Constructed a longitudinal database to examine how basic science departments have been reorganized at U.S. medical schools. Found that there were fewer basic science departments in the traditional disciplines of anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, and physiology in 1999 than in 1980. But as biomedical science has developed in an…

Surveyed first-year students at four Southeastern medical schools about diversity issues. Found that perceptions of diversity were influenced by students' own demographic characteristics and those of their medical school. The more diverse the class, the more comfortable students were with diversity and the more they valued its contribution to…

Surveyed directors of internal medicine (IM) and family practice (FP) residency programs regarding the format, content, and quantity of psychosocial training in their programs, their opinions on topics related to such training, and program demographics. Found considerable variation in content and time devoted to psychosocial training within and…

Responses to a 1986 questionnaire by 91 departments of clinical psychiatry in U.S. medical schools revealed that a substantial proportion (29.3 percent) were not fully compliant with established guidelines requiring informed consent from patients before allowing students to participate in their psychiatric assessment and care. (Author/DB)

The challenge for medical educators is to develop for their students a firm educational foundation in nutritional science. A nutrition "laboratory" experience was developed at the Medical College of Virginia. Students examine their own nutrient intakes in relation to class means, national norms, and dietary recommendations. (MLW)

Students at a large private medical school were surveyed concerning the appropriateness of traditional cheating behaviors and behaviors related to professional misconduct and dishonesty in patient care. They also rated the acceptability of various rationalizations for these behaviors. (Author/MLW)

A survey of American Indian physicians found most respondents were Indians to less than one-quarter degree and that less than 25 percent of their direct patient care activity involved Indian patients, contradicting the view that minority medical practitioners are more likely than White counterparts to practice among their minority populations.…

A survey of medicine clerkship directors in 101 United States and Puerto Rican medical schools found descriptor grades the most commonly used, letter grades next most common, and numerical grading systems used by 4 schools. However, there was a lack of consistency in the descriptor grades used. (Author/MSE)

A survey of American medical school preventive medicine curricula found more emphasis on teaching and evaluation of students in areas of clinical preventive services and quantitative methods and less emphasis on community services and health services organization and delivery. Written tests and unstructured observation were the most common methods…

This study identified factors in graduating medical students' choice of primary versus nonprimary care specialty. Subjects were 509 students at the Medical College of Georgia in 1988-90. Students could be classified by such factors as desire for longitudinal patient care opportunities, monetary rewards, perception of lifestyle, and perception of…

Examined graduating medical students' perceptions of the adequacy of instruction in managed care. Found that a majority felt they had not received adequate instruction in managed care, with responses suggesting that students defined managed care in terms of managing costs. (EV)

A review of the combined M.D.-Ph.D training program at Johns Hopkins Medical School (Maryland) found that, of 109 students who earned both degrees since 1980, 42 have completed all training and are now in career positions. Most (81 percent) are in full-time academic posts, with 14 percent in research institutes and the remaining 5 percent in…

This study, involving 116 housestaff physicians, 106 new attorneys, and the spouses of both groups, identified the factors that significantly affected their marital adjustments. No differences were found. The most important factor associated with adjustment was perceived level of emotional support from one's spouse. (Author/MLW)

A survey of 567 medical school faculty found women were less likely to be tenured or at the professor level, spent more time in clinical activities, had less time for scholarly activity, and reported slower career progress. Significant differences were also found between female physician and non-physical faculty with female physicians reporting…

A modified Delphi process was used to survey program directors and medical residents to identify indicators of quality in internal medicine residency training. Items rated important by both groups included faculty characteristics such as stability, supervision, clinical skills, and teaching commitment; institutional support; and amount of resident…