Accreditation and implications of clinical postgraduate PA training programs.

No consensus definition exists for postgraduate physician assistant (PA) training. This report from the AAPA Task Force on Accreditation of Postgraduate PA Training Programs describes the types of clinical training programs and their effects on hiring and compensation of PAs. Although completing a postgraduate program appears to have no effect on compensation, PAs who complete these programs may be favored in the hiring process and frequently report greater confidence in their skills.

Identification and treatment of depression in minority populations.

Depression is a common condition, representing close to 6% of visits to primary care providers. Although minorities are more likely to have chronic depression, they are more likely to be incorrectly diagnosed and less likely to receive treatment when compared to the mainstream population. Screening and appropriate treatment within primary care is recommended in clinical practices that have systems in place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up.

Oral health curricula in physician assistant programs: a survey of physician assistant program directors.

Purpose: a review of the medical literature indicates that physician assistants (PAs) are not educationally prepared for oral health issues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the status of oral health curricula and the knowledge and skills taught within PA curricula.

Methods: a survey examining oral health curricula in PA education was distributed electronically to the directors of all 142 accredited PA programs in the United States.

Oral manifestations of systemic disease.

Careful examination of the oral cavity may reveal findings indicative of an underlying systemic condition, and allow for early diagnosis and treatment. Examination should include evaluation for mucosal changes, periodontal inflammation and bleeding, and general condition of the teeth. Oral findings of anemia may include mucosal pallor, atrophic glossitis, and candidiasis.

Patient satisfaction in a student-run free medical clinic.

Background And Objectives: There are currently more than 100 student-run medical clinics in the United States, operated in conjunction with various allopathic medical schools. However, there have been no reports regarding patient satisfaction with these free clinic services.

Methods: Fifty-two of 60 patients seen at the C.

Common oral conditions in older persons.

Older persons are at risk of chronic diseases of the mouth, including dental infections (e.g., caries, periodontitis), tooth loss, benign mucosal lesions, and oral cancer.

A study of lower extremity amputation rates in older diabetic South Carolinians.

Several studies have shown that lower extremity non-traumatic amputations for diabetic patients disproportionately affect senior minorities. Our study uses population and Medicare data from the year 2000 to profile the magnitude of this disparity by county in South Carolina and its relation to race, gender, per capita income, and the number of primary care physicians. Data from 1998-2001 is used to investigate trends in amputation rates for the state as a whole and for individual counties.

Common oral lesions: Part II. Masses and neoplasia.

Certain common oral lesions appear as masses, prompting concern about oral carcinoma. Many are benign, although some (e.g.

Common oral lesions: Part I. Superficial mucosal lesions.

Common superficial oral lesions include candidiasis, recurrent herpes labialis, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, erythema migrans, hairy tongue, and lichen planus. Recognition and diagnosis require taking a thorough history and performing a complete oral examination. Knowledge of clinical characteristics such as size, location, surface morphology, color, pain, and duration is helpful in establishing a diagnosis.

Practices and Perceptions of Family Practice Residency Directors toward International Medical Graduate Applicants: A National Survey.

Purpose - International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are increasingly filling Family Medicine residency positions. (1) To what extent are residency programs recruiting and accepting IMG applicants? (2) What are program directors' perceptions of IMG applicants? (3) What program characteristics are associated with their practices and perceptions? Methods - A 2002 national survey of Family Medicine program directors assessed program demographics and directors' recruiting practices and perceptions regarding IMG applicants. Results - Although 88% of respondents would rank IMG applicants, only 40% agreed that they would perform as well as U.

Family medicine residency directors' knowledge and attitudes about pediatric oral health education for residents.

The Surgeon General's report on oral health called for improved education about oral health, a renewed understanding of relationships between oral and overall health, and an interdisciplinary approach to oral health involving primary care providers. This study examined the following: 1) family medicine residency directors' knowledge of preventive dental care, 2) status of an oral heath curriculum in family medicine residencies, and 3) the likelihood of initiating an oral health curriculum. We conducted a fifty-item survey of family medicine program directors emphasizing pediatric oral health assessed demographics, knowledge of preventive procedures, existing oral health curriculum, composition, and time commitment for an oral health curriculum.

Physicians' oral health education in Kentucky.

Objectives: The Physicians' Oral Health Education in Kentucky (POHEK) curriculum was developed to teach family medicine residents to (1) perform oral health screening and risk assessment and (2) recognize and manage common oral conditions for children ages 5 years and under.

Methods: Family medicine residents in urban and rural settings received didactics and hands-on experience providing oral screening, risk assessments, and counseling for their pediatric patients.

Evaluation: Residents were evaluated by comparing pretest and posttest means of surveys that assessed attitudes and knowledge.