A comprehensive approach to enhancing sexual health education in the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

We report on the Sexual Health Curriculum Enhancement project at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Using a US dollars 100000 grant from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., we have developed and are in the process of implementing a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary and innovative curriculum that is based on three primary objectives for teaching sexual health: attitude change, behavior change, and knowledge acquisition. Five general strategies to incorporate specific sexual health content into the medical school curriculum have been implemented: (1). Faculty Development; (2). Additional Didactics; (3). Cased-Based Learning; (4). Testing and Assessment; and (5). Electronic (Computer/Web-Based Enhancements).

Learning and teaching in dermatology. A practitioner's guide.

BACKGROUND: The explosion of medical knowledge, the influence of communications technology, and the pressures for health care reform challenge dermatologists to learn efficiently and teach effectively. OBSERVATIONS: The vast body of material on teaching and learning in the education literature contrasts sharply with the limited information on these topics in the dermatology literature. Gaining an understanding of these approaches to learning provides a foundation for the design of personal continuing medical education plans and lesson plans for students. Practical teaching skills are emphasized in this review. CONCLUSIONS: Learning and teaching skills can be improved through study. Successful teaching often produces positive feedback, which can lead to renewed enthusiasm for educating clinicians in the field of dermatology.

Academic outreach: health careers enhancement program for minorities.

This article describes the 6-week Health Careers Enhancement Program for Minorities inaugurated in the summer of 1988 at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The program was developed for minority and economically disadvantaged college undergraduates and postbaccalaureate premedical students. Its major objectives were to stimulate and maintain the interest of minority students in health careers and prepare these students for entry into health professions and for successful completion of these programs. A unique aspect of the program was academic outreach. Case Western Reserve University minority alumni and community minority physicians participated as clinical role models, mentors, and teachers; community and state minority leaders served as inspirational speakers and role models. The program was designed not only to incorporate cognitive and skill development activities, but to also include features distinctive to the Case Western Reserve University curriculum, specifically, organ system teaching, preceptor groups, medical apprenticeship program, and student tutors.

Students teaching students: a medical school peer tutorial programme.

A peer tutorial programme which is available to all first- and second-year medical students has been in operation at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine since 1972. A retrospective study of the classes of 1982, 1983 and 1984 was undertaken to assess the participation levels in the tutorial programme and to compare the participation level to available performance parameters. The analysis revealed that 54% of the first-year classes and 22% of the second-year classes participated in the peer tutorial programme. X2 analysis of the data demonstrated that the relationship between participation in the tutorial programme and performance on examinations reached statistical significance. The results suggested that an open peer tutorial programme responded to the needs, both cognitive and affective, of medical students.

Cognitive learning during surgical residency. A model for curriculum evaluation.

The program summary of the American Board of Surgery In-Service Training Exam (ABSITE) can be used to quantitate cognitive learning during a surgical residency and to identify areas of curricular weakness in a residency program. Knowledge on each question is categorized as high (known) or low (unknown) depending on the percentage of residents who answered correctly. Knowledge of Level 1 (entry) residents is then compared with Level 5 (exit) residents. Each ABSITE question can thus be categorized on entry versus exit as known-known, unknown-unknown, unknown-known, and known-unknown. Only about half of unknown knowledge on entry appears to become known on exit. Very little knowledge known on entry becomes unknown on exit. Weaknesses in specific subject areas can be readily identified by ranking questions according to the number of exiting residents who answer incorrectly. Use of this technique to quantitate cognitive learning in a residency program may allow objective assessment of changes in curriculum.

Stress-related illnesses and sources of stress: comparing M.D.-Ph.D., M.D., and Ph.D. students.

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and incidence of stress-associated illnesses and to identify possible sources of stress among students enrolled in the M.D.-Ph.D. program of a midwestern university. Specially constructed questionnaires were completed by 45 M.D.-Ph.D. students, 334 M.D. students, and 42 Ph.D. students at this university. The information obtained from the M.D.-Ph.D. students was compared with the responses of the M.D. students and the Ph.D. students. Male M.D.-Ph.D. students had a significantly higher incidence of hypertension, colitis, and asthma, while female M.D.-Ph.D. students reported a higher usage of antacids and occurrence of gastritis or ulcers during the time that they were enrolled in their programs. M.D.-Ph.D. students indicated that the fear of flunking out of school and the grading system were more stressful than did the M.D. students. Additionally, relationship with the graduate adviser and the graduate committee was more stressful to M.D.-Ph.D. students than to Ph.D. students.

External examinations for internal evaluation: the National Board Part I Test as a case.

The appropriateness of the Part I examination of the National Board of Medical Examiners to evaluate second-year curricular performance of students at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine was examined. Review of the June 1974 examination by 37 faculty members revealed that 85% of the items reflected the content of the second-year curriculum and that 60% could be answered from information provided in the second-year teaching. Two-thirds of the items were related to the content of the first-year curriculum, and half could be answered on the basis of first-year material. The school's faculty used the study data in making policy-changing decisions.