Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J H Bamber.
IMPLICATIONS: Using thoracic bioimpedance to measure maternal cardiac output, we were unable to demonstrate any benefit from increasing the magnitude of lateral table tilt. This implies that it is unnecessary to use extremes of lateral table tilt in healthy pregnancy although this may not apply to women with cardiac compromise or regional anesthesia.
An evaluation of fourth-year medical student behaviours in communication with real patients in general practice is reported using two different formats of rating scale. The study was performed in the clinical base of the Department of General Practice, the Queen's University, Dunluce Health Centre, Belfast. In all, 475 interviews were rated, 238 being first interviews and 237 second interviews. 238 being first interviews and 237 second interviews. The format of the rating scale was not found to be a significant variable. Factor analysis of the rating scale item scores produced five factors, which fell into two clear groupings. Factors 2 and 4 represent communication skills, which could have been acquired through normal social learning. Factors 1, 3 and 5 constitute more technical and professional skills not unusually employed in normal social intercourse. Analysis of data from and subsequent interviews indicates the students in the study has acquired professional skills, which require special teaching. These are identified in factors 1, 3 and 5 and require a proper emphasis in training.
This paper analyses and discusses the extent to which the modified essay question (MEQ) in the Final MB Part II examination of the Queen's University, Belfast, assesses the three levels of cognitive ability described by Buckwalter et al. (1981). The 1978 and 1980 Final MB MEQs are analysed and compared question by question using Bloom's taxonomy and Buckwalter's cognitive levels. Scores obtained for each question were factor analysed to determine any underlying relationships between the questions. The findings (Table 1) indicate an uneven distribution of cognitive questions (Buckwalter's Levels I, II and III) in each MEQ and between the 1978 and 1980 MEQ papers. This reflects partly variation in the type of problems presented, and partly problems posed by having to mark large numbers of paper by hand against an objective marking schedule. The statistical analysis in Table 2 shows a consistent and strong correlation between scores in the MEQ Final MB papers and the Final Clinical examination. The factorial analysis shows that comprehension and evaluation questions do not, as perhaps expected, dominate the loading of any factor. The 1980 MEQ paper emerges as a testing of 'knowledge' paper compared with the 1978 paper, which tests much more analysis, synthesis and evaluation of knowledge. The appropriate balance between cognitive levels to be tested must be determined beforehand. The study shows however the potential of the MEQ to measure the entire span of Bloom and Buckwalter's levels.
The construction of a new teaching course in geriatric medicine is described. Course objectives are established, and teaching arrangements designed to meet these objectives. The course takes place late in the medical curriculum when students have some knowledge of clinical medicine, therapeutics and pathology. Particular features of the course include residential attachments in hospital departments of geriatric medicine and coordinated teaching with the departments of general practice and mental health. The attainments and methods of assessment are then discussed.
This paper presents an evaluation of the undergraudate fifth year course of teaching in general practice in the Queen's University, Belfast. Two Modified Essay Question papers were randomly selected from those used for some years past in the Department of General Practice, as learning aids and class tests. These were administered to twelve randomly selected groups of students before and after completion of a five week course of teaching. Results show that the composite mean MEQ scores doubled between pre- and post-course tests. The correlation coefficients tabulated do not indicate that the marked improvement in mean scores before and after the course in general practice was influenced to any extent by knowledge acquired in other disciplines. The overall findings clearly establish the value of small group clinical teaching of general practice based on a problem orientated approach to learning. They suggest that the intellectual skills and attitudes required in the 'holistic' approach to problem solving in general practice may differ in some ways from the skills required in specialized areas of medicine. The evaltion justifies the time spent on clarifying the undergraudate educational objectives.
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The Wolpe-Lazarus Fear Survey Schedule was administered to a sample of 553 girls and 559 boys ranging in age between 12 and 18 years, and their responses were factor analyzed. The most prominent factors to emerge were those loading on items in the Social stimuli and Tissue damage categories. An analysis of frequency of response to schedule items indicated that this prominence was not a problem of item distribution in the schedule. The findings are discussed in relation to theoretical accounts of fears, and the author concludes that no one particular theoretical position can adequately account for the major findings.
This paper outlines in Part I the method used to analyse and re-define a set of educational objectives on which a new course of teaching of general practice in the later clinical years is based. Part II describes the course, the learning methods, behavioural attainments and the techniques of evaluation to be implemented. A year was spent on the exercise by a group which comprised the professorial head, consultant senior lecturer and a senior registrar tutor from the Department of General Practice, Queen's University, Belfast, and a consultant educationalist, a senior lecturer, Department of Education, of the same University.
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