Barriers to outpatient education for medical students: a narrative review

OBJECTIVES

This study surveys medical education literature published over the last 25 years (1993-2018) to identify the factors scholars consider deleterious to outpatient teaching for medical students.

METHODS

This study conducts a review of medical education literature published between 1993 and 2018 using Medline, Lilacs, Ibecs, Cochrane Library, and Scielo databases. The following search terms were utilized: "Education, Medical, Undergraduate" AND "Ambulatory Care" AND "Teaching/methods" OR "Clinical Clerkship" OR "Preceptorship." This study focuses on papers describing deleterious factors for outpatient teaching with medical students and analyzes their results, discussions, and conclusions sections.

RESULTS

Of the 363 articles obtained, this study selected 33 for analysis. These papers identify numerous factors as barriers to outpatient education. For didactic purposes, these factors are categorized into four barrier groups: environment-institution, academic staff, students, and patients. Academic staff-related teaching barrier was the most frequently mentioned obstacle. Intense care schedule with little teaching time was considered the most common and relevant barrier to outpatient medical education, followed by inappropriate teaching environment and inadequate supervision model.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a lack of recent literature on studies focusing on barriers to effective outpatient medical education. Factors identified as harmful to outpatient education have been pointed out by course directors, academic staff, and students in the literature. However, many of these factors remain overlooked by educators, who can use these factors to modify their academic activities for more effective results.

DEGRADATION OF PARENTAL BONDING AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN: THE USE OF FAMILY GENOGRAM IN THE PEDIATRIC CLINIC

Objective:

To demonstrate the importance of using the family genogram in pediatric consultation, as an analysis tool to evaluate the degradation of parental bonding and also violence against children.

Methods:

A qualitative study was conducted in 2011 wherein 63 children, aged between 2 and 6 years, enrolled in a slum nursery, was studied. In order to construct the genogram, data were collected in four stages: pediatric evaluation at nursery; interview with caregivers; interview with teachers; and interview with the nursery coordinator. The data about the families were used to construct the genograms with the aid of GenoPro^®-2016 software. In order to evaluate the quality of bonding, the following items were included in the genograms: violence against children, drug addiction, neglect, mental disorder, type of relationship among family members.

Results:

The evaluated children and their families generated 55 genograms. In 38 of them, functional family arrangements, and close or very close emotional ties were observed. In 17 cases, situations involving physical, emotional, or sexual violence against children were perceived. Among these, four represented extreme cases, with fraying parental bonding, and dysfunctional family arrangements. In these families, chemical addiction was prevalent among multiple members, as well as severe mental disorder, persistent physical and verbal abuse, and sexual abuse.

Conclusions:

The use of the genogram helps to identify at an early stage the degradation of parental bonding and violence against children, and when it is incorporated into the pediatric practice routine, it may contribute to the promotion of the comprehensive health care of the child, regardless of the presence of social vulnerability.

A influência do conhecimento na atitude frente à vacina contra o Papilomavírus Humano: ensaio clínico randomizado

Introdução: O Papilomavírus humano (HPV) está associado às doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (DSTs) e à carcinogênese do trato genital inferior. Objetivo: Avaliar o conhecimento prévio e o papel da ação educativa sobre a atitude em relação à vacinação para Papilomavírus Humano (HPV). Métodos: Estudo de intervenção, tipo ensaio-clínico randomizado com 200 mulheres de 18 a 30 anos, divididas em dois grupos submetidos a um questionário para avaliar o conhecimento prévio sobre o HPV e sua vacina, e a atitude para a vacinação, tendo um dos grupos recebido intervenção por meio de ação educativa. Resultados: A atitude frente à vacina contra o HPV foi diferente no grupo que recebeu a ação educativa, com 37% de atitudes pessoais adequadas (p=0,044) e 49% na atitude de transferência adequada para uma futura filha (p=0,021). Conclusão: O conhecimento prévio sobre o HPV e sua vacina é escasso, insuficiente e por vezes equivocado. Por meio da comparação da atitude dos diferentes grupos verificou-se que a ação educativa exerce papel determinante na atitude correta das mulheres para a vacina contra o HPV e modifica os condicionantes à sua adesão.

