Using problem-based learning to enhance the psychosocial competence of medical students

Twelve tips on teaching and learning humanism in medical education

BACKGROUND

The teaching of humanistic values is recognized as an essential component of medical education and continuing professional development of physicians. The application of humanistic values in medical care can benefit medical students, clinicians and patients.

AIMS

This article presents 12 tips on fostering humanistic values in medical education.

METHOD

The authors reviewed the literature and present 12 practical tips that are relevant to contemporary practices.

RESULTS

The tips can be used in teaching and sustaining humanistic values in medical education.

CONCLUSIONS

Humanistic values can be incorporated in formal preclinical environments, the transition into clinical settings, medical curricula and clinical clerkships. Additionally, steps can be taken so that medical educators and institutions promote and sustain humanistic values.

Developing a psychopathology curriculum during child and adolescent psychiatry residency training: general principles and a problem-based approach

Psychopathology is one of the core elements in a curriculum on child and adolescent psychiatry. Because there is no best-evidence model described for teaching this topic, an approach must be developed in each program that meets the standards set out by the Residency Review Committee and fully prepares its graduates to be competent child and adolescent psychiatrists. Methods used for teaching psychopathology may vary widely among programs and should be based on a sound educational rationale and adult learning principles that emphasize life-long, self-directed learning. This article describes an overall approach to curriculum design and expands on the use of problem-based learning as an educational method for teaching psychopathology in a child and adolescent psychiatry residency program.

Promoting reflection on professionalism: a comparison trial of educational interventions for medical students

PURPOSE

To determine whether writing, one-on-one interviews with faculty, or a combination of these interventions effectively elicited reflection on professionalism for medical students.

METHOD

The study was a randomized trial conducted in 2001 at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, with fourth-year medical students on a four-week clinical clerkship in emergency medicine. Three interventions were evaluated: the critical incident report (CIR), the CIR followed by a one-on-one interview with a faculty member, and one-on-one interview with no CIR. Quality and quantity of professional issues raised were addressed.

RESULTS

All students (n = 68) agreed to participate; 66 completed the study components. On average, the students addressed significantly more issues of professionalism in their interviews alone than in their CIRs, 15.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.2-13.6) and 7.15 (CI 8.88-5.40) issues respectively (p <.0001). Interviews preceded by CIRs were not significantly different from interviews with no CIR (13.5 versus 15.9 professionalism issues raised, respectively). In-depth explorations, including problem solving and projection to the future, occurred 2.59 times in interviews alone (CI 3.62-1.56) and 0.794 times in CIRs (CI 1.12-0.46) (p <.001). When analyzed as a proportion of total statements, the groups had similar ratios of in-depth statements (11.2% in CIRs and 15.7% in interviews alone).

CONCLUSION

Writing did not significantly affect the quantity or quality of reflection in interviews. One-on-one interviews with a faculty mentor most effectively elicited reflection on professionalism. Future studies should examine how reflective exercises such as those evaluated can be used to promote professional development.