Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
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With grant funding from the John Templeton Spirituality and Medicine Curricular Award to the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, faculty at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCUMB) developed the "Spirituality in Medicine" curriculum. In developing the curriculum, faculty took into consideration competencies required by the Association of American Medical Colleges and qualitative results from surveys of medical school applicants and enrolled students. Strategies for curriculum delivery included lectures, panel discussions, role-playing, and training in the use of a spirituality assessment tool. ⋯ New competencies required by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners overlap with and help ensure sustainability of the Spirituality in Medicine curriculum. KCUMB leaders have incorporated the use of the spirituality assessment tool into other parts of the curriculum and into service experiences, and they have introduced a new elective in palliative care. Synergistic efforts by faculty leaders for this initiative were critical to the implementation of this curriculum.
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In 2006, the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) launched the Underserved Pathway (UP), an extracurricular longitudinal experience supporting student interest in caring for underserved populations. This study examined the association between UP participation and residency choice. ⋯ Supporting student interest in underserved careers is associated with higher rates of graduates entering primary care residencies, specifically family medicine.
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Residents must learn which infants require a lumbar puncture (LP), a clinical decision-making skill (CDMS) difficult to evaluate because of considerable practice variation. The authors created an assessment model of the CDMS to determine when an LP is indicated, taking practice variation into account. The objective was to detect whether script concordance testing (SCT) could measure CDMS competency among residents for performing infant LPs. ⋯ SCT questions may be useful as an assessment tool to determine CDMS competency among residents for performing infant LPs.
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In Fisher v University of Texas, the U. S. ⋯ Whether this standard of proof is one that can be met-and whether challenges will mount against universities that continue to use the holistic methods sanctioned 10 years ago in Grutter v Bollinger-remains to be seen. In this commentary, the authors review the background and history of the Supreme Court's decisions on race as a factor in university admissions decisions and examine the potential effects of Fisher on medical education specifically.
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The average age of medical school faculty is increasing, with 30% over age 55 in 2007. In 2012, 56% of Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) members were at least 50 years old. The authors sought to identify the transition and faculty development needs of this group of senior faculty. ⋯ Senior faculty in family medicine have significant career concerns and mentoring needs as they approach retirement, and these faculty can be valuable resources after retirement. As the age of faculty continues to rise, medical schools and specialty organizations can develop specific programs to meet the needs of these medical educators and better use this expertise in a time of limited resources.