Mind to Mind: Persuasion in Medical Writing

Much can be done to improve the quality of oral and written communication among physicians, particularly among young physicians. Good communication can be taught. Clear writing is only the reflection of clear thinking. The strong determination to make oneself unmistakable will carry the writer a long way toward his goal; indeed, the determination to be unmistakable is far more important to a writer than rules of grammar or composition. Hitherto neglected, remedial instruction in medical writing is a valuable adjunct to medical education, specifically because the conscious and unremitting attempt to make oneself clear has great catalytic influences. This effort releases hidden energies in the medical writer as is suggested by the cryptic but illuminating remark made by one of E. M. Forster''s characters, an old lady who said: “How do I know what I think until I hear what I say.”     

Medical Students Perceive Better Group Learning Processes when Large Classes Are Made to Seem Small

Objective

Medical schools struggle with large classes, which might interfere with the effectiveness of learning within small groups due to students being unfamiliar to fellow students. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of making a large class seem small on the students'' collaborative learning processes.

Design

A randomised controlled intervention study was undertaken to make a large class seem small, without the need to reduce the number of students enrolling in the medical programme. The class was divided into subsets: two small subsets (n = 50) as the intervention groups; a control group (n = 102) was mixed with the remaining students (the non-randomised group n∼100) to create one large subset.

Setting

The undergraduate curriculum of the Maastricht Medical School, applying the Problem-Based Learning principles. In this learning context, students learn mainly in tutorial groups, composed randomly from a large class every 6–10 weeks.

Intervention

The formal group learning activities were organised within the subsets. Students from the intervention groups met frequently within the formal groups, in contrast to the students from the large subset who hardly enrolled with the same students in formal activities.

Main Outcome Measures

Three outcome measures assessed students'' group learning processes over time: learning within formally organised small groups, learning with other students in the informal context and perceptions of the intervention.

Results

Formal group learning processes were perceived more positive in the intervention groups from the second study year on, with a mean increase of β = 0.48. Informal group learning activities occurred almost exclusively within the subsets as defined by the intervention from the first week involved in the medical curriculum (E-I indexes>−0.69). Interviews tapped mainly positive effects and negligible negative side effects of the intervention.

Conclusion

Better group learning processes can be achieved in large medical schools by making large classes seem small.     

规范医学影像诊断报告书写,提高医学生及住院医师临床技能

医学影像诊断报告是正确行使医疗行为和保证医疗质量的依据,书写高质量的医学影像学诊断报告是医学生及住院医师必须掌握的一项基本功和基本技能。本文将结合我院长期的医学生及住院医师临床教学经验和实际,以神经系统影像报告为例,从医学影像诊断报告的重要性、医学生及住院医师医学影像诊断报告技能教学的现状、规范化医学影像报告书写技能的培养、评估、反馈和评价进行探讨,以期在医学生和住院医师的培养中提高其临床技能,供广大同道在医学教育与实践中借鉴和改进。