The engagement and retention of commencing students is a longstanding issue in higher education, particularly with the implementation of the widening student participation agenda. The early weeks of the first semester are especially critical to student engagement and early attrition. This study investigated the perceived early transition needs of…

Obstetric patients rated the skills and assessed the roles of students caring for them during a clinical clerkship. They rated skills and attitudes high, generally, with lower ratings for their ability to answer questions and preparation to participate in care. Most felt students improved their care, primarily in supportive ways. (Author/MSE)

To improve consistency of approach and faculty efficiency while still maintaining the activity of faculty members at remote sites, a "minicourse" at rotating sites was devised for medical students at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. (MLW)

A survey of fourth-year students in obstetrics at one medical school confirmed the absence of a liberal undergraduate education and indicated their failure to acquire cultural knowledge during their premedical and medical education. Knowledge deficits extended beyond the humanities to nonmedical sciences and the history and philosophy of medicine.…

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine has devised an evaluation system that not only provides the advantages of oral examination but also attempts to alleviate some of its disadvantages. The system uses oral examination to assess students' content knowledge. (MLW)

A UCLA School of Medicine program compared the results of teaching obstectrics and pediatric neonatal medicine as a perinatal continuum with the results of the traditional separate clerkships and to assess the benefits and liabilities of the use of this integrated approach to teaching. (LBH)

A study investigated, first, the percentage of medical students maintaining interest in obstetrics/gynecology during medical school compared to those maintaining interest in other specialties and, second, changes of interest from obstetrics/gynecology to other specialties and other specialties to obstetrics/gynecology. Results indicate instability…

Seminars with small groups of medical students beginning their training on an obstetrics and gynecology service attempt to help the students cope with reactions that could impair their ability to perform competent gynecological examinations. Six characteristic responses of students performing their first pelvic examination are described.…

Five of the medical schools in the University of London collaborated in administering one multiple choice question paper in obstetrics and gynecology, and results showed differences in performance between the five schools on questions and alternatives within questions. The rank order of the schools may result from differences in teaching methods.…

A survey of 222 obstetrics patients assisted by medical clerkship students from the University of Vermont and 78 who refused student participation found privacy the primary motivation for refusal and a desire to contribute to students' education a primary reason for accepting student participation. Patients frequently erroneously anticipated the…

An attending tutor program designed to increase faculty-student contact within an Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship was evaluated. Sessions were observed, written documents were reviewed, and faculty and students were interviewed in order to determine if the program was meeting its goals. Based on the evaluation data, the program was…

The final report of the University of Connecticut Health Center curriculum project entitled "A Data-Based Approval to Developing a Curriculum" is presented. The aims of the project were these: (1) to develop procedures for judging and cross-judging the goals and objectives of undergraduate medical education; (2) to implement these…

Experience on the traditional internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry clerkships was compared with the experience on a family medicine clerkship. The family medicine clerkship offered the most experience with circulatory, respiratory, digestive, neurological, musculoskeletal, and skin problems and with…

This report describes a program initiated in 1992 to provide appropriate training for rural physicians and to address the shortage of physicians in rural Australia. Rural medical practice differs dramatically from urban practice in that there is limited access to specialist services in rural areas, thus requiring rural practitioners to be…

Survey of Wayne State University (Michigan) 542 medical students found significantly more third-year than second-year students reporting personal experience of mistreatment or discrimination. Students specializing in family medicine reported the lowest rates of mistreatment, those in obstetrics/gynecology and surgery the highest. Perception also…