First graduates' perceptions on a problem-based and task-based learning curriculum.

INTRODUCTION: Determination of graduates' perceptions and suggestions is essential in the evaluation of educational programmes. Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine (DEUSM), the country's first medical school implementing a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Task-Based Learning (TBL) programme, graduated the first students of its new educational programme starting from the 2002-2003 academic year. The aim of the present study is to determine first graduates' perceptions on their self-efficacy and school's educational programme's efficacy. METHODS: In June 2003, 51 graduating students were asked to use five-point scales to evaluate: the content of the educational programme, the educational methods, communication with educators, assessment methods and instruments, the efficacy of each year of their undergraduate programme and the overall program, their satisfaction levels about educational programme regarding the acquisition of knowledge and skills, their self-efficacy and contentment level of being a physician. RESULTS: In the content of educational programme, the highest score was attributed to "acquisition of behavioural objectives" and the lowest score to "acquisition of basic science knowledge". Regarding the efficacy of educational programme, the highest score was attributed to "communication with educators". The highest scores regarding the satisfaction levels on the acquisition of knowledge and skills provided by the School were attributed to "implementing basic professional procedures" and "history taking" and the lowest score to "selecting appropriate treatment". CONCLUSION: The graduating students' mainly positive evaluations regarding the efficacy of DEUSM's new educational programme were considered as supportive reflections on the new educational programme. Further studies to monitor our graduates' future professional performances are being envisaged.

Perceptions of first and third year medical students on self-study and reporting processes of problem-based learning.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to investigate the perceptions of first and third year medical students on self-study and reporting processes of Problem-based Learning (PBL) sessions and their usage of learning resources. METHODS: The questionnaire applied to the students consisted of; questions about students' perceptions on searching and preparing phases of the self-study process, the breadth and depth of discussion during reporting phase and the usage of learning resources. RESULTS: First-year students spent more time for self-study and more highly rated the depth of discussion compared to third-year students. The searching and preparing phases of the self-study process were considered as statistically important factors strongly influencing the breadth and depth of discussion during the reporting phase. The effect of extensiveness of searching on the depth of discussion was negative among the first-year students, and positive among third-year students. CONCLUSIONS: The relative shortness of third-year students' self-study periods can be related to their mental weariness, decreased motivation or first-year students' slowness in accessing appropriate resources. The third-year students' more frequent use of textbooks may be due to the improvement of their abilities in reaching relevant learning resources. The findings implied that the increase in students' PBL experience paralleled the development of their discussion skills using different learning resources.

Dermatoglyphic analyses in children with cerebral palsy.

This study was intended to elucidate the diagnostic values of dermatoglyphic features on the 45 cerebral palsy (CP) patients (28 boys and 17 girls). There were 50 healthy children in the control group. Dermatoglyphic samples were obtained from the both groups by using the paper and ink method and than analysed. The types of dermal patterns of fingertips, the counts of total ridges, the counts of a-b ridges, the values of atd angles, presence or absence of dermal patterns in the hypothenar, thenar/I, II, III, IV interdigital areas, presence of absence of the palmar flexion lines, were compared between the children with CP and control group. It was found that arch, radial loop, whorl prints have increased and ulnar print has decreased in boys investigated which was significant statistically (p < 0.001). No difference was found between investigation and control groups of girls (p > 0.05). The total ridge counts in boys and girls of the investigation group were found significantly decreasing according to the control group (p < 0.001). There was an important decrease in the counts of a-b ridges of investigation group as compared to controls. It was significant in boys (p < 0.01) but not in girls (p > 0.05). The values of atd angles of the investigation group have increased in the control group (p < 0.001 in girls and p < 0.01 in boys). The dermal prints in the hypothenar, thenar/I, II, III and IV interdigital areas showed important differences in the investigation group when compared with the control group (p < 0.01). No clear distinction occurred between the two groups from the viewpoint of palmar flexion lines (p > 0.05). In conclusion, remarkable differences in comparison to controls were found in the dermatoglyphic features of CP cases. In our opinion, by undertaking more studies on the subject and examining a higher number of cases it will be possible to obtain useful data in CP cases indicative of etiologically.