[Evaluation of a teaching ambulatory module of respiratory diseases in the undergraduate medical curriculum].

Background: As the focus of healthcare provision shifts towards ambulatory care, increasing attention must now be given to develop opportunities for clinical teaching in this setting.

Aim: To assess teacher and students' views about the strengths and weaknesses of real and simulated patient interactions for teaching undergraduate students clinical skills in the ambulatory setting.

Material And Methods: Fourth-year medical students were exposed in a systematic way, during two weeks, to real and simulated patients in an outpatient clinic, who presented common respiratory problems, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking and sleep apnea syndrome.

[Applying positive psychology to medical education].

Today we are witnessing an exponential growth in positive psychology (PP), a scientific approach to the most significant purpose of human existence: happiness and meaning of life. As a consequence of PP studies, happiness and wellbeing are now accepted as valid topics of research, despite their subjective and supposedly unscientific essence. Experimental evident indicates that happiness and wellbeing have biological bases and, thus, can be scientifically approached and eventually changed.