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Biomedical subjects

W B Biddle

Publications and source records attributed to W B Biddle.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Medical student and faculty perceptions of desirable primary care teaching site characteristics.

BACKGROUND: As the need to expand and improve primary care teaching experiences has mushroomed, the need to identify desirable preceptor and site characteristics has also grown. PURPOSE: The current study was designed to assess the relative importance students and preceptors place on site versus preceptor characteristics. METHODS: After a required year-long primary care experience, third-year medical students (n=39) and primary care preceptors (n=20) completed a Q-sort exercise. RESULTS: In all analyses preceptor characteristics were ranked highest. The highest ranked item for students and preceptors was 'The preceptor allows student to assume increasing levels of responsibility'. Seven of the highest ranked items appear on both groups' top 10 list. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high level of agreement between students and preceptors that preceptor rather than site characteristics make the vital difference in primary care educational experiences. When students and preceptors disagree, it is because preceptors see their role- modelling characteristics related to relationships with patients as important, while students are more interested in the hands-on learning opportunities afforded by the preceptor.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1996

Medical students' perceptions of desirable characteristics of primary care teaching sites.

PURPOSE: With the increased need to establish primary care sites, we must identify the key characteristics of effective primary care training experiences. METHODS: After completing a required year-long primary care experience, third-year medical students participated in focus groups (n = 17) and completed a Q-sort exercise with three sets of items: preceptor characteristics, site characteristics, and a combination of preceptor and site characteristics (n = 59). RESULTS: Thirty-eight concepts were identified by content analysis, which were grouped into six major categories: patients, preceptors' teaching behaviors, characteristics of office and staff, preceptors' personal characteristics, programmatic issues, and educational opportunities. The focus groups clearly identified preceptor teaching characteristics (35%) as the major factor that determines a good primary care teaching site. Items with the highest rankings from the Q-sort exercises related to teaching characteristics of the preceptor. The preceptor's enthusiasm, genuine interest in students, and ability to involve the student in active learning experiences with increasing levels of student responsibility were rated high. CONCLUSIONS: The development of primary care experiences should focus on the selection and/or development of preceptors with the identified personal and teaching characteristics. Preceptor rather than site characteristics seem to make the vital difference in primary care educational experiences.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1985

Congruence between curriculum goals and students' perceptions of learning environment.

The authors' main objectives in the study reported here were to assess medical students' perceptions of the learning environments provided by fourth-year clinical electives taken at three different training sites and to determine whether differences in learning environment among the sites could be attributed to differences in curricular goals. The investigators used a survey containing 32 items subdivided into six subscales: structure, interpersonal relationships, educational climate, practicality, enthusiasm, and humanism. Perceptions of the elective learning environment were obtained from 67 students. Overall differences among training sites as perceived by the students were found by means of a multivariate analysis of variance to be statistically significant. Further analysis revealed site differences on four subscales: structure, interpersonal relations, educational climate, and practicality. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1982

Teaching behaviors of residents and faculty members.

In the study reported here, the authors examined resident and faculty teaching behaviors in an attempt to see whether they are complementary or duplicative. Thirty-two teaching sessions were observed, and behaviors were recorded using a teaching behavior checklist devised for the study. The predominant behaviors for all teachers observed were those of responding to questions by the students are addressing problem-solving and psychosocial issues. Residents spent more time at the bedside and saw more patients in their sessions than did the faculty members. The results of the study suggest that teaching roles of faculty members and residents are complementary. The implications of this conclusion for clinical teaching are discussed.

Behavior↗