Best practices in teaching echocardiography to cardiology fellows: a review of the evidence.

Background: Best practices in the teaching of performance and interpretation of echocardiography to cardiology fellows are unknown, and thus, it has traditionally been performed through an apprenticeship model. This review summarizes the existing literature describing evidence-based teaching of echocardiography.

Methods: A comprehensive search of multiple scientific and educational databases included prospective studies describing an educational intervention for teaching echocardiography to physicians.

Does emotional intelligence predict breaking bad news skills in pediatric interns? A pilot study.

Background: While both patients and physicians identify communication of bad news as an area of great challenge, the factors underlying this often complex task remain largely unknown. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been positively correlated with good general communication skills and successful leadership, but there is no literature relating EI to the delivery of bad news.

Purpose: Our objectives were to determine: 1) performance of first-year pediatric residents in the delivery of bad news in a standardized patient (SP) setting; and 2) the role of EI in these assessments.

Virtual alternative to the oral examination for emergency medicine residents.

Introduction: The oral examination is a traditional method for assessing the developing physician's medical knowledge, clinical reasoning and interpersonal skills. The typical oral examination is a face-to-face encounter in which examiners quiz examinees on how they would confront a patient case. The advantage of the oral exam is that the examiner can adapt questions to the examinee's response.

Breaking bad news is a teachable skill in pediatric residents: A feasibility study of an educational intervention.

Objective: Patients and physicians identify communication of bad news as a skill in need of improvement. Our objectives were to measure change in performance of first-year pediatric residents in the delivery of bad news after an educational intervention and to measure if changes in performance were sustained over time.

Methods: Communication skills of 29 residents were assessed via videotaped standardized patient (SP) encounters at 3 time points: baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention.

Outcomes of a health coaching intervention delivered by medical students for older adults with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

Effective strategies are needed to address the health behaviors of older patients with diabetes. One approach is health coaching, the practice of health education and health promotion through a structured partnership designed to enhance well-being and facilitate the achievement of individuals' health-related goals. The aim of this study was to describe the development of a pilot health coaching curriculum, investigate its effects on geriatric patient outcomes, and examine qualitative feedback by older patients and medical students to the curriculum.

Pediatric trainees' engagement in the online nutrition curriculum: preliminary results.

Background: The Pediatric Nutrition Series (PNS) consists of ten online, interactive modules and supplementary educational materials that have utilized web-based multimedia technologies to offer nutrition education for pediatric trainees and practicing physicians. The purpose of the study was to evaluate pediatric trainees' engagement, knowledge acquisition, and satisfaction with nutrition modules delivered online in interactive and non-interactive formats.

Methods: From December 2010 through August 2011, pediatric trainees from seventy-three (73) different U.

A tiered mentorship program improves number of students with an identified mentor.

Background: Mentorship is critical to professional development and academic success. Unfortunately, only about 40% of medical students can identify a mentor. While group mentorship has been evaluated - the concept of a specialty specific, tiered group mentorship program (TGMP) has not.

Porcine wet lab improves surgical skills in third year medical students.

Background: Medical students desire to become proficient in surgical techniques and believe their acquisition is important. However, the operating room is a challenging learning environment. Small group procedural workshops can improve confidence, participation, and performance.

Development and validation of a musculoskeletal physical examination decision-making test for medical students.

Objective: Despite a renewed emphasis among educators, musculoskeletal education is still lacking in medical school and residency training programs. We created a musculoskeletal multiple-choice physical examination decision-making test to assess competency and physical examination knowledge of our trainees.

Design: We developed a 20-question test in musculoskeletal physical examination decision-making test with content that most medical students and orthopedic residents should know.

The impact of lecture attendance and other variables on how medical students evaluate faculty in a preclinical program.

Purpose: High-quality audiovisual recording technology enables medical students to listen to didactic lectures without actually attending them. The authors wondered whether in-person attendance affects how students evaluate lecturers.

Method: This is a retrospective review of faculty evaluations completed by first- and second-year medical students at the Ohio State University College of Medicine during 2009-2010.

The educational value of online mastery quizzes in a human anatomy course for first-year dental students.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of online mastery quizzes in enhancing dental students' learning and preparedness for anatomy examinations. First-year dental students taking an integrated anatomy course at The Ohio State University were administered online mastery quizzes, made available for five days before each examination. The mastery quizzes were comprised of ten multiple-choice questions representative of the upcoming examination in content and difficulty.

The cognitive behavior survey: testing for factorial validity and time invariance across two years of medical school.

Background: The Cognitive Behavior Survey (CBS) assesses learner behavior in healthcare-related fields.

Purpose: The study aims were to evaluate the factorial validity of the CBS, which purports to measure three dimensions of learner behavior--conceptualization, reflection, and memorization--and propose and test an alternative model including its time invariance.

