Suchergebnisse

Abstract Background Entry from secondary school to Australian and New Zealand undergraduate medical schools has since the late 1990's increasingly relied on the Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) as one of the selection factors. The UMAT consists of 3 sections – logical reasoning and problem solving (UMAT-1), understanding people (UMAT-2) and non-verbal reasoning (UMAT-3). One of the goals of using this test has been to enhance equity in the selection of students with the anticipation of an increase in the socioeconomic diversity in student cohorts. However there has been limited assessment as to whether UMAT performance itself might be influenced by socioeconomic background. Methods Between 2000 and 2012, 158,909 UMAT assessments were completed. From these, 118,085 cases have been identified where an Australian candidate was sitting for the first time during that period. Predictors of the total UMAT score, UMAT-1, UMAT-2 and UMAT-3 scores were entered into regression models and included gender, age, school type, language used at home, deciles for the Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage score, the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), self-identification as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin (ATSI) and current Australian state or territory of abode. Results A lower UMAT score was predicted by living in an area of relatively higher social disadvantage and lower social advantage. Other socioeconomic indicators were consistent with this observation with lower scores in those who self-identified as being of ATSI origin and higher scores evident in those from fee-paying independent school backgrounds compared to government schools. Lower scores were seen with increasing age, female gender and speaking any language other than English at home. Divergent effects of rurality were observed, with increased scores for UMAT-1 and UMAT-2, but decreasing UMAT-3 scores with increasing ARIA score. Significant state-based differences largely reflected substantial socio-demographic differences across Australian states and territories. Conclusions Better performance by Australian candidates in the UMAT is linked to an increase in socio-economic advantage and reduced disadvantage.This observation provides a firm foundation for selection processes at medical schools in Australia that have incorporated affirmative action pathways to quarantine places for students from areas of socio-economic disadvantage.

Abstract Background Cheating on examinations in academic institutions is a worldwide issue. When cheating occurs in medical schools, it has serious consequences for human life, social values, and the economy. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of cheating and identify factors that influence cheating among students of Hawassa University College of medicine and health science. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted from May through June 2013. A pre-tested self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect self-reported data regarding cheating. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics were used for data summarization and presentation. Degree of association was measured by Chi Square test, with significance level set at p = 0.05. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations. Results The prevalence of self-reported cheating was found to be 19.8% (95% CI = 17.4-21.9). About 12.1% (95% CI = 10.2-13.9) of students disclosed cheating on the entrance examination. The majority of students (80.1% (95% CI = 77.9-82.3) disclosed that they would not report cheating to invigilators even if they had witnessed cheating. Analysis by multiple regression models showed that students who cheated in high school were more likely to cheat (adjusted OR = 1. 80, 95% CI = 1. 01–3.19) and that cheating was less likely among students who didn't cheat on entrance examinations (adjusted OR = 0. 25, 95% CI = 0. 14–0.45). Dining outside the university cafeteria and receiving pocket money of Birr 300 or more were strongly associated with cheating (adjusted OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.54-6.16 and adjusted OR = 1.69 (95% CI = 1.05-2.72), respectively. The odds of cheating among students were significantly higher for those who went to private high school, were substance users, and didn't attend lectures than for those who attended government schools, were not substance abusers, and attended lectures. Conclusion Our findings have important implications for development of an institution's policies on academic integrity. By extension, they affect the policies of high schools. Increased levels of supervision during entrance examination, mandated attendance at lectures, and reduction of substance use are likely to reduce cheating. No significant association was found with background, level of parental education, grade point average, and interest in field of study.