The Polisemy of Clinical Governance: a review of literature

The article aims to explore the concept of clinical management, with a view towards understanding the diverse meanings that could be attributed to that expression. This discussion can contribute to the planning and organization of health services geared to the management of clinical practices, as well as to set forth principles to draft actions in that field. Methodologically, the study consists of a qualitative literature review, using keywords of the Virtual Health Library (VHL). In terms of results, seven topics stand out that synthesize the analysis of sources: management, quality promotion, clinical monitoring or auditing, education, responsibility or accountability, safety in care and a systemic dimension. The conclusion is that the variation of meanings relates to the way in which the authors of the studies reviewed express or unfold the structuring conceptual components broadly accepted as clinical governance. What we observe is a lack of a greater focus on discussions regarding planning and policies relating to clinical governance.

Ischemic preconditioning attenuates remote pulmonary inflammatory infiltration of diabetic rats with an intestinal and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury

PURPOSE

To assess ischemic preconditioning (IPC) effects in pulmonary lesion in intestinal and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury models using diabetic rats.

METHODS

Diabetes (DM) was induced in 28 male Wistar rats by alloxan (42 mg/kg, IV). After 28 days, severe DM rats were submitted to intestinal or hepatic IR injury with or without IPC. Intestinal IR (30 min of mesenteric artery occlusion and 30 min of reperfusion; n=6) and IPC groups (10 min ischemia, 10 min reperfusion, followed by intestinal IR; n=6), and Hepatic IR (30 min of hepatic pedicle occlusion and 30 min of reperfusion; n=5) and IPC groups (10 min ischemia, 10 min reperfusion, followed by hepatic IR; n=5), were compared to DM rats group (n=6). Plasmatic lactate, glycemia were measured before and after IR injury. Histomorphology of lung was performed counting inflammatory cells. Data was expressed in mean± SE. P<0.05.

RESULTS

Glycemia and lactate were similar among groups. IPC did not interfere in these parameters. On histological evaluation, IR increased inflammatory cells infiltration in pulmonary parenchyma compared to control in both IR injury models. IPC attenuated inflammatory infiltration in lungs.

CONCLUSION

Ischemic preconditioning protects against remote ischemia-reperfusion injury in lung on intestinal or hepatic ischemia-reperfusion model with acute diabetes.

Use of epidemiological data as the basis for developing a medical curriculum

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE

Epidemiology may help educators to face the challenge of establishing content guidelines for the curricula in medical schools. The aim was to develop learning objectives for a medical curriculum from an epidemiology database.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Descriptive study assessing morbidity and mortality data, conducted in a private university in São Paulo.

METHODS

An epidemiology database was used, with mortality and morbidity recorded as summaries of deaths and the World Health Organization's Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY). The scoring took into consideration probabilities for mortality and morbidity.

RESULTS

The scoring presented a classification of health conditions to be used by a curriculum design committee, taking into consideration its highest and lowest quartiles, which corresponded respectively to the highest and lowest impact on morbidity and mortality. Data from three countries were used for international comparison and showed distinct results. The resulting scores indicated topics to be developed through educational taxonomy.

CONCLUSION

The frequencies of the health conditions and their statistical treatment made it possible to identify topics that should be fully developed within medical education. The classification also suggested limits between topics that should be developed in depth, including knowledge and development of skills and attitudes, regarding topics that can be concisely presented at the level of knowledge.

Anastomotic healing in ileum and colon of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

PURPOSE: To investigate if diabetes mellitus may alter breaking strength (BS) and collagen content in ileum and colon anastomoses in rats. METHODS: Three-hundred Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 5 experimental groups, 60 per group: normal controls surgically manipulated (G1); normal controls submitted to ileum (G2) and colon (G3) anastomotic construction; diabetic rats submitted to ileum (G4) and colon (G5) anastomotic construction. Each group was further divided into 6 subgroups with 10 rats each for sacrifice at 0, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days after surgery. All surgical procedures were performed 3 months after alloxan diabetes induction. BS was measured in all intestinal anastomoses. Fragments of ileum and colon anastomoses were taken for hydroxyproline concentration (HP) and total tissue protein (TP) dosages. RESULTS: Anastomotic BS was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in ileum and colon of G4 and G5 diabetic groups up to 7 and 14 days after surgery, respectively, compared with G2 and G3 normal control groups. Anastomotic HP and TP content did not significantly differ between diabetic and normal control operated groups in ileum or colon at all evaluation times. CONCLUSION: Experimental diabetes leads to impaired intestinal anastomotic strength during early surgical wound repair, but does not appear to be implicated with collagen synthesis capacity.

