Does early clinical exposure enhance performance during third-year clerkship?

This study was undertaken to assess the effects of early clinical exposure in an indigent care free clinic on third-year clerkship mini-board scores (clinical knowledge), faculty evaluation (especially rapport with colleagues and patients), and final rotation grades. After completion of third-year clerkships, a sample of participants was compared with nonparticipants. Comparative statistics, repeated measure analysis, and analyses of variance were performed on the entire group as well as by sex and by individual rotation. No statistically significant differences were found in the mainframe, but subgroup findings indicate further study is warranted. Negative findings might be explained in part by small sample size and the fact that the clinic is exclusively outpatient, while the third-year clerkship experience is inpatient. Data collection is being continued, and studies are ongoing to look at the long-term effect of the program on participants.

Seasonality of Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections in university women.

Previous studies have shown seasonal fluctuations in the incidence of most sexually transmitted diseases, with a peak in the third quarter, but none have specifically evaluated Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections. From 1989 to 1991, 8,234 women presenting to the student health centers of Florida's two largest universities for routine gynecologic care and diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis genital infections. The bimonthly variation in incidence was statistically significant, with a significant peak in the months of August and September of 10.70%, compared with the yearly average of 8.74%. Because the pattern of incidence of chlamydia in university women is seasonal, those concerned with healthcare should increase their efforts during the third quarter to identify infected individuals and to provide preventive programs.

Influence of longitudinal primary care training on medical students' specialty choices.

BACKGROUND: At the University of South Florida College of Medicine, a program designed to give students four years of primary care training began in 1983. As of 1992, six classes that included program participants had graduated. The present study examined the effect of the program on the participants' choices of specialty by comparing their choices with those of other graduates. METHOD: Each year program volunteers were solicited from a class size of about 96 freshmen. Of the 201 volunteers from the classes of 1987-1992, 93 were randomly selected to participate in the program. The participants received primary care education one half-day per week in a community-based clinical setting. The specialty choices of the 543 graduates from 1987-1992 were determined from the National Resident Matching Program and were divided into primary care (family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics); surgery, obstetrics-gynecology, and psychiatry; and other (high-technology specialties). Comparisons were made (1) between volunteers and nonvolunteers and (2) between volunteers who were participants and those who were not. The Z-test was used, with alpha set at .01. RESULTS: Significantly more volunteers--with no difference between participants and nonparticipants--matched with primary care specialties, and more volunteers were women. Significantly more nonvolunteers matched with high-technology specialties--again, no difference between participants and nonparticipants. CONCLUSION: The program did not seem to influence the students' specialty choices, because students interested in participating--regardless of whether they actually participated--were more likely to match with primary care specialties and were more likely to be women.