The purpose of this study was to determine for a sample of Montana families if a positive relationship existed between the family's socioeconomic status and its medical initiation behavior, and then, controlling for socioeconomic status, to determine if a relationship existed between initiation of professional medical care and a number of…

A major concern of this article is to document the role of paraprofessionals in providing services for clients in the mental health and psychiatric fields. There are basically three types of paraprofessionals. The first type is the "old" hospital worker; he does not have a college degree, is not indigenous to the community in which he is working,…

This study tested for cultural bias in the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test. Subjects were 72 black and white patients diagnosed as either brain damaged or psychiatric. Bender protocols were scored by Pascal-Suttell and Hain systems. No race effect appeared except for the Pascal-Suttell system for which blacks scored significantly better. (Author)

Simulation models exist that are adaptable to evaluation of process skills in pharmacy continuing education. They are the Patient Management Problem (PMP) that assesses application of technical knowledge, video simulations and role play that assess interactive skills, and the patient-oriented problem-solving system. (JMD)

A project to analyze and improve clinical teaching on four general pediatric wards of the Montreal Children's Hospital, the major pediatric teaching hospital affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, is reported. Problems that interfere with effective clinical teaching on the wards are documented. (LBH)

Similarities and differences between primary care and specialized care are reviewed, based on research in health care. Professional requirements for primary and specialized care are identified, and implications for the scope and type of learning situations needed by undergraduate medical students are suggested. (Author/LBH)

Considered were attitudes toward (1) the patient's inner resources to cope with a serious illness such as cancer, (2) the value of early diagnosis, and (3) the value of aggressive treatment, as well as the belief in immortality and preparation for and acceptance of death. Changes occurred throughout medical school, especially during the clinical…

The audit of medical care in primary care practices has proven to be a valuable tool for teaching the essentials of efficient health care delivery to medical students at the University of Vermont. Practice standards and methods are continually revised based on the audit of the providers of care and the curriculum is updated based on student…

In the behavioral science course for medical students at the University of Adelaide, students observe behavior in different treatment settings and then write an essay applying behavioral science concepts to what they have observed. Student reaction has been positive and the program is successful in providing students with an unbiased view of…

Results of the Patient Encounter Project are reported, which documented all clinical experiences of 36 medical students for seven months in the Rural Physician Associate Program and compared these experiences with those of a control group of 26 third-year students in the regular curriculum at the University of Minnesota.

Dental schools are facing budgetary constraints, decreasing clinic patient populations, and increasing competition. The Dental Practice Systems (DPS) Program of the University of Maryland, a partially self-supported student-faculty group practice, is described. (Author/MLW)

Female health care workers with exposure to AIDS patients were studied. Two of the 246 workers showed evidence of opportunistic infections. This analysis confirms the low risk of occupationally acquired HIV infection when hospital infection control practices are employed around AIDS patients. (Author/VM)

General and specific issues to be considered in examining program financing options are discussed, including perceptions of patient needs, faculty's role in patient care, public health policy, links with the patient care delivery system, the patient mix, resident stipends, and program management alternatives. (MSE)

Using multivariate and univariate analyses of variance of medical student reactions to four patient vignettes, researchers found negative and prejudiced attitudes toward both AIDS and homosexual patients. It is suggested that educators should promote greater sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding among medical students. (Author/LB)

A seven-week seminar Northwestern University introduces medical students to a comprehensive approach to biological, psychological, and social aspects of AIDS. The course includes: a television movie and documentary film; roundtable discussions with AIDS patients, volunteers, and health care professionals; reading materials and lectures; and…