Methods: The CBS was administered to 3 cohorts of medical students upon matriculation and at the end of their 1st and 2nd year.

How we use social media to supplement a novel curriculum in medical education.

Background: The millennial learner is reliant on technology to gain knowledge. Social media in the form of Twitter and Facebook provide a unique way to reach these learners.

Aims: To demonstrate a supplement to a curriculum using "push technology" via Twitter and Facebook to deliver educational content to mobile devices.

Advanced topics in emergency medicine: curriculum development and initial evaluation.

Background: Emergency medicine (EM) is a young specialty and only recently has a recommended medical student curriculum been developed. Currently, many schools do not require students to complete a mandatory clerkship in EM, and if one is required, it is typically an overview of the specialty.

Objectives: We developed a 10-month longitudinal elective to teach subject matter and skills in EM to fourth-year medical students interested in the specialty.

Brightness mode quality ultrasound imaging examination technique (B-QUIET): quantifying quality in ultrasound imaging.

Objectives: Ultrasound image interpretation and education relies on obtaining a high-quality ultrasound image; however, no literature exists to date attempting to define a high-quality ultrasound image. The purpose of this study was to design and perform a pilot reliability study of the Brightness Mode Quality Ultrasound Imaging Examination Technique (B-QUIET) method for ultrasound quality image assessment.

Methods: A single sonologist performed a Trinity hypotensive ultrasound protocol on 3 participants of varying body types.

Managing antidepressants in primary care: physicians' treatment modifications.

To examine antidepressant management practices in primary care, patients (N = 148) given an antidepressant for at least one month completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and a demographic survey. Participants' mean age was 50.7 yr.

Using second life virtual simulation environment for mock oral emergency medicine examination.

Objectives: Oral examination is a method used to evaluate emergency medicine (EM) residents and is a requirement for board certification of emergency physicians. Second Life (SL) is a virtual three-dimensional (3-D) immersive learning environment that has been used for medical education. In this study we explore the use of SL virtual simulation technology to administer mock oral examinations to EM residents.

Impact of clinical pathway on quality of care in sickle cell patients.

Clinical pathways are disease specific and are designed to standardize care. They are intended to serve the purpose of improving quality of care and decreasing healthcare and societal costs. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted comparing sickle cell patients admitted to Mercy Children's Hospital (MCH) from June 1999 to November 2001 before the implementation of the clinical care pathway (n=66), to a similar group of patients admitted from December 2001 to July 2004 after pathway (n=121) implementation.

Coherence between physician diagnosis and patient self reports of anxiety and depression in primary care.

Mood and anxiety disorders complicate the care of patients with physical illness and pose challenges for primary care physicians. This study explored the coherence between a screening tool (PRIME-MD), a standardized questionnaire (Eysenck Personality Inventory), and physician diagnoses of anxiety and depression. Of 165 patients, 29% had diagnoses of depression, 21% had anxiety, and 59% had no mental health diagnosis.

Primary care evaluation of mental disorders (PRIME-MD) screening for minor depressive disorder in primary care.

Objective: Individuals visiting a primary care practice were screened to determine the prevalence of depressive disorders. The DSM-IV-TR research criteria for minor depressive disorder were used to standardize a definition for subthreshold symptoms.

Method: Outpatients waiting to see their physicians at 3 community family medicine sites were invited to complete a demographic survey and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Questionnaire (PRIME-MD PQ).

Antidepressant medication adherence: a study of primary care patients.

Background: Nonadherence to antidepressant medication significantly contributes to the undertreatment of depression in primary care populations. The purpose of this study was to survey primary care patients' adherence to antidepressant medication to better understand factors associated with nonadherence.

Method: Participants with a history of being prescribed an antidepressant for at least 4 weeks were recruited from a primary care research network.

Methods of teaching and evaluating electrocardiogram interpretation skills among cardiology fellowship programs in the United States.

Background: This study examines the methods used by cardiology training programs within the United States to teach electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation and prepare fellows for the American Board of Internal Medicine board examination.

Methods: A link to an 18-question Web-based survey was electronically mailed to 198 fellowship directors in the United States.

Results: The response rate was 45%.

The patient-physician relationship and medical utilization.

Objective: The goal of this study was to (1) explore the relationship between medical utilization and characteristics of the patient-physician relationship and (2) evaluate the relationship between physician perception of patient difficulty, chronic medical problems, and patient somatizing tendencies.

Method: Patients in an academic family practice center were asked to complete a demographic data sheet, the PRIME-MD Patient Questionnaire, and the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory regarding their relationship with their physicians. Their physicians completed the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire.

Telephone-based treatment for family practice patients with mild depression.

The need for treating milder forms of depression has recently been of increased interest. This was a randomized, controlled study to evaluate the effects of telephone-based problem-solving therapy for mild depression. Comparison groups were a treatment-as-usual group and another group receiving stress-management training by telephone.