Glossary

 

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360 Global rating

(General definition) An evaluation of performance to improve practice.

(Specific definition) Residents, faculty, nurses, clerks, and other clinical staff evaluate medical students from different perspectives using similar rating forms.

Adopted from: The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

https://aaaai.org/members/tpd/ahCDL/NewFiles/Quadrad%20report.pdf

ACGME

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education is a private, non-profit council that evaluates and accredits medical residency programs in the United States.

ACGME Core Competencies

Specific knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes and the appropriate educational experiences required of residents to complete GME programs.

The six core competencies are as follows:

• Patient Care
• Medical Knowledge
• Practice Based Learning and Improvement
• Systems Based Practice
• Professionalism
• Interpersonal Skills and Communication

Assessment Methods

An ongoing process of gathering and interpreting information about a learner's knowledge, skills, and/or behavior.

The following methods are used for assessment:

• 360 Global rating
• Group project
• Group research project
• Individual research project
• Interview
• MCQ Exam
• On-line quiz
• Oral exam
• OSCE
• Peer assessment
• Portfolio
• Practical Exam
• Presentation
• Self-assessment

Basic Life Support

Basic Life Support (BLS) is a specific level of prehospital medical care provided by trained responders, including emergency medical technicians (EMT), in the absence of advanced medical care.

The ABC's (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) and CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) are examples of life-saving techniques practiced in BLS Training.

Case presentation

Formal communications between health care professionals (doctors, pharmacists, nurses, therapists, nutritionist etc.) regarding a patient's clinical information.

Essential parts of a case presentation includes:

• Identification Reason for consultation/admission
• Chief complaints (CC) - what made patients to seek medical attention.
• Past medical history (PMHx)
• Past surgical history
• Current medications
• Allergies
• Family history (FHx)
• Social history (SocHx)
• History of present illness (HPI) - circumstances relating to chief complaints.
• Physical examination (PE)
• Laboratory results (Lab)
• Other investigations (imaging, biopsy etc.)
• Case summary and impression
• Management plans follow up in clinic or hospital
• Adherence of the patient to treatment success of the treatment or failure; causes of success or failure.

Adopted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_presentation

Clinical simulation

A teaching strategy that allow learners to practice and improve the skills needed for high risk medical procedures without potential harm to patients. In addition, simulation provides standardized teaching and assessment opportunities for acute care problems that often occur sporadically.

Adopted from: ACGME Outcome Project

http://www.acgme.org/outcome/implement/rsvpTemplate.asp?rsvpID=2

Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)
Uses standardized patients (SPs) to assess residents on their ability to gather information from their patients, perform physical exams, and communicate findings to patients and colleagues.

Competency

Specific knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes and the appropriate educational experiences required of residents to complete GME programs.

Computer-based instruction

Virtually any kind of computer use in educational settings, including drill and practice, tutorials, simulations, instructional management, supplementary exercises, programming, database development, writing using word processors, and other applications.

Adopted from: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/5/cu10.html

Courses & clerkships

(General definition) A course of clinical medical training in a specialty (as pediatrics, internal medicine, or psychiatry) that usually lasts a minimum of several weeks and takes place during the third or fourth year of medical school.

Curriculum Blueprint

Determines how the needed skills and knowledge should be combined into modules, and the sequence in which learners will progress through the course.

Adopted from: Center for Effective Performance (CEP)

http://www.imakenews.com/cepworldwide/e_article000584709.cfm?x=b11,0,w (CEP Newsletter)

Curriculum Mapping

Curriculum Mapping is a procedure for reviewing the operational curriculum as it is entered into an electronic database at any education setting.

Adopted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curriculum_mapping

Elective Courses

(General definition) Additional courses, not necessarily related to a course of study, that may be taken to fulfill the total credit requirements of an academic program.

Group research project

A collaborative, planned investigation involving two or more associated professionals, aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.

Individual research project

A planned investigation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws.

Integrated Steps Curriculum Blueprint

Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, established in 1973, is implementing a newly transformed M1-M4 Integrated Steps medical school curriculum. Beginning in August 2007, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Pharmacy admitted its first class of students and began the Integrated Steps pharmacy school curriculum. The institution has identified blueprints that are being used to develop true interdisciplinary education involving both colleges. Students will be taught together in large lecture classes as well as in small group settings to foster active learning and interaction regarding patient care challenges common to both disciplines. Teaching and learning ...

To read the rest of this abstract, click on the bottom link.

Abstract Adopted from: All Academic

http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p124530_index.html

Interpersonal and communication skills

One of the six ACGME general competencies.

