The unexpected memorial.

In this article, the current author tells the story of an unexpected musical memorial he and his fellow band mates performed as a tribute to a man named Gordon "Gizmo," a husband and father. (PsycINFO Database Record

Medical Student Mock Interviews to Improve Residency Interviewing and Match Success.

PURPOSE: Using a quasi-experimental approach, we examined student and faculty satisfaction with a mock residency interview program. We also examined whether self-selected participants had match rates that differed from nonparticipants. METHODS: Interviews were arranged on a specified evening between students and a physician in the specialty to which the student wished to apply. Interviews were structured as similarly to residency interviews as possible, but included 10 minutes of verbal feedback and subsequent written feedback to all students. Students completed surveys indicating their satisfaction with the mock interview immediately following the interview and 5 months later (after their actual resident interviews). Faculty feedback to students and their satisfaction with the program also was collected. Out of 189 (55%) students in the senior class, 104 volunteered to participate. RESULTS: Immediately following the mock interview, over 90% of students who participated either strongly agreed or agreed that the interview feedback was helpful, seemed realistic, and helped them identify strengths and weaknesses. Responses collected 5 months later were still favorable, but less positive. Faculty identified 7 students who they believed had poor interview techniques and an additional 13 who interviewers believed would be unlikely to match in their specialty. Final match results for the group participating in the mock interview showed a primary match rate of 99%, which was higher than students who did not participate (94%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: In a self-selected group of students who chose to participate, mock interviews were useful in improving student match success compared to students who did not participate in the mock interview program. Because all students were not required to participate, it is unclear whether this tactic would be successful for all students.

Creating a Residency Application Personal Statement Writers Workshop: Fostering Narrative, Teamwork, and Insight at a Time of Stress.

PROBLEM: Every graduating medical student must write a personal statement for the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), yet there are no widely available resources designed to aid the writing process, causing stress among applicants. APPROACH: The authors offered every Medical College of Wisconsin senior student in the Classes of 2014 and 2015 a voluntary self-contained two-hour Residency Application Personal Statement Writers Workshop. The session included the selection of writing prompts, speedwriting, and a peer-edit critique. Data were gathered before and after each workshop and at the time of ERAS submission. OUTCOMES: One hundred nine students elected to participate. Of the 96 participants completing a preworkshop questionnaire, only 28 (29%) were comfortable with creative and reflective writing. Fifty-four students completed a follow-up survey after submitting their ERAS application. Fifty-one (94%) found the session effective in getting their personal statement started, and 65 (70%) were surprised by the quality of their writing. Almost all could trace some of their final statement to the workshop. Forty-six (85%) found working with other students helpful, and 49 (91%) would recommend the session to future students; 47 (87%) agreed that the workshop was "fun." NEXT STEPS: The full workshop will be repeated yearly. Workshops will also be offered to residents preparing fellowship applications. A shorter version (without the peer-edit critique) was used successfully with the entire Class of 2016 to help them reflect on their initial clinical encounters. The authors will seek further opportunities to enhance reflection for students, residents, and faculty with these techniques.

Training the "assertive practitioner of behavioral science": advancing a behavioral medicine track in a family medicine residency.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes the development of a Behavioral Medicine track in a family medicine residency designed to train physicians to proactively and consistently apply advanced skills in psychosocial medicine, psychiatric care, and behavioral medicine. METHODS: The Behavioral Medicine track emerged from a behavioral science visioning retreat, an opportunity to restructure residency training, a comparative family medicine-psychiatry model, and qualified residents with high interest in behavioral science. Training was restructured to increase rotational opportunities in core behavioral science areas and track residents were provided an intensive longitudinal counseling seminar and received advanced training in psychopharmacology, case supervision, and mindfulness. RESULTS: The availability of a Behavioral Medicine track increased medical student interest in the residency program and four residents have completed the track. All track residents have presented medical Grand Rounds on behavioral science topics and have lead multiple workshops or research sessions at national meetings. Graduate responses indicate effective integration of behavioral medicine skills and abilities in practice, consistent use of brief counseling skills, and good confidence in treating common psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSION: As developed and structured, the Behavioral Medicine track has achieved the goal of producing "assertive practitioners of behavioral science in family medicine" residents with advanced behavioral science skills and abilities who globally integrate behavioral science into primary care.

