Three chronically ill patients were trained to evaluate the performance of 31 second-year internal medicine house officers based upon: a checklist for the medical data elicited during the medical interview; the process of the interview; and the physical examination technique. (Author/MLW)

A computer program developed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine presents simulated patient cases and then scores participants' clinical problem-solving in the cases by comparing their performances with those of faculty members. The validity and reliability of this evaluation system was investigated. (Author/MLW)

Factor analytic development of various measures of consumer perceptions regarding characteristics of doctors and health care services is described. Findings are discussed in relation to program planning and evaluation in medical education, and suggestions for future research are noted. (Editor/JT)

To provide objective evaluation of students' physical diaonosis skills, nonphysician patient instructors (PIs) with stable positive findings were trained by physicians to function in the multiple roles of patient, teacher, and evaluator. Medical students examine the PIs and are evaluated by them on their technique and diagnosis ability.…

A new approach to the assessment of physicians' performance in practice using undetected standardized (simulated) patients is discussed. Case-specific performance criteria were established for seven standardized patients and then the patients were introduced into the practices of family physicians. (Authors/MLW)

Reports a study of consultants' critiques on the records of patients treated by house officers which indicates that they provide a convenient tool for evaluation of clinical performance by house officers and an indirect measurement of the quality of teaching and patient care within a medical training program. (JT)

The audit of medical care in primary care practices has proven to be a valuable tool for teaching the essentials of efficient health care delivery to medical students at the University of Vermont. Practice standards and methods are continually revised based on the audit of the providers of care and the curriculum is updated based on student…

A study is described that identified a set of measureable skills, evaluated the effects of a simulated patient program on students' observed interview skills, and tested the ability of trained simulators to evaluate interview skills by comparing simulator ratings and faculty ratings of the same interviews. (MLW)

A course in communication skills for medical students at the University of Massachusetts Medical School is described. Three issues are examined: the effectiveness of behavioral scientists and physicians as course instructors, the value of videotaped role-playing exercises, and the value of trained actors and medical students as simulated patients.…

The use of trained gynecologic teaching associates (GTAs) in providing instruction on the gynecologic examination is discussed. GTAs work in pairs; while one provides instruction, the other serves as a model. A study to measure student anxiety and confidence during the examination is described. (MLW)

Use of a videotape technique to evaluate medical students' ability to observe psychopathology after a psychobiology system course is reported. Performance on this audiovisual examination was found not to be related significantly to any of the other methods of evaluation used in the course or in other courses during the first two years of medical…

Patient management problems were found to be favorable methods of self-assessment by an overwhelming majority of practicing dermatologists and those in training, regardless of the type of practice or the number of years in practice. (LBH)

This analysis supports the conclusions that only information necessary to establish or discredit a possible diagnosis should be included in the history and that the ordering of possible diagnoses in terms of their probabilities is based on the experience as well as the knowledge of the physician writing the history. (Editor)

The systematic process followed in establishing a comprehensive curriculum for the eight-week junior pediatric clinical clerkship at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine is described. Included are selection of goals, identification of activities and references, and development of evaluative methods. (LBH)