Structured Smoking Cessation Training for Medical Students: A Prospective Study.

Introduction: Physician adherence to guideline recommendations regarding the provision of counseling and support for smokers willing to quit is low. A lack of training during undergraduate medical education has been identified as a potential cause. This prospective intervention study evaluated a novel teaching module for medical students.

Evaluation in medical education: A topical review of target parameters, data collection tools and confounding factors.

Background And Objective: Evaluation is an integral part of education in German medical schools. According to the quality standards set by the German Society for Evaluation, evaluation tools must provide an accurate and fair appraisal of teaching quality. Thus, data collection tools must be highly reliable and valid.

A systematic review of factors influencing student ratings in undergraduate medical education course evaluations.

Background: Student ratings are a popular source of course evaluations in undergraduate medical education. Data on the reliability and validity of such ratings have mostly been derived from studies unrelated to medical education. Since medical education differs considerably from other higher education settings, an analysis of factors influencing overall student ratings with a specific focus on medical education was needed.

Assessment of two different types of bias affecting the results of outcome-based evaluation in undergraduate medical education.

Background: Estimating learning outcome from comparative student self-ratings is a reliable and valid method to identify specific strengths and shortcomings in undergraduate medical curricula. However, requiring students to complete two evaluation forms (i.e.

Autopsy in undergraduate medical education--what do students really learn?

Forensic medicine can provide access to autopsies for students in undergraduate medical education. Previous qualitative studies reported that attending autopsies promotes learning and is helpful in organising information in the context of self-directed learning, covering cognitive, emotional and societal issues. In the present study, learning outcome regarding specific pathophysiological learning objectives of students who attended an autopsy elective (intervention group, n = 32) was estimated in comparison to peer students who signed up for the course but were not selected (control group A, n = 47) and students who had not signed up (control group B, n = 186).

Increase in medical knowledge during the final year of undergraduate medical education in Germany.

Aims: In Germany, the final year of undergraduate medical education ('practice year') consists of three 16-week clinical attachments, two of which are internal medicine and surgery. Students can choose a specific specialty for their third 16-week attachment. Practice year students do not receive specific teaching to prepare them for the National Licensing Examination.

Estimating learning outcomes from pre- and posttest student self-assessments: a longitudinal study.

Purpose: Learning outcome is an important measure for overall teaching quality and should be addressed by comprehensive evaluation tools. The authors evaluated the validity of a novel evaluation tool based on student self-assessments, which may help identify specific strengths and weaknesses of a particular course.

Method: In 2011, the authors asked 145 fourth-year students at Göttingen Medical School to self-assess their knowledge on 33 specific learning objectives in a pretest and posttest as part of a cardiorespiratory module.

Structured smoking cessation training for health professionals on cardiology wards: a prospective study.

Background: Smoking is a major cardiovascular risk factor, and smoking cessation is imperative for patients hospitalized with a cardiovascular event. This study aimed to evaluate a systems-based approach to helping hospitalized smokers quit and to identify implementation barriers.

Design: Prospective intervention study followed by qualitative analysis of staff interviews.

Piloting an outcome-based programme evaluation tool in undergraduate medical education.

Aims: Different approaches to performance-oriented allocation of resources according to teaching quality are currently being discussed within German medical schools. The implementation of these programmes is impeded by a lack of valid criteria to measure teaching quality. An assessment of teaching quality should include structural and procedural aspects but focus on learning outcome itself.

Student perceptions of evaluation in undergraduate medical education: A qualitative study from one medical school.

Background: Evaluation is an integral part of medical education. Despite a wide use of various evaluation tools, little is known about student perceptions regarding the purpose and desired consequences of evaluation. Such knowledge is important to facilitate interpretation of evaluation results.