Self- and peer assessment may not be an accurate measure of PBL tutorial process

BACKGROUND

Universidade Cidade de São Paulo adopted a problem-based learning (PBL) strategy as the predominant method for teaching and learning medicine. Self-, peer- and tutor marks of the educational process are taken into account as part of the final grade, which also includes assessment of content. This study compared the different perspectives (and grades) of evaluators during tutorials with first year medical students, from 2004 to 2007 (n = 349), from seven semesters.

METHODS

The tutorial evaluation method was comprised of the students' self assessment (SA) (10%), tutor assessment (TA) (80%) and peer assessment (PA) (10%) to calculate a final educational process grade for each tutorial. We compared these three grades from each tutorial for seven semesters using ANOVA and a post hoc test.

RESULTS

A total of 349 students participated with 199 (57%) women and 150 (42%) men. The SA and PA scores were consistently greater than the TA scores. Moreover, the SA and PA groups did not show statistical difference in any semester evaluated, while both differed from tutor assessment in all semesters (Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's test). The Spearman rank order showed significant (p < 0.0001) and positive correlation for the SA and PA groups (r = 0.806); this was not observed when we compared TA with PA (r = 0.456) or TA with SA (r = 0.376).

CONCLUSION

Peer- and self-assessment marks might be reliable but not valid for PBL tutorial process, especially if these assessments are used for summative assessment, composing the final grade. This article suggests reconsideration of the use of summative assessment for self-evaluation in PBL tutorials.

Temporal relationship between successful pancreas transplantation and control of ocular complications in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

PURPOSE

The impact of pancreas transplantation (PT) on the progression of eye disease is still controversial. This study evaluated the course of retinopathy in transplanted rats in two different diabetic stages.

METHODS

Sixty inbred male Lewis rats were assigned to four experimental groups: NC-15 nondiabetic control rats; DC-15 untreated diabetic control rats; PT1-15 diabetic rats that received syngeneic pancreas transplants 2 weeks after alloxan diabetes induction; PT2-15 diabetic rats that received pancreas transplants 12 weeks after diabetes onset. Clinical and laboratory parameters and lens opacity were examined in all rats prior to treatment and at 1-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up. Nucleated eyes from five rats in each group processed for ultrastructural study of the retinal at 6 and 12 months after PT or at follow-up.

RESULTS

Cataracts were observed in 20%, 60%, and 100% of DC rats at 1-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up, respectively. Early PT (2 weeks) significantly reduced the prevalence of this complication but not late (12 weeks) PT. PT1 rats also showed improved ultrastructure of the superficial and deep capillary plexuses of the retina, and of Müller cells, compared with DC and PT2. In the last group, retinopathy continued to evolve despite successful PT.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that prevention of diabetic ocular lesions by PT was closely dependent on earlier performance of the procedure.

Pancreas transplantation prevents cellular oxidative stress in kidneys of alloxan-induced diabetic rats

PURPOSE

Oxidative stress is one of the most important mechanisms to explain genesis of the complications in the chronic progression of diabetes. In this investigation we studied the effects of pancreas transplantation (PT) on the imbalance caused by excessive production of free oxygen radicals by antioxidant defenses of rats with serious chronic hyperglycemia induced by alloxan.

METHODS

Ninety inbred male Lewis rats were randomly distributed into three groups: NC-30 nondiabetic controls; DC-30 diabetic controls without any treatment; PT-30 diabetic rats undergoing syngeneic PT from normal donor Lewis rats. Each experimental group was then split into three subgroups of 10 animals for sacrifice after 1, 3, or 6 months. Clinical and laboratory parameters from all rats as well as lipid hydroperoxide (LPO) concentrations and renal tissue enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were recorded for all rats.

RESULTS

Successful PT corrected clinical and laboratory alterations in diabetic rats with sustained normoglycemia throughout the study. A significant increase in LPO concentration and a marked reduction in SOD and CAT enzyme activity were observed in DC rats; there was no significant variation in renal tissue GSH-Px in this group. However, alterations in DC rats were completely restored from 1st month after PT; all evaluated enzyme levels did not significantly differ (P < .01) from those in NC controls.

CONCLUSION

Successful PT controlled cellular oxidative stress in diabetic kidneys, which may prevent chronic lesions.

