Training Of Medical Practitioners Research Articles

Locating vaccine uptake and public participation in Ukraine: An exploratory qualitative study on attitudes and barriers to early childhood vaccination

ABSTRACT A growing body of literature on vaccine hesitancy considers context and the intersecting factors affecting vaccine uptake. This study attempts to add focus to the conversation of vaccines in Ukraine by exploring how vaccines are perceived and how local stakeholders envision solutions to the problems surrounding vaccine uptake. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were carried out among parents of children under 6 years of age as well as health practitioners and other experts in Ukraine. Results were presented to stakeholders during a dialogue session to discuss the implications for policy recommendations. The Roma parents interviewed faced structural barriers to vaccine access, while other groups received vaccine information from others in their communities, such as family members or religious organisations. Mistrust of the health system and lack of access to reliable information preceded many doubts parents expressed surrounding vaccines. Stakeholders agreed that better, more targeted communication strategies are needed, as well as increased engagement with and training of medical practitioners. Qualitative methods allowed for a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the factors contributing to low vaccine uptake, of which vaccine hesitancy is only one part. The vulnerability-informed approach used may have broader applications for community engagement and responding to infectious diseases and crises.

Sparing the doctor’s blushes: the use of sexually explicit films for the purpose of Sexual Attitude Reassessment (SAR) in the training of medical practitioners in Britain during the 1970s

The general reluctance of medical practitioners in postwar Britain to ‘speak of sex’ during healthcare consultations increasingly became a matter of professional concern in the wake of legal reforms and...

Briefly Noted

In an oft‐repeated myth, perpetuated by STAT this week in an article about a move to eliminate the waiver requirement for buprenorphine prescribing, the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is frequently assumed to have tried to oppose DATA 2000, the law that enabled buprenorphine to be prescribed to treat opioid use disorder. This was the first real competitor to opioid treatment programs (OTPs), which constitute the membership of AATOD. We asked AATOD to respond, because STAT simply stated it as a fact, and because we covered much of the regulation process and did not observe this to be a fact at all. “And in the early 2000s, when buprenorphine was first approved, some treatment advocates, including AATOD and other methadone providers, lobbied to keep buprenorphine tightly restricted. Initially, physicians waivered to prescribe the drug could only treat 30 patients — a cap later relaxed to 100, then 275,” according to STAT. However, it was the federal government that was concerned about diversion and pill mills — specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). “We did not oppose DATA 2000,” AATOD President Mark Parrino told us last week. “This was a popular myth at the time and continues to this day.” Parrino continued: “When DATA 2000 was being marked up, we had two specific questions. The first question was about eight hours being enough training for medical practitioners, who had no previous experience, in treating opioid use disorder. There was no answer to that aside from not inconveniencing physicians with any more training. The second question was concerning the language ‘capacity to refer’ the patients to counseling. Our argument was that this language was meaningless, since there was no guidance on how the practitioner would follow through on this.” As far as AATOD can tell (and us too), very little counseling is either made available on‐site or through a referral. SAMHSA doesn't require any recordkeeping on this, so nobody knows. “The other part of the myth of AATOD's position is that we were protecting the interests of OTPs as the only providers of opioid disorder treatment,” said Parrino. “This is also not true, and no evidence exists to have supported this issue.” For the otherwise excellent STAT story, go to https://www.statnews.com/2019/04/30/loosen‐restrictions‐on‐prescribing‐buprenorphine‐addiction‐treatment/.

A Cross-sectional Survey Assessing Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Oral Cancer among Private Medical and Dental Practitioners in Bhubaneswar City.

Introduction:Oral cancer is a public health problem giving rise to a great number of disabilities and deaths, but the possibility of survival is astonishingly higher when detected early. Health professionals therefore have an important role and responsibility in the prevention and early detection of oral cancer. They should be in a position to identify all suspicious lesions and to search for specialist opinion as promptly as possible when unsure, while also referring to the most appropriate discipline.Aim:This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) regarding oral cancer among private medical practitioners (MPs) and private dental practitioners (DPs).Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 334 MPs and 201 DPs in Bhubaneswar. A self-designed, close-ended questionnaire containing 28 items was delivered to the practitioners in their clinics. Correlation between KAP among MPs and DPs was done by Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient test. Student's t-test was used to compare the KAP among the practitioners.Results:Of the 535 practitioners approached, 513 filled the questionnaire with a response rate of 95.88%. Significantly, the mean knowledge index was higher among DPs (10.96 ± 1.85). The attitude index was higher in the MPs (6.89 ± 1.11), and the practice index was higher among the DPs (4.95 ± 0.91).Conclusion:The study puts forward the need of further training for both MPs and DPs to increase awareness and to strengthen their abilities to diagnose potentially cancerous intra-oral lesions.

