Patterns of verbal interaction and student satisfaction within a clinical setting: A video-enhanced observational study.

BACKGROUND: The increasingly competitive global higher education sector recognises the impact of teaching quality and a strong student voice. This means that student satisfaction is under increasing scrutiny; however, little is known about how clinical teachers actually teach. At present, the relationship between actual patterns of individual dental student-clinician interaction and student satisfaction is unclear. AIM: To investigate the relationship between patterns of verbal interaction and individual student satisfaction, during dental clinical teaching encounters. METHODS: A total of 150 patterns of verbal interactions between Stage 2 (BDS and Hygiene and Therapy, n = 86) students and clinical teaching staff were recorded within a clinical skills environment in a Dental School in the United Kingdom. Verbal interaction analysis (VIA) was used as a basis for recording full verbal interactions between students and skills teachers. RESULTS: The length of the encounter, the amount of praise/encouragement, the level of criticism, the number of questions asked and the proportion of student talk were significant predictors of student satisfaction. The proportions of time spent with the teacher talking, time spent in silence and time spent examining the patient or clinical work were not significant predictors of student satisfaction. Further, the degree to which the teacher lectured or gave direction was not a significant predictor of student satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: A number of observed behaviours correlated significantly with increased satisfaction. Praise and the acceptance of student ideas are required to offset high levels of criticism, and the encounter seems to require structure from the clinician with an emphasis on indirect influence rather than just lecturing.

Traditional Chinese medicine syndrome-related herbal prescriptions in treatment of malignant tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution characteristics of TCM syndromes and the related herbal prescriptions for malignant tumors (MT). METHODS: A clinical database of the TCM syndromes and the herbal prescriptions in treatment of 136 MT patients were established. The data were then analyzed using cluster and frequency analysis. RESULTS: According to the cluster analysis, the TCM syndromes in MT patients mainly included two patterns: deficiency of both Qi and Yin and internal accumulation of toxic heat. The commonly-prescribed herbs were Huangqi (Astraglus), Nüzhenzi (Fructus Ligustri Lucid), Lingzhi (Ganoderma Lucidum), Huaishan (Dioscorea Opposita), Xiakucao (Prunella Vulgaris), and Baihuasheshecao (Herba Hedyotidis). CONCLUSION: Deficiency of Qi and Yin is the primary syndrome of MT, and internal accumulation of toxic heat is the secondary syndrome. The herbs for Qi supplementation and Yin nourishment are mainly used, with the assistance of herbs for heat-clearance and detoxification.