Clare Tomdia-Lokes,1 John Vince,2 Francis Pulsan,2 Paulus Ripa,1 Nakapi Tefuarani,2 Georgia Guldan,3 Mary Louise Mamba,1 Wendy Kenu,1 Dominic Dion1 1Medical Education Unit, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea; 2Division of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea; 3Division of Public Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, National Capital District, Papua New GuineaCorrespondence: John Vince Email Johndvince@gmail.comBackground: Papua New Guinea, a lower middle income country with a population of around 8.5 million, the majority of whom live in rural areas, produces far fewer than the number of medical graduates required to meet the WHO-recommended doctor/population ratio. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences is under pressure to increase its output and ensure the graduates are able to function in rural settings. Through two studies, we aimed to determine the predictors of student performance and their socioeconomic and educational background to assist in determining admission policies and improve completion rates.Methods: A retrospective study analysed data relating to student performance from six annual cohorts. A cross-sectional study among currently enrolled students sought information about their socioeconomic and educational background.Results: Of the 300 students enrolled in the six cohorts, 176 (59%) completed the programme in the scheduled 4 years. There were no differences in completion rates by gender or route of entry to the programme. Grade point average at medical school entry predicted academic performance. Sixty-four per cent of the students who failed to complete in four years attributed their poor academic performance to social issues. Overall attrition was only 8%. Seventy-six per cent (162/214) of the enrolled students completed the cross-sectional survey. Most (79%) of students' fathers and 58% of mothers had postsecondary education. Seventy-three per cent of respondents indicated that they had been to preschool or elementary school. Thirty-six per cent had attended primary school in a village or government/mission station. Just over half (53%) of the students indicated that English had been the language most used in primary school. Males were more likely to have made a specific career choice than females. The majority (141/162, 88%) of the students indicated that they had experienced some academic difficulty during the years.Conclusion: Prior academic performance predicted timely completion of the MBBS programme. Just over a third of students had attended rural village primary schools. Social and domestic issues were common and adversely affected academic performance.Keywords: predictors, academic performance, socioeconomic and educational background

BACKGROUND: Papua New Guinea, a lower middle income country with a population of around 8.5 million, the majority of whom live in rural areas, produces far fewer than the number of medical graduates required to meet the WHO-recommended doctor/population ratio. The School of Medicine and Health Sciences is under pressure to increase its output and ensure the graduates are able to function in rural settings. Through two studies, we aimed to determine the predictors of student performance and their socioeconomic and educational background to assist in determining admission policies and improve completion rates. METHODS: A retrospective study analysed data relating to student performance from six annual cohorts. A cross-sectional study among currently enrolled students sought information about their socioeconomic and educational background. RESULTS: Of the 300 students enrolled in the six cohorts, 176 (59%) completed the programme in the scheduled 4 years. There were no differences in completion rates by gender or route of entry to the programme. Grade point average at medical school entry predicted academic performance. Sixty-four per cent of the students who failed to complete in four years attributed their poor academic performance to social issues. Overall attrition was only 8%. Seventy-six per cent (162/214) of the enrolled students completed the cross-sectional survey. Most (79%) of students' fathers and 58% of mothers had postsecondary education. Seventy-three per cent of respondents indicated that they had been to preschool or elementary school. Thirty-six per cent had attended primary school in a village or government/mission station. Just over half (53%) of the students indicated that English had been the language most used in primary school. Males were more likely to have made a specific career choice than females. The majority (141/162, 88%) of the students indicated that they had experienced some academic difficulty during the years. CONCLUSION: Prior academic performance predicted timely completion of ...

All the complex factors which are bringing about changes in college education--economic, social, political, and cultural--are profoundly affecting college health medicine. These changes are occurring with unusual rapidity, and are certainly causing strains to the old establishment thought to be so secure and unassailable a few years ago. However, in the new trends--student participation in the work of the Health Service, expansion of the work of the Health Service to include the entire college community, and the coming age of the Mental Health Program--we recognize new and more effective ways to deliver health care to our college youth and their community, and to make the health service an integral part of the educational process.

Terms of the debate -- Medicine in the twenty-first century -- From mind to body -- Religion and health -- Mental health -- The immune and endocrine systems -- The cardiovascular system -- Diseases related to stress and behavior -- Longevity -- Physical disability -- Clinical applications -- Final thoughts

In Next Medicine, Walter Bortz shows how the defects of American healthcare threaten the stability of our entire nation. A physician with fifty years of experience and an expert on aging, Bortz argues that the financial interests of biotech and drug companies have eroded the values of the medical profession and placed profit before human wellbeing. Heart disease, for example, is widely treated with drug interventions and invasive surgery--both of which are extravagantly profitable. But daily exercise and a healthy diet can prevent heart disease altogether--for free.

Intro -- Contents -- Series Introduction -- Chapter 1: Medicine in the Aftermath of World War II -- Chapter 2: Healing a War-Weary World -- Chapter 3: Geopolitics, Health Care, and Medicine -- Chapter 4: Globalization, Health, and Medicine -- Chapter 5: The Current Scene -- Timeline -- Further Research -- Index -- Photo Credits -- About the Author and Advisor.