The author reviews studies on the relationship between continuing medical education and its impact on physician behavior. These studies have supported the positive impact of education on physician behavior. The author calls for research on the effect of continuing medical education on patient outcomes. (Author/CH)

The authors are concerned that the health-care system has become depersonalized. They propose a prerequisite course for admission to all allied health programs to present a wider perspective on health and illness. The course would be modeled on humanistic rather than technological concerns. (Author/CH)

Examines value development in medical school of 200 men and women recent graduates. Questionnaire data collected at three times support results of other studies suggesting that: (1) medical students undergo cycles of value development during medical school, and (2) women show stronger humanitarianism and interest in work conditions than do men.…

Discusses four areas of research in health communication and how to make them more useful for the future. (VLC)

Results of a survey of 59 U.S. and 10 Canadian dental schools indicate a potentially serious problem in obtaining and maintaining dental teaching patients to provide clinical experience for dental students, possibly compromising the clinical education process. (MSE)

Dental education has evolved through four major periods: reorganization, the growth of research, the golden era, and a time for reflection. Dental schools face difficult choices as they consider curriculum revision. (MLW)

A workshop that provides first-year medical students with an introduction to the importance of ethnicity and cultural factors in medicine is described. The six-month required course at UCLA involves reading assignments, panel presentations, and small group discussions. (SW)

A validity scale for the Sharp Consumer Satisfaction Scale was developed and used in experiments to assess patients' satisfaction with community mental health centers. The scale discriminated between clients who offered suggestions and those who did not. It also improved researcher's ability to predict true scores from obtained scores. (DWH)

Many educators emphasize the teaching value of patient contact for the medical trainee, but only a few have considered the value or harm to patients who participate in a teaching exercise. This question was investigated by evaluating the responses of patients participating in training interviews. (MLW)

Identifying, explaining, and changing the ordering habits of physicians who order many ancillary services are becoming important cost containment goals. Written patient management problems to simulate real life clinical situations were used to calculate the cost of physician decisions. (MLW)

The present study assessed the effects of a companion program on college student volunteers and mental patients. Overall, the effects of companionship were negative for students and patients, while questionnaire responses indicated positive feelings toward the overall program. Because of this discrepancy, caution should be exercised in introducing…

A point-counter-point analysis of increased dollar flows and the transformation of medical education is presented. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made regarding open issues in public policy, medical education, and the role of social institutions. (Author/LBH)

The problem-oriented patient record system and its four phases (establishing a data base, identifying problems, planning care, and followup) form the philosophic base for a group practice in which the nurse is a full partner, with an important data collecting role. (TA)

Fundamental changes in public attitudes toward the mentally ill are needed if progress in better treatment is to really continue within this country. (Editor)

The first author presents her reviews on death based on her experiences as a nurse and a wife whose husband had a terminal illness. The second author presents a poem expressing his views on death while he was dying of a terminal illness. (HLM)