Lymphogranuloma venereum presenting as penile ulcer in two HIV-negative gay men.

An epidemic of lymphogranuloma venereum among men who have sex with men (MSM) has persisted in Australia for over a decade and virtually all diagnoses are made from rectal samples. We discuss two cases of human immunodeficiency virus-negative MSM who presented with a penile ulcer. The diagnosis can be made by ensuring a swab of any such ulcer is tested for Chlamydia trachomatis.

Duty-hour limits and patient care and resident outcomes: can high-quality studies offer insight into complex relationships?

Long hours are an accepted component of resident education, yet data suggest they contribute to fatigue that may compromise patient safety. A systematic review confirms that limiting duty hours increases residents' hours of sleep and improves objective measures of alertness. Most studies of operative experience for surgical residents found no effect, and there is evidence of a limited positive effect on residents' mood.

Institutional attributes associated with innovation and improvement: results of a multisite study.

Background: To date, no studies have explored why some teaching hospitals and health systems appear to offer a more fertile environment for innovation and improvement in the learning environment. As a consequence, little is known about the role of organizational attributes and culture in fostering innovation and improvements in settings where residents learn and participate in care, though these have been studied extensively in the general literature on organizations.

Aims: The goals of our study entailed (1) gathering ground-level observations on processes and common attributes; (2) disseminating this information for adoption and adaptation; and (3) exploring whether the current accreditation model may present barriers to institution- and program-level innovation.