Association of a longitudinal, preclinical ultrasound curriculum with medical student performance.

Introduction: Point-of-care ultrasound (US) is used in clinical practice across many specialties. Ultrasound (US) curricula for medical students are increasingly common. Optimal timing, structure, and effect of ultrasound education during medical school remains poorly understood.

The effectiveness of streaming video on medical student learning: a case study.

Information technology helps meet today's medical students' needs by providing multiple curriculum delivery methods. Video streaming is an e-learning technology that uses the Internet to deliver curriculum while giving the student control of the content's delivery. There have been few studies conducted on the effectiveness of streaming video in medical schools.

Strategies for identifying students at risk for USMLE step 1 failure.

Background And Objectives: Failing Step 1 of the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or a delay in taking the exam can negatively affect a medical student's ability to match into a residency program. Unfortunately, identifying students at risk for failing Step 1 is challenging, but it is necessary to provide proactive educational support. The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy to identify students at risk for failing Step 1.

Incorporating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into program evaluation: lessons from a rural medicine initiative.

Purpose: To address the shortage of physicians practicing in rural areas of Michigan, the Wayne State University School of Medicine developed an integrated rural core curriculum to interest students in rural practice careers. Here we focus on the evaluation strategy used to determine the extent to which students in the new rural medicine interest group who self-identified as selecting a rural clerkship or externship did secure a clinical training experience in a rural setting.

Methods: Three measures of rurality were compared to determine whether students were placed in rural training settings: (1) the percentage of the county living in rural areas; (2) a county-level dichotomous measure of rural/nonrural; and (3) a dichotomous measure based on urban area boundaries within the county.

Qualitative and quantitative outcomes of audience response systems as an educational tool in a plastic surgery residency program.

Background: In-training evaluations in graduate medical education have typically been challenging. Although the majority of standardized examination delivery methods have become computer-based, in-training examinations generally remain pencil-paper-based, if they are performed at all. Audience response systems present a novel way to stimulate and evaluate the resident-learner.

Retention of medical genetics knowledge and skills by medical students.

Purpose: To determine whether specific knowledge and skills medical students acquire after completing a Year 1 genetics course are retained at the end of Year 3.

Methods: A genetics case was developed for an observed structured clinical exam at the end of Year 3. The case involved a pregnant patient who underwent population screening for cystic fibrosis and is identified as a carrier of a common mutation.

Evaluating the phobias, attitudes, and cultural competence of Master of Social Work students toward the LGBT populations.

Background: Evidence suggests there is bias toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons by social workers; unfortunately, little research has been conducted to examine Master of Social Work (MSW) students' views toward these populations. The purpose of this study was to develop an assessment scale to evaluate the attitudes, phobias, and cultural competence of MSW students toward the LGBT populations.

Methods: An assessment scale was developed and administered to MSW students (n = 173) at a Midwestern American university.

Wireless Handheld Computers in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum.

Wayne State University Medical School has implemented wireless handheld computers or PocketPCs (PPCs) into all four years of the undergraduate curriculum. A transition from a passive to an interactive learning environment in the classroom, as well as administrative solutions for monitoring patient encounter data by students in their clinical rotations was fostered by this educational technology. Implementation of the wireless devices into the curriculum will be described in this report.

Promoting informed decision making: evaluating a community-based prostate health awareness program.

Background: For health educators, the controversy surrounding routine prostate cancer screening provides curriculum development and delivery challenges. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a community-based prostate health awareness program.

Methods: Using a pretest-posttest design, participants were recruited from community-based organizations to assess the effectiveness of the program in the areas of knowledge gain, short-term intentions, and changing prostate health behaviors.

Measurement practices: methods for developing content-valid student examinations.

Measurement experts generally agree that a systematic approach to test construction will probably result in an instrument with sound psychometric properties. One fundamental method is called the blueprint approach to test construction. A test blueprint is a tool used in the process for generating content-valid exams by linking the subject matter delivered during instruction and the items appearing on the test.

Evaluation of a preparatory community-based prostate health education program.

Background: Medical organizations are divided on the issue of screening for prostate cancer, yet there is agreement that men should be educated about prostate health. Shared decision making involves patients and practitioners in this process, yet some men need preparatory education prior to the physician encounter. This study assessed the effectiveness of a community prostate health awareness program, focusing on men at risk for prostate cancer.

An Integrated Approach for Evaluating Students' Achievement of Clinical Objectives.

During the clinical phase of undergraduate medical education (UME) students are often geographically dispersed and assigned to preceptors throughout the community. Monitoring, documenting, and evaluating their clinical experiences and achievement of clinical objectives in this venue becomes a challenge, especially for large UME programs. The purpose of this manuscript is to discuss a method for developing and implementing a school-wide evaluation system for the clinical phase of UME.