Emulating Upper Limb Disorder for Therapy Education

Robotics not only contributes to the invention of rehabilitation devices, it can also enhance the quality of medical education. In recent years, the use of patient simulators and part-task trainers in the medical education field has brought meaningful improvements in the training of medical practitioners. Nevertheless, in the context of therapy training for upper limb disorders, trainee therapists still have to engage directly with the patients to gain experience of the rehabilitation of physical diseases. In this work, a high-fidelity part-task trainer that is able to reproduce the stiffness of spasticity and rigidity symptoms of the upper limb, such as those observed in post-stroke patients and Parkinson's disease patients, has been developed. Based on the evaluation carried out by two experienced therapists, the developed part-task trainer is able to simulate different patient cases and help trainee therapists gain pre-clinical experience in a safe and intuitive learning environment.

A transformação curricular e a escolha da especialidade médica

A reforma curricular implantada em 2005 no curso de graduação em Medicina do Centro Universitário Serra dos Órgãos (Unifeso) com a utilização das metodologias ativas de ensino-aprendizagem, no caso a aprendizagem baseada em problemas (ABP), e com a passagem pela Unidade Básica de Saúde da Família (UBSF) desde os primeiros períodos pode influenciar a trajetória de formação profissional de seu estudante? Para responder a esta questão - objetivo deste estudo -, procedeu-se a uma pesquisa qualitativa com os discentes matriculados no quinto período do curso, por meio de entrevistas, as quais foram categorizadas e analisadas. Os resultados evidenciaram significativa receptividade ao novo modelo curricular, pelo entendimento de que este é capaz de suscitar novas reflexões dirigidas à futura prática do estudante, e, igualmente, ao conceito de saúde e ao processo de adoecimento. Verificou-se, ainda, que a opção precoce por uma especialidade, expressa pela maior parte dos entrevistados, não foi alterada sob o novo currículo e que a formação do médico como generalista ou médico de família é ainda pouco valorizada.

There are Doctors and there are Doctors : Creating a Dichotomy between Physicians’ Roles = طبيب و دكتور : إختلاف أوجد إنقساما في أدوار الأطب

There are Doctors and there are Doctors : Creating a Dichotomy between Physicians’ Roles = طبيب و دكتور : إختلاف أوجد إنقساما في أدوار الأطب

Professional education of psychologists using online problem-based learning methods: Experience at Charles Sturt University

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical approach to professional training that emphasises the development of clinical reasoning skills and self-directed learning. In contrast to more traditional lecture-based approaches that focus upon the linear acquisition of course content, PBL is undertaken in the context of actual case presentations. Although PBL has been adopted widely in the professional training of medical practitioners and nurses, it is only just beginning to be used in the professional education of psychologists. This paper examines the nature and benefits of PBL for education in clinical and forensic psychology by outlining its implementation and development at Charles Sturt University, located in a rural area of Australia. Although a full and independent evaluation of PBL for education in clinical or forensic psychology is yet to be undertaken, this paper argues that PBL can make a significant contribution to professional training in psychology.

Information literacy in continuing professional development of medical practitioners: a Croatian example

This paper reports on the training of medical practitioners in information literacy. The course is carried out by an academic medical library in collaboration with its parent institution and the local physicians' licensing body. The University of Zagreb Medical School (UZMS) developed an extensive continuing education programme for residents and practitioners, in partnership with the Croatian Chamber of Physicians. Within this programme, the Central Medical Library (CML) offers a hands-on course on searching and appraisal of medical information. Continuing professional development (CPD) helps physicians update and develop the skills and knowledge they require in their everyday practice. The ability to locate, critically evaluate, and use medical information is an important component of CPD. The CML has developed a course entitled "Finding and Appraisal of Medical Information" which has been reviewed and accepted by its parent institution and the physicians' chamber. The course has been introduced in 2005 on a half-year base. The course provides participants with the information on the most important medical information resources and with the basic skills needed for their effective usage. An evaluation questionnaire is used to assess the effectiveness of the course.