Residents must be able to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange and teaming with patients, their patients families, and professional associates.

Residents are expected to:

• create and sustain a therapeutic and ethically sound relationship with patients
• use effective listening skills and elicit and provide information using effective nonverbal, explanatory, questioning, and writing skills
• work effectively with others as a member or leader of a health care team or other professional group.

Adopted from: ACGME

http://www.acgme.org/outcome/implement/interperComSkills.pdf

MCQ Exam

Multiple Choice Question Exam

An assessment method for the following ACGME Competencies:

• Medical Knowledge - Knowledge & application of basic sciences
• Practice-Based Learning & Improvement - Use of evidence from scientific studies - Application of research and statistical methods
• Systems-Based Practice - Knowledge of practice and delivery systems

Medical Interviewing

Facilitates patient's telling of story; effectively uses questions/directions to obtain accurate, adequate information needed; responds appropriately to affect, non-verbal cues.

Adopted from: ACGME

http://www.acgme.org/outcome/downloads/5_ptcare.pdf

Medical knowledge

One of the six core ACGME competencies.

Residents must demonstrate knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g. epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge to patient care.

Residents are expected to:

• Demonstrate an investigatory and analytic thinking approach to clinical situations.
• Know and apply the basic and clinically supportive sciences which are appropriate to their discipline.

NBME Subject Exam

NBME subject tests are achievement tests in a broad sense, requiring medical students to solve scientific and clinical problems.

Adopted from: NBME (National Board of Medical Examiners)

http://www.nbme.org/programs-services/medical-schools/subject-examinations/index.html

NEOUCOM Educational Objectives

Objectives for the educational program as a whole; statements of what students are expected to learn or accomplish during the course of their medical education program.

The goal of the College of Medicine 's new curriculum is to develop and graduate students who demonstrate competence in the knowledge and practice of medicine, exhibit strong communication skills, display a caring attitude, and exhibit professional character, all in the context of the community. The Five Cs are the foundation of the College's educational objectives and guides the expected outcomes for students graduating from the College's program. The Five Cs are identified as Competence, Communication, Caring, Character, and Community.

On-Line Clinical Cases
The clinical cases highlight application of your basic science knowledge and provide licensing board style examples of questions.

OSCE

An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a modern type of examination often used in medicine to test skills such as communication, clinical examination, medical procedures, prescribing and interpretation of results.

Adopted from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Objective_Structured_Clinical_Examination

PACE
Acronym for Primary Ambulatory Care Experiences. PACE places medical students in the office of the same primary care physician on three occasions during Year 1.

Patient Care

(General Definition) Patient care denotes diagnosis, prevention, and management of illness and injury for individuals, families, and communities across the lifespan.

(Specific to NEOUCOMP) One of the six core ACGME competencies.

Residents must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.

Residents are expected to:

• communicate effectively and demonstrate caring and respectful behaviors when interacting with patients and their families
• gather essential and accurate information about their patients
• make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions based on patient information, preferences, up-to-date scientific evidence, and clinical judgment
• develop and carry out patient management plans
• counsel and educate patients and their families
• use information technology to support patient care decisions and patient education
• perform competently all medical and invasive procedures considered essential for the area of practice
• provide health care services aimed at preventing health problems or maintaining health
• work with health care professionals, including those from other disciplines, to provide patient-focused care.

Peer assessment

(General definition) Peer assessment is a process in which faculty members adjust individual grades for team assignments by using data collected by asking team members to evaluate each team member. It can also be viewed as an aid to improving team performance or determining individual effort and individual grades on team projects.

Adopted from: The Foundation Coalition

http://www.foundationcoalition.org/publications/brochures/2002peer_assessment.pdf

PHP
Acronym for Public Health and Prevention.

Portfolio

For Residents: First and foremost, the portfolio is a learning tool for residents that enables them to track their experiences, self-reflect on those experiences, share their insights for further discussion with faculty or mentors, and receive real-time, formal feedback on designated learning experiences.

For more info on the student's perspective, click the bottom link.

For Program Directors: Use of portfolios throughout resident education will invite more honest and integrative conversations between residents and faculty about residents' progress and areas of identified learning needs; largely because portfolios make resident learning and thinking more visible through the use of reflection and multiple sources of input into resident learning and assessment.

For more info on the program director's perspective, click the bottom link.

Adopted from: ACGME

http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/portfolio/cbpac_faq.pdf

Practical Exam

A method of assessment designed to supplement theoretical training by experience.

Practice-based learning/improvement

One of the six core ACGME competencies.

