Identifies and characterizes five major curricular-reform movements in North American medical education since 1765: the apprenticeship-based model; a discipline-based model; the organ-system-based model; the problem-based model; and a clinical-presentation model. Discusses principles and practices and disadvantages and advantages of each. (MSE)

Columbia University (New York) dental-school study examined educational/patient care effects of changing from a numerical requirements-driven clinical curriculum to a comprehensive-care model driven by patient needs and led by faculty group leaders. Results suggest a significant increase in number of treatment plans completed by students, with no…

Lists ten ways in which having medical students in the community physician's office can be of value to preceptors, including providing valuable but time-consuming patient services, following up on phone calls, providing computer skills, performing minor office procedures, reviewing medical records, helping with paperwork, stimulating preceptor…

Analysis of students' mean scores on two internal medicine clerkship tests at Wright State University investigated test sensitivity and specificity for identifying students with insufficient knowledge, and compared final examination pass rates of counseled and noncounseled students. Results indicate that in-clerkship tests can identify at-risk…

Funded by the Generalist Physician Initiative, Dartmouth Medical School (New Hampshire), Virginia Commonwealth University, and New York Medical College adopted early community-based training models for longitudinal clinical experiences. The three programs, the methods used to evaluate an aspect of the program, lessons learned about early clinical…

This paper describes the faculty evaluation process at the Health Sciences Center at Texas Tech University. It covers the Center's five disciplines: allied health, dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy. Faculty members in these disciplines must usually have certification and/or licensure in the profession as well as typical academic…

As nurse practitioners increasingly move into practice areas once reserved for primary-care physicians, and as medical schools move more toward general practice and primary care, medical and nursing students are competing for a limited number of slots in which they can receive on-the-job clinical instruction. With professional boundaries…

A literature review reveals differing conceptions of the learning outcomes achieved through practicums (workplace learning) in professional education. Five distinct approaches to student assessment are examined. Integration of the practicum with the instructional program provides opportunities for students to bring together a range of knowledge…

Reports on a small work group that met to discuss experiences with establishing and conducting dental education programs that had significant affiliation with private practice settings. Five programs in diverse areas were represented. Discussion covered program goals and objectives, support and commitment, practice/practitioner selection,…

Discusses the status of optometric residency education, looking briefly at its history, accreditation, growth, comparison with other professions, program content and enrollment, use of residency as a qualification, entry-level competence, potential for program expansion, and financial resources and pressures. Concludes that much development of…

A study compared the performances of Wake Forest University (North Carolina) medical students rotating through an internal medicine program, 88 in a problem-based curriculum and 364 in a lecture-based curriculum. Students in the problem-based curriculum received significantly higher ratings from house staff and faculty on four clinical rating…

A survey of 302 pharmacy school graduates from the University of Toronto College of Pharmacists (Ontario) investigated perceptions of the adequacy of formal and clinical training for the practice of pharmacy. Assessments varied depending on time of training. All ratings suggest room for improvement and the need for special attention to the quality…

A survey of 60 pharmacy schools found that 58 had faculty practicing specifically in psychopharmacy and also offered didactic instruction. Twenty-six schools are interested in hiring psychopharmacy faculty within the next 5 years. Few require psychopharmacy clerkships, an important factor in interesting students in postgraduate training.…

Remediation of at-risk senior optometry students is discussed, looking at possible reasons for remediation need and the design of a program to effectively address students' needs, including program design, student evaluation/placement, development of specific skills, and supervision. The South Boston Community Health Center (Massachusetts) program…

This article proposes that in order for academic medical centers to compete with successful group practices, health maintenance organizations, and integrated health service networks, they must form clinical faculty into a competitive medical group with more price-competitive and user-friendly services, restructure clinical training to be more…