Changing Answers in Multiple-Choice Exam Questions: Patterns of TOP-Tier Versus BOTTOM-Tier Students in Podiatric Medical School.

Objectives: Students often express uncertainty regarding changing their answers on multiple choice tests despite multiple studies quantitatively showing the benefits of changing answers.

Methods: Data was collected from 86 first-year podiatric medical students over one semester for the course of Biochemistry, as shown in electronic testing data collected via ExamSoft's® Snapshot Viewer. Quantitative analysis was performed comparing frequency of changing answers and whether students changed their answers from incorrect-to-correct, correct-to-incorrect, or incorrect-to-incorrect.

Empathy in Podiatric Medical Education: Challenges and Opportunities for Comprehensive Care.

Background: Many regard empathy as a critical component of comprehensive health care. Much interest has been generated in the field of medical empathy, in particular as it relates to education. Many desirable outcomes correlate with perceived empathy during the patient encounter, but paradoxically, empathy levels have been reported to decline during the years of medical education.

Plantar Verrucae in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: 25 Years of Research of a Viral Coinfection.

A higher incidence of plantar verrucae, commonly known as plantar warts, has been shown in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. Several strains of human papillomavirus are associated with clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae. In this literature review, we examine the incidence and clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae in dual coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus and human papillomavirus.

Strong correlations between empathy, emotional intelligence, and personality traits among podiatric medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The ability of health-care providers to demonstrate empathy toward their patients results in a number of positive outcomes improving the quality of care. In addition, a provider's level of emotional intelligence (EI) can further the doctor-patient relationship, stimulating a more personalized and comprehensive manner of treating patients. Furthermore, personality traits of a clinician may positively or negatively influence that relationship, as well as clinical outcomes.

Reduction in Size and Number of Plantar Verrucae in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individuals After the Implementation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) significantly increased the life expectancy of those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Except for prevalence, scientific reports regarding clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae in the post-HAART era are lacking. The objective of this study was to compare clinical manifestations of plantar verrucae between HIV-infected and noninfected individuals and then to compare these findings with those observed before the implementation of HAART.

Human papillomavirus types 2, 27, and 57 Identified in plantar verrucae from HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals.

Background: Although an increased prevalence of plantar verrucae has been associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, human papillomavirus (HPV) typing studies have not been published about this patient population. We sought to determine the prevalence of HPV types in plantar verrucae of HIV-positive (HIV+) and HIV-negative (HIV-) individuals.

Methods: Thirty-nine plantar verruca lesions in 17 individuals were examined.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction training is associated with greater empathy and reduced anxiety for graduate healthcare students.

Introduction: Graduate healthcare students experience significant stressors during professional training. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a behavioural intervention designed to teach self-regulatory skills for stress reduction and emotion management. This study examines the impact of MBSR training on students from five healthcare graduate programs in a quasi-experimental trial.

Transformative learning: empathy and multicultural awareness in podiatric medical education.

Background: Short-term medical missions are common in medical educational settings and could possibly affect student learning. Little research has been conducted about the potential of these missions on students' transformative learning, in particular as it relates to empathy and multicultural awareness.

Methods: Eight podiatric medical students who participated in short-term medical missions in 2008 and 2009 completed an electronic survey to investigate the effect of their experience as it relates to their learning.

Prevalence of plantar verrucae in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection during the post-highly active antiretroviral therapy era.

Background: since the implementation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the life expectancy of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has significantly increased. This is likely to cause changes in podiatric medical manifestations, such as plantar verrucae, in this population.

Methods: attendees at a San Francisco street fair in 2008 provided information about HIV status and the presence of verrucae via a survey.

Agapé Christian reconciliation conversations: exploring the intersections of culture, religiousness, and homosexual identity in Latino and European americans.

To understand how homophobia manifests itself through a Latino cultural lens of identity, a program was designed to address the issues connecting homosexual identity, culture, and Christianity. The program included screening of one of two documentary films about lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity and family relations. This was followed by group sharing and biblical reflections.

Human papilloma virus type 69 identified in a clinically aggressive plantar verruca from an HIV-positive patient.

Background: Verrucae are caused by infection of epidermal keratinocytes by human papilloma virus (HPV). Although there are currently more than 100 known types of HPV, certain lesions are consistently caused by infection with one or a few types. Recent studies have identified the presence of unusual HPV types in anogenital and cervical condylomata (warts) of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).