Residents must be able to investigate and evaluate their patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and improve their patient care practices. Residents are expected to:

• Analyze practice experience and perform practice-based improvement activities using a systematic methodology.
• Obtain and use information about their own population of patients and the larger population from which their patients are drawn.
• Locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients' health problems. 
• Apply knowledge of study designs and statistical methods to the appraisal of clinical studies and other information on diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness. 
• Use information technology to manage information, access on-line medical information; and support their own education .
• Facilitate the learning of students and other health care professionals.

Practicum
A course of study designed especially for the preparation of teachers and clinicians that involves the supervised practical application of previously studied theory.

Presentation

The process of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience.

Professionalism

One of the six core ACGME competencies.

Residents must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to a diverse patient population.

Residents are expected to:

• Demonstrate respect, compassion and integrity.
• Demonstrate a commitment to ethical principles.
• Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to patients' culture, age, gender and disabilities.

Reflective journal

By using reflective journaling, residents are able to showcase some of their experiences and explain how they learned from them. Self-reflection through writing is a valuable exercise in professional growth.

Adopted from: ACGME

http://www.acgme.org/outcome/implement/rsvpTemplate.asp?rsvpID=59

Resident

A resident is a person who has received a medical degree and who practices medicine under the supervision of fully licensed physicians, usually in a hospital or clinic.

Self-assessment

(General definition) Self-assessment in an educational setting involves students making judgments about their own work. Assessment decisions can be made by students on their own essays, reports, projects, presentations, performances, dissertations, and even exam scripts. Self-assessment can be extremely valuable in helping students to critique their own work, and form judgements about its strengths and weaknesses.

(Specific definition) Residents must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.

Residents are expected to develop skills and habits to be able to meet the following goals:

1. identify strengths, deficiencies, and limits in one's knowledge and expertise;
2. set learning and improvement goals;
3. identify and perform appropriate learning activities;
4. systematically analyze practice using quality improvement methods, and implement changes with the goal of practice improvement; (Review Committees should define expectations regarding quality improvement within specialty specific program requirements.)
5. incorporate formative evaluation feedback into daily practice;
6. locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients' health problems;
7. use information technology to optimize learning; and,
8. participate in the education of patients, families, students, residents and other health professionals.

Service
Service concerns promoting the welfare of the public and the health professions through volunteerism, acts of charity, and assistance to needy and vulnerable populations.

Small group discussion

(General definition) Discussion groups are used as a forum for information exchange between a group of people with similar interes. Communication occurs in groups that are between 3 and 12 individuals. Small group communication generally takes place in a context that mixes interpersonal communication interactions with social clustering.

Socratic dialogue

The Socratic Dialogue is practiced in small groups with the help of a facilitator, so that self-confidence in one's own thinking is enhanced and the search for truth in answer to a particular question is undertaken in common.

Adopted from: Society for the Furtherance of the Critical Philosophy

http://www.sfcp.org.uk/socratic_dialogue.htm

Structured seminar

A formalized meeting for giving and discussing information. In an educational setting, it may be a group of advanced students studying under a professor with each doing original research and all exchanging results through reports and discussions.

Systems-based practice

One of the six core ACGME competencies.

Residents must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.

Residents are expected to:

• Know how types of medical practice and delivery systems differ from one another, including methods of controlling health care costs and allocating resources.
• Practice cost effective health care and resource allocation that do not compromise quality of care.
• Advocate for quality patient care and assist patients in dealing with system complexities.
• Know how to partner with health care managers and health care providers to assess, coordinate, and improve health care and know how these activities can affect system performance.
• Understand how their patient care and other professional practices affect other health care professionals, the health care organization, and the larger society and how these elements of the system affect their own practice.

Teaching Strategies

Any planned or formulated method of instruction.

Women's Health Care Competencies

Graduates of medical schools will be able to:

1. Explain sex and gender differences in normal development and pathophysiology as they apply to prevention and management of diseases.
2. Effectively communicate with patients, demonstrating awareness of gender and cultural differences.
3. Perform a sex-, gender-, and age-appropriate physical examination.
4. Discuss the impact of gender-based societal and cultural roles, and context on health care and on women.
5. Identify and assist victims of physical, emotional, and sexual violence and abuse.
6. Assess and counsel women for sex- and gender- appropriate reduction of risk, including lifestyle changes and genetic testing.
7. Access and critically evaluate new information and adopt best practices that incorporate knowledge of sex and gender differences in health and disease.
8. Discuss the impact of health care delivery systems on populations and individuals receiving health care.

Adopted from: Women's Health Care Competencies for Medical Students (A product of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO))

http://wheocomp.apgo.org/areas-of-competency.cfm