A one-month, elective fourth-year medical school course in advanced physical diagnosis is described. The course featured organ-specific didactic and interactive practice sessions, physical examination-based case conferences, professorial rounds with use of professional patients, and objective structured clinical examinations. (Author/MSE)

In August and September of 1989, 76 fourth year students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine took the objective structured clinical examinations. Analyses were conducted looking at the relationship of sequence to see whether scores showed a decrease in the afternoon. No significant effect of examinee fatigue was seen. (MLW)

The Early Patient-Oriented Care Program provides early clinical education for pharmacy students and clinical services for patients. Six students were assigned to visit 12-15 hemodialysis patients monthly under preceptor supervision. Topics covered include approach to patient, medical information retrieval, pharmaceutical care philosophy,…

Background: Gender bias has been reported in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with a variety of illnesses. In the context of our 10-station fourth year Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation, we queried whether this could influence diagnosis in a geriatric case. Case writers hypothesized that, due to this bias, the female standardized…

On the premise that success in medical practice must depend to a large extent on physician attitudes as viewed by the patient, a pilot study was conducted to compare the opinion of patients assigned to students with the formal evaluation of these students by their instructors. Findings showed a complete absence of correlation between scores. (JT)

The effect of clinical experience on diagnosis formulation was assessed by studying physicians at different levels of training. To evaluate whether physicians' knowledge of being part of an experiment affected their formation and modification of diagnoses, physicians signed consent forms and were not informed when videotaping was done. (Author/MLW)

Results of an analysis of changes in dental clinic patient needs and characteristics in the period of 1978-82 are presented, and their implications for the availability of experiences for the clinical training of dental students in specific areas are discussed. (MSE)

The use of remote broadcasting equipment in the training of interview skills to third-year medical students is described. Equipment consists of a radio transmitter used by the instructor, and a small hearing-aid-like device worn by the interviewer. This technique allows immediate feedback to the student. (MLW)

The format and production of the portable patient problem pack, a patient simulation method designed for problem-based learning, are described. Clinical and didactic applications and development of materials specifically for optometric education are discussed and additional information for designing optometry-related materials is appended.…

The patient's body is an image that medical students and residents use to process information. The classic use of images using the patient is qualitative and personal. The contemporary use of images is quantitative and impersonal. The contemporary use of imaging includes radiographic, nuclear, scintigraphic, and nuclear magnetic resonance…

A survey of patient debt management policies of dental programs is reported. The translation of a student's successful performance in a clinic setting to an academic failure based on a patient's failure to pay for services is not legally defendable. Fee collection should not be tied to student academic progress. (Author/MLW)

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…

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)

The extent that order effects in multiple-station clinical examinations are prevalent is addressed and an analysis of individual student score profiles pertaining to order effects is included. A clinical skills examination using standardized patients was administered to 157 medical students at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at…

Simulated experience in interviewing and medical evaluation of patients was developed to help nursing students learn assessment skills, using simulated patients (mostly other university students) to "practice" on. While reactions varied, students' overall comments indicated that the learning experience was beneficial. (MF)