Staff induction. From learner to earner.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Hospitals, Public↗
Biomedical subjects
Hywel Thomas
Publications and source records attributed to Hywel Thomas.
Admissions processes for five year medical courses at English schools: review.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the current methods used by English medical schools to identify prospective medical students for admission to the five year degree course. DESIGN: Review study including documentary analysis and interviews with admissions tutors. SETTING: All schools (n = 22) participating in the national expansion of medical schools programme in England. RESULTS: Though there is some commonality across schools with regard to the criteria used to select future students (academic ability coupled with a "well rounded" personality demonstrated by motivation for medicine, extracurricular interests, and experience of team working and leadership skills) the processes used vary substantially. Some schools do not interview; some shortlist for interview only on predicted academic performance while those that shortlist on a wider range of non-academic criteria use various techniques and tools to do so. Some schools use information presented in the candidate's personal statement and referee's report while others ignore this because of concerns over bias. A few schools seek additional information from supplementary questionnaires filled in by the candidates. Once students are shortlisted, interviews vary in terms of length, panel composition, structure, content, and scoring methods. CONCLUSION: The stated criteria for admission to medical school show commonality. Universities differ greatly, however, in how they apply these criteria and in the methods used to select students. Different approaches to admissions should be developed and tested.
Education, Medical, Undergraduate↗
A "neglected part of the curriculum" or "of limited use"? Views on genetics training by nongenetics medical trainees and implications for delivery.
PURPOSE: Although the importance of genetics education for health care professionals is increasingly recognized worldwide, little is known about the needs and views of nongenetics postgraduate medical trainees. METHODS: Data on the views of 143 learners from four specialties (family practice, neurology, cardiology, and dermatology) in two regions in England (West Midlands and South Western) were collected using focus groups, questionnaires, and interviews. RESULTS: Low levels of genetics training were reported by both trainee family practitioners and trainee hospital consultant specialists. Responses to attitude statements indicate that the majority of trainee family practitioners believed genetics was important but thought that they were underprepared in this area. Focus groups with specialty trainees revealed general consensus that there was not enough formal postgraduate genetics training, although some cardiologists disagreed and trainees in all three specialties thought that the existing curriculum was overcrowded. Trainees stressed the importance of tailoring genetics education to be directly relevant to their daily practice. Trainee family practitioners prioritized topics related to the identification and referral of patients, and the subsequent implication of results. In contrast, specialty trainees prioritized topics related to the genetics and management of particular diseases. CONCLUSION: There is still work to be done before trainees in nongenetics specialties recognize how genetics can be relevant to their practice. Involvement of specialty trainers in the development and delivery of genetics education may help to address this issue.
Attitude of Health Personnel↗
A preliminary investigation into factors influencing limiting long-standing illness among UK university graduates: a retrospective cohort study.
Two competing hypotheses underpinned an investigation into limiting long-standing illness (LLI) among UK graduates. Hypothesis 1 proposed childhood social class (CSC) influences LLI independently of educational attainment and adult income. Hypothesis 2 proposed typical middle-class graduates would have lower LLI prevalence than typical and atypical working-class and atypical middle-class graduates. Working/middleclass refers to childhood circumstances. Atypical/typical refers to full-time employment duration before attending university. Graduates (1985; N = 5093 and 1990; N = 8147) were followed up in 1996. Logistic regression was used to examine LLI in 1996 by CSC only and CSC, atypical graduate status and their interaction, adjusting for age and adult income. Hypothesis 1 was not confirmed. Hypothesis 2 was partially confirmed. Typical middle-class graduates had a lower LLI prevalence than typical working-class and atypical middle-class graduates. These results support the idea that opportunities for good human functioning are culturally determined and affect health.
Adult↗
Audit, educational development and research: what counts for ethics and research governance?
This commentary identifies four main areas of concern in relation to the current processes for securing ethical and governance approval for educational development and research projects. These areas are: a lack of clarity over what requires approval; a reliance on one procedure for all applications; confusion over the scope of responsibilities within some Trusts; as well as concern over the scale of work required. While recognising that all work should meet appropriate ethical and governance standards, proposals are made for revising existing procedures so that they focus on areas of principal hazard, distinguish between projects involving patients from those that do not and invites consideration of self-validation with processes of quality assurance.
Benchmarking↗
What determines future smoking intentions of 12- to 13-year-old UK African-Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani and white young people?
It is important to know when designing adolescent smoking interventions how ethnicity and gender influence intention. This paper reports an investigation into how ethnicity influences the smoking intentions of disadvantaged UK African-Caribbean (n = 275), Indian (n = 397), Pakistani (n = 687) and white (n = 1792) 12-13 year olds. The Attitudes-Social influences-Efficacy (ASE) model underpinned the study. It states that ASE determinants (advantages, disadvantages, social acceptance, social norms, modelling, perceived pressure and self-efficacy) directly influence behavioural intention. External factors (country, ethnicity and gender) indirectly influence intention by influencing ASE determinants. ASE determinant scores and future smoking intentions were measured. Linear regression analyses showed that smoking intention varied by ethnicity and gender. Differences in ASE scores largely explained these variations. Ethnicity and gender did not modify the predictive effects of equivalent ASE determinant scores on intention. Being a white boy had a small independent direct influence on intention, which was ascribed to affective beliefs underpinning fitness and sporting prowess. Otherwise, ethnicity had no independent direct effects on intention. Culturally appropriate interventions that aim to change cognitions underpinning ASE determinants and, thus, ASE scores would, consequently, be expected to be equally effective amongst disadvantaged UK African-Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani and white adolescents.
Adolescent↗
Measuring effectiveness for best evidence medical education: a discussion.
This paper considers how educational interventions should be evaluated for their effectiveness. Five levels of effectiveness are clarified and illustrated: outcomes, behaviour, learning, reaction and participation. These levels are then discussed, within the context of research evidence for education within the medical profession. Methodological and practical research conclusions are then drawn. From an analysis of over 300 abstracts the evidence shows that only limited research on healthcare outcomes has been undertaken, and there is considerable ambiguity over what constitutes an effectiveness measure. The benefits of a consistent set of terms are then considered. Finally, five key messages are distilled from the discussion and summarized.
Journal Article↗