BACKGROUND The students' motivation to learn basic sciences in health science curricula is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different components of motivation (intrinsic motivation, self-determination, self-efficacy and extrinsic -career and grade- motivation) on learning human histology in health science curricula and their relationship with the ...

BACKGROUND Cultural competency can be understood as those learned skills which help us understand cultural differences and ease communication between people who have different ways of understanding health, sickness and the body. Recently, medical schools have begun to recognise a need for cultural competency training. However, few reports have been published that articulate and evaluate cultura...

BACKGROUND Prescribing is a commonly used skill which has until recently been poorly taught in medical school curricula. This is despite the fact that there are a number of proven approaches to teaching better prescribing. OBJECTIVE The WHO Guide to Good Prescribing is discussed, with an example elaborating the steps involved in the process. DISCUSSION Central to this approach is the develo...

The General Medical Council's recommendations for medical education in Tomorrow's doctors led to a major review of undergraduate medical curricula. The changes have affected all those who teach medical students. This article discusses the background to the GMC's recommendations to define core curricula but provide choice, including options in the humanities, to 'integrate' courses and to introd...

PURPOSE To gain insight into the professional characteristics of radiologists in Switzerland and to determine how to enhance the attractiveness of radiology to medical graduates as a specialty. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from 262 members of the Swiss Society of Radiology (m:f = 76:24%) obtained in a questionnaire survey were analysed regarding socio-demographic variables, working status, spec...

BACKGROUND Medical educators have used the hidden curriculum concept for over three decades to make visible the effects of tacit learning, including how culture, structures, and institutions influence professional identity formation. In response to calls to see more humanistic-oriented training in medicine, the authors examined how the hidden curriculum construct has been applied in the English...

BACKGROUND The hidden curriculum represents influences occurring within the culture of medicine that indirectly alter medical professionals' interactions, beliefs and clinical practices throughout their training. One approach to increase medical student awareness of the hidden curriculum is to provide them with readily available examples of how it is enacted in medicine; as such the purpose of ...

BACKGROUND This study evaluated a simulated pages curriculum that was developed to assess communication and clinical decision making in medical students and interns. METHODS A curriculum consisting of 14 simulated pages was administered across 5 institutions to 150 senior medical students. A 3-case subset was administered to interns who did not participate in the curriculum. Six expert surgeo...

BACKGROUND In 1996 The University of Liverpool reformed its medical course from a traditional lecture-based course to an integrated PBL curriculum. A project has been underway since 2000 to evaluate this change. Part of this project has involved gathering retrospective views on the relevance of both types of undergraduate education according to graduates. This paper focuses on the views of trad...

BACKGROUND Professionalism is a critical quality for physicians to possess. Physician professionalism has received increased attention in recent years, with many authorities suggesting that professionalism is in decline. An understanding of the factors contributing to professionalism may allow the development of more effective approaches to promoting this quality in medical education. DISCUSS...