How well do internal medicine faculty members evaluate the clinical skills of residents?

Article Abstract:

Medical school faculty may not agree in their assessment of the examination skills of medical residents in internal medicine. Programs to teach physical examination skills may need more standardization. A study examined the response of 203 faculty in internal medicine who watched videotapes of a resident performing an examination of a patient. Only 30% of the resident's strengths and weaknesses were noted by the faculty members without prompting. Sixty percent of the resident's strengths and weaknesses were noted when faculty used structured forms to evaluate the examination. Professors who were instructors at a university hospital were more observant than those who taught at a community hospital. General internists were more observant than those who practiced a subspecialty. Faculty members varied widely in their assessment of the resident's examination skills.

Education, College faculty, Study and teaching, Medical colleges, Medical school faculty, Residents (Medicine), Physical diagnosis, Medical examination

---

Causes of persistent dizziness: a prospective study of 100 patients in ambulatory care

Article Abstract:

The most common causes of persistent dizziness are vestibular diseases and psychiatric disorders. Vestibular diseases are those associated with the inner ear. Over 8 million clinic visits every year involve dizziness, but little is known about the causes. Of 100 patients whose chief complaint was dizziness, 54% were diagnosed with a vestibular disease or disturbance. Benign positional vertigo, which results from the head being placed in certain positions, was the most common form of vertigo. Psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and alcohol dependence, caused dizziness in 16 patients. In 13 patients, dizziness had many causes, and in eight a cause could not be determined. Among patients with one main cause, about 50% had other conditions that worsened or contributed to their dizziness.

Causes of, Complications and side effects, Physiological aspects, Mental illness, Mental disorders, Vertigo, Ear diseases

---

Discovering depression in medical patients: reasonable expectations

Article Abstract:

Many managed care organizations expect primary care physicians to diagnose and treat depression but this may be impractical. Most visits to a primary care physician are very short and studies have shown that many of these physicians often fail to detect depression in their patients and fail to treat it when they do. However, primary care physicians are too busy assessing physical symptoms, which can mask depressive symptoms. A team approach that includes a mental health professional may be a better way of detecting depression in the outpatient setting.

Editorial, Diagnosis, Practice, Depression, Mental, Depression (Mood disorder), Physicians (General practice), General practitioners

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: 'Melanoma? It can't be melanoma!': a subset of melanomas that defies clinical recognition. Utility of follow-up tests for detecting recurrent disease in patients with malignant melanomas
• Abstracts: "How I got out of credit-card debt": nine women share their success stories. Ripped off?
• Abstracts: Struggles of inner-city medicine: doctors in the trenches describe its challenges and pitfalls. Home care revival
• Abstracts: More on boron: does this trace mineral really elevate testosterone?
• Abstracts: How doctors can determine their market share. Medicine, marketing and the worth of mirth. Wellness programs attract patients, promote loyalty

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.