136) were surveyed concerning their use of standardized patients (lay persons trained to replicate a clinical encounter consistently and realistically). Among 16 specific topics covered are breast and pelvic examination, male genitourinary examination, interviewing skills, administration of program, start-up concerns, and…

Faculty from 5 New England medical schools developed 36 patient cases representing a variety of common ambulatory-care problems. Students were tested by interacting with 16 different standardized patients, who were nonphysicians trained to accurately and consistently portray a patient in a simulated clinical setting. (Author/MLW)