Application of an interpersonal-psychological model of suicidal behavior to physicians and medical trainees.

Physicians and medical trainees (medical students and residents) are at increased risk for suicidal ideation. Yet few conceptual models have attempted to explain the elevated rates of suicide among physicians, and very little is known about what factors contribute to medical trainees' suicidal ideation and behaviors. In this paper, Joiner's (2005) interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidality will be explored as it applies to suicidal ideation and behavior among physicians and medical trainees. Literature addressing each component of the theory will be reviewed. Drawing upon extant data, each dimension of the theory (burden, thwarted belongingness, and acquired ability) will be examined in depth in terms of its applicability to suicidal thinking and behavior among physicians and physicians-in-training. Findings from the literature provide support for the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidality as applied to this population.

Psychosocial effects in long-term head and neck cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND: To identify and rate the importance of several psychosocial and physiologic influences on quality of life (QOL) among a cohort of 5-year head and neck cancer survivors, we conducted a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample that used both questionnaires and physiologic evaluations. METHODS: QOL was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) and the FACT Head and Neck additional concerns (FACT-H&N) questionnaires. Psychosocial characteristics (or risk factors) potentially influencing QOL were measured by the Millon Behavioral Health Inventory (MBHI) and the Social Support Questionnaire (SSQSR). Physiologic risk factors were measured in examinations that included shoulder and neck range of motion, whole and stimulated saliva measurements, and oropharyngeal swallowing efficiency. We evaluated the association of selected QOL measures with three groups of potential risk factors: psychosocial factors, consisting of selected MBHI and SSQSR scales; physiologic factors, consisting of selected physical ability measures; and a combination of psychosocial/physiologic factors. RESULTS: The entire study population of 105 subjects completed the FACT and FACT-H&N questionnaires; 86 of these completed the physiologic tests as well. Combined psychosocial/physiologic models best predicted all QOL measures considered. Psychosocial models alone, compared with physiologic models alone, better predicted FACT physical and social/family well-being measures. Physiologic models alone, compared with psychosocial models alone, better predicted FACT-H&N additional concerns measures. Premorbid pessimism (MBHI) was consistently the best predictor of QOL measures. CONCLUSIONS: Both psychosocial and physiologic factors influence QOL in patients with head and neck cancer, but many QOL measures are most strongly influenced by psychosocial considerations. Physicians and surgeons caring for long-term head and neck cancer survivors should be cognizant of the importance of psychosocial risk factors in the QOL of their patients.

Academic ranks and medical schools of underrepresented minority faculty in family medicine departments.

PURPOSE: To examine academic rankings and educational backgrounds of underrepresented minority (URM) family medicine faculty and compare their academic ranks with national trends. The authors also determined the extent to which international and historically black educational institutions contributed URM faculty to family medicine. METHOD: In 1999 questionnaires were sent to 129 family medicine departments asking for academic ranks and educational institutions attended by their URM faculty. Comparisons were made between URM faculty's academic ranks and all family medicine faculty, medical school minority faculty, and medical school faculty. RESULTS: A total of 80% of URM faculty were assistant professors or instructors, and 4.4% were professors. URM family medicine faculty had significantly lower rankings compared with medical school minority faculty and all family medicine faculty. URM family medicine faculty at historically black medical schools were more likely to have received their degrees from historically black undergraduate institutions and medical schools than were URM family medicine faculty at non-historically-black medical schools. CONCLUSIONS: URM family medicine faculty appear to experience a double disadvantage: being minority and working for family medicine departments. Their academic ranks remain far below those of both minority medical school faculty and family medicine faculty, a discouraging finding considering the current shortage of URM faculty in family medicine departments. Historically black medical schools cannot address the shortage alone, so non-historically-black medical schools need to both recruit URM faculty and follow up with appropriate mentoring of those faculty.