Long-Term Effects of Insulin Therapy, Islet Transplantation, and Pancreas Transplantation in the Prevention of Glomerular Changes in Kidneys of Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats

Groups of inbred alloxan-induced diabetic rats were treated with insulin (I), islets (IT), or pancreas transplantation (PT). Nondiabetic (N) and untreated diabetic (D) control groups were concurrently included. Each group was divided into five subgroups of 10 rats and killed after follow-up of 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded, and kidney ultrastructural and morphometric analyses performed in each 12-month subgroup, namely glomerular basement membrane (GM) thickening, podocyte number, and number/extension of slit diaphragms (S). Rats from the I group showed poor metabolic control of diabetes compared with N group control rats. However, successfully transplanted rats (IT and PT) had complete restoration to normal levels for all metabolic parameters. GM thickening was significantly higher in diabetic compared with control rats. In contrast, the numbers of podocytes and slits as well as slit extensions were significantly decreased. Insulin therapy did not prevent any alterations upon comparison of diabetic vs control rats. Despite good metabolic control in IT rats, the degree of kidney lesion control never compared with that achieved in PT rats. In this group all glomerular changes were similar to the age-dependent lesions observed in control rats. We conclude that either IT or PT may be a good option for diabetes treatment, although pancreas transplantation seems to be the most effective treatment to control chronic complications.

Estudo comparativo entre cinco diferentes tratamentos sobre as alterações clínicas e laboratoriais do rato diabético induzido pela aloxana

OBJETIVOS: Este estudo visa a analisar os efeitos, a longo prazo, de cinco diferentes tratamentos sobre o controle metabólico de ratos diabéticos aloxânicos. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados 7 grupos experimentais, com 50 ratos cada um, sendo: GN o grupo controle normal; GD o grupo controle diabético, sem tratamento; GI, GA e GIA os grupos tratados, respectivamente, com insulina, acarbose e associação insulina + acarbose; GTIL o grupo tratado com transplante de ilhotas de Langerhans; e o GTPD o grupo tratado com transplante pancreatoduodenal heterotópico. Parâmetros clínicos (peso, ingestão hídrica, ingestão alimentar e diurese) e laboratoriais (glicemia, glicose urinária e insulina plasmática) foram avaliados em todos os animais, no início do experimento, e após 1, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses de seguimento. RESULTADOS: À exceção do GN, mortalidade foi observada em todos os grupos experimentais no seguimento de 12 meses (GD= 50%; GI= 20%; GA= 26%; GIA= 18%; GTIL= 4%; GTPD= 20%). Em GD, GI, GA e GIA os óbitos ocorreram por distúrbios metabólicos ou hidroeletrolíticos e/ou pneumonia, diarréia e caquexia; em GTIL e GTPD todos os óbitos ocorreram por falhas técnicas no pós-operatório até 72h. Animais dos grupos GI, GA e GIA tiveram melhora significativa (p < 0,05) de todos os parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais observados em ratos diabéticos, sem diferença de efetividade entre os tratamentos. Porém, os resultados observados nestes grupos, biologicamente não foram comparáveis aos observados em GTIL e GTPD, onde observou-se correção completa, aos níveis normais, de todas as variáveis analisadas (p<0,01). CONCLUSÕES: Os tratamentos convencionais com insulina, acarbose e insulina + acarbose melhoraram o estado diabético grave dos ratos tratados, contudo, a eficácia dos tratamentos foi significativamente inferior à oferecida pelo GTIL e GTPD.

Avaliação de parâmetros de cicatrização no cólon de ratos diabéticos sem agressão cirúrgica

OBJETIVO: Existem poucos estudos na literatura utilizando parâmetros de cicatrização em animais diabéticos antes da agressão cirúrgica e nenhum estudo no colon. Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar se o diabetes induzido pela aloxana poderia primariamente modificar parâmetros comumente usados para medir a cicatrização de anastomoses do colon de ratos, em animais sem injúria cirúrgica. MÉTODOS: 180 ratos foram divididos em 2 grupos de animais, um controle e o outro de animais diabéticos. Os animais foram considerados diabéticos se apresentaram glicemia>200mg/dl e glicose urinária>3000mg/dl. Após 3 meses, os 2 grupos foram avaliados em 6 momentos de sacrifício quando foram analisdos os parâmetros relacionados ao diabetes (glicemia, glicose urinária e insulina plasmática) e à cicatrização (força de ruptura, hidroxiprolina, proteína tecidual total e a relação HOP/PTT). RESULTADOS: A aloxana 2% causou 42,3% de mortalidade e 72,4% de diabetes grave. Todos os animai no gruo diabético apresentaram glicemia>300mg/dl, glicose urinária>3000mg/dl e significante decréscimo na insulina plamática. Nem a força de ruptura, nem as dosagens de HOP e PTT mostraram alterações estatisticamente significativas entre os grupos. CONCLUSÃO: Os achados do nosso estudo sugeