Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
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Given recent emphasis on professionalism training in medical schools by accrediting organizations, medical ethics and humanities educators need to develop a comprehensive understanding of this emphasis. To achieve this, the Project to Rebalance and Integrate Medical Education (PRIME) II Workshop (May 2011) enlisted representatives of the three major accreditation organizations to join with a national expert panel of medical educators in ethics, history, literature, and the visual arts. PRIME II faculty engaged in a dialogue on the future of professionalism in medical education. ⋯ The third theme focuses on how ethics and humanities educators must have unity of vision and purpose in order to collaborate and identify how their disciplines advance professionalism. These themes should help shape discussions of the future of medical ethics and humanities teaching. The authors argue that improvement of the ethics and humanities-based knowledge, skills, and conduct that fosters professionalism should enhance patient care and be evaluated for its distinctive contributions to educational processes aimed at producing this outcome.
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Research regarding the effect of trainees on emergency department (ED) operations has demonstrated mixed results. In this study, the authors evaluated the effect of trainees on ED length of stay (LOS), door to medical provider (DTMP) time, and door to disposition decision (DTDD) time while accounting for covariates known to influence ED efficiency and timeliness. ⋯ Laboratory and radiographic testing accounted for a much larger proportion of variation in outcomes than did trainees. The small increases in LOS and DTDD time are balanced by the decrease in DTMP time and the intangible benefits of educating trainees.
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Although most medical schools and residency programs offer international medical electives (IMEs), little guidance on the educational objectives for these rotations exists; thus, the authors reviewed the literature to compile and categorize a comprehensive set of educational objectives for IMEs. ⋯ The authors identified 22 educational objectives for IMEs in the published literature, some of which were consistent across institutions. These consistencies, in conjunction with future research, can be used as a framework on which institutions can build their own IME curricula, ultimately helping to ensure that their medical trainees have a meaningful learning experience while abroad.
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Studies have suggested that male physicians earn more than their female counterparts. The authors examined whether this disparity exists in a recently hired cohort. ⋯ The authors observed, in this recent cohort of elite, early-career physician-researchers, a gender difference in salary that was not fully explained by specialty, academic rank, work hours, or even spousal employment. Creating more equitable procedures for establishing salary is important.
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Equity in health and health care in America continues to be a goal unmet. Certain demographic groups in the United States-including racial and ethnic minorities and individuals with lower socioeconomic status-have poorer health outcomes across a wide array of diseases, and have higher all-cause mortality. ⋯ Specifically, the authors explore how recent legislative actions regarding payment reform, health information technology, community health needs assessments, and expanding health equity research could be woven together to build an evidence base for solutions to health care inequities. Although policy interventions at the clinical and payer levels alone will not eliminate disparities, given the significant role the social determinants of health play in the etiology and maintenance of inequity, such policies can allow the health care system to better identify and leverage community assets; provide high-quality, more equitable care; and demonstrate that equity is a value in health.