Fibrocartilaginous Tissue: Why Does It Fail to Heal?

Tendons and ligaments are critical components in the function of the musculoskeletal system, as they provide stability and guide motion for the biomechanical transmission of forces into bone. Several common injuries in the foot and ankle require the repair of ruptured or attenuated tendon or ligament to its osseous insertion. Understanding the structure and function of injured ligaments and tendons is complicated by the variability and unpredictable nature of their healing.

The electroconvulsive therapy and anesthesia exercise (ECTAE): the creation of an interdisciplinary learning activity for medical students.

Objectives: Demonstration of the effectiveness for medical student teaching of the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)-anesthesia exercise (ECTAE). The ECTAE is a self-directed, interdisciplinary (psychiatry and anesthesia) learning exercise. Students are taught the assessment of mood and cognition using structured interviewing methods (psychiatry), basic airway and pharmacologic management (anesthesia), and informed consent and interdisciplinary communication (both).

Faculty verbal evaluations reveal strategies used to promote medical student performance.

Background: Preceptors rarely follow medical students' developing clinical performance over time and across disciplines. This study analyzes preceptors' descriptions of longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) students' clinical development and their identification of strategies to guide students' progress.

Methods: We used a common evaluation framework, reporter-interpreter-manager-educator, to guide multidisciplinary LIC preceptors' discussions of students' progress.

Perceptions of evaluation in longitudinal versus traditional clerkships.

Objectives: Methods for evaluating student performance in clerkships traditionally suffer shortcomings, partly as a result of clerkship structure. The purpose of this study was to compare preceptors' and students' perceptions of student evaluation in block clerkships and longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs).

Methods: From 2007 to 2009, preceptors who taught on both block clerkships and an LIC were surveyed on their perceptions of clerkship evaluation.

Development of a longitudinal integrated clerkship at an academic medical center.

In 2005, medical educators at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), began developing the Parnassus Integrated Student Clinical Experiences (PISCES) program, a year-long longitudinal integrated clerkship at its academic medical center. The principles guiding this new clerkship were continuity with faculty preceptors, patients, and peers; a developmentally progressive curriculum with an emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching; and exposure to undiagnosed illness in acute and chronic care settings. Innovative elements included quarterly student evaluation sessions with all preceptors together, peer-to-peer evaluation, and oversight advising with an assigned faculty member.

Development and initial testing of a structured clinical observation tool to assess pharmacotherapy competence.

Objective: the authors developed and tested the feasibility and utility of a new direct-observation instrument to assess trainee performance of a medication management session.

Methods: the Psychopharmacotherapy-Structured Clinical Observation (P-SCO) instrument was developed based on multiple sources of expertise and then implemented in 4 university-based outpatient medication management clinics with 7 faculty supervising 17 third-year residents. After each observation by a faculty member of a medication management session, residents received feedback in writing (the completed P-SCO) and verbally in person.

Virtual reality, telemedicine, web and data processing innovations in medical and psychiatric education and clinical care.

Objective: This article highlights technology innovations in psychiatric and medical education, including applications from other fields.

Method: The authors review the literature and poll educators and informatics faculty for novel programs relevant to psychiatric education.

Results: The introduction of new technologies requires skill at implementation and evaluation to assess the pros and cons.

From Yoda to Sackett: the future of psychiatry medical student education.

Objective: The authors discuss approaches to curricular goals, methods, and assessments in the education of medical students in psychiatry.

Methods: Using current educational principles and opinions on curricular reform in medical student education, an outline for a core curriculum and an individualized approach to medical student education were developed.

Results: A curricular outline addressing both content and organization was developed for all students as well as those specifically entering clinical psychiatry, neuroscience research, and primary care.

The role of provider attitudes in prescribing antidepressants to older adults: leverage points for effective provider education.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if primary care provider knowledge of late-life depression, attitudes about treatment of depression in late life, and experience treating late-life depression affect the likelihood internists would prescribe antidepressants to older patients.

Methods: This study was a primary care provider survey study. From a pool of 456 eligible mailed surveys, 253 providers completed (55% response rate) a survey assessing provider self-reported knowledge about treating late-life depression with antidepressants, their attitudes about older patients' acceptance and response to antidepressant medications, their professional and personal experience with antidepressant medication, and their comfort with prescribing antidepressants to older patients was created for this study.