Objective measures of situation awareness in a simulated medical environment.

One major limitation in the use of human patient simulators is a lack of objective, validated measures of human performance. Objective measures are necessary if simulators are to be used to evaluate the skills and training of medical practitioners and teams or to evaluate the impact of new processes or equipment design on overall system performance. Situation awareness (SA) refers to a person's perception and understanding of their dynamic environment. This awareness and comprehension is critical in making correct decisions that ultimately lead to correct actions in medical care settings. An objective measure of SA may be more sensitive and diagnostic than traditional performance measures. This paper reviews a theory of SA and discusses the methods required for developing an objective measure of SA within the context of a simulated medical environment. Analysis and interpretation of SA data for both individual and team performance in health care are also presented.

Sometimes we do get it right! Early clinical contact is a rewarding experience.

Like many other medical education bodies, the Health Professions Council of South Africa has advocated changes in the education and training of medical practitioners. The suggested reform includes early clinical exposure in a range of settings. Early in the design of Curriculum 2001, a problem-based learning programme, health care visits in Year 1 were considered essential. Since the student population was diverse in many aspects, including age, it was necessary to evaluate whether students were prepared for the early exposure. Data on the impact of the health care visits were collected directly through a survey administered towards the end of the academic year and indirectly from student comments regarding their most rewarding experiences during the year. Responses to survey items indicated that students were generally prepared for their health care visits and gave them insights into the activities of a medical practitioner. Sixty-nine per cent of students indicated that aspects of their health care visits, particularly the labour ward and an ambulance duty where many had hands-on experience, were their most rewarding experiences. The decision of curriculum organisers to introduce students to patients in Year 1 of the new PBL curriculum was well received. Despite their young age, many students believed that they were psychologically prepared for this exposure. For many, it was the highlight of their academic year, often reinforcing their original desire to study medicine and allowing them to experience the real world of medicine.

Fertility Profile Following Induced Abortion in Calabar, Nigeria

Context: The incidence of induced abortion in Nigeria is high. Pelvic infection as a complication of this abortion is also common and with the rising prevalence of infertility in the population, there is a need to assess the impact of induced abortions on fertility in our women. Objective: To establish the impact of induced abortion on the fertility rate of women in Calabar. Design and Setting: Cross sectional descriptive study in Calabar, an urban community on the eastern flank of Nigeria's Atlantic coast. Subjects and Methods: Women seeking gynaecological, antenatal and family planning services who gave their informed consent were recruited. Those of them who gave a history of induced abortion were interviewed in-depth. Their demographic characteristics and detailed information about their abortion history such as number of abortions, sites where the abortions were performed, the personnel providing the abortion services and complications arising from the abortions were obtained. Results: Some 242 (40.3%) of the study subjects had undergone at least one induced abortion. The commonest late complications of induced abortion were secondary infertility (42.1%) and chronic pelvic infection (36.0%). Only 48.3% of the women who had induced abortions maintained their fertility while the remainder suffered secondary infertility ranging from three to eighteen years in duration. The fertility rate decreased with increasing number of abortions. Conclusion: Induced abortion is a major factor in the high prevalence of secondary infertility in Calabar. Training of medical practitioners on post-abortion care may help to ameliorate the burden of secondary infertility in Nigeria. Key Words: Abortion, Pregnancy Termination, Fertility, Infertility [Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 2003, 20: 89-92]

Plaid designs for the evaluation of training for medical practitioners

The training of medical practitioners to improve the practitioner/patient relationship may be difficult, as limitations often exist on the choice of patients included in the study. A specific study of this type of training is given. It is proposed that a simple modification and generalization of Yates' plaid-square designs be used. It is shown that a replicated plaid-design incorporates as a special case the criss-cross or strip-plot design. The usefulness of these designs in studies of the training of medical practitioners is illustrated. The basic characteristics of their analysis are outlined.

Community-Wide Medical Entomology Training for Medical Practitioners

Community-Wide Medical Entomology Training for Medical Practitioners

Community-Wide Medical Entomology Training for Medical Practitioners

Community-Wide Medical Entomology Training for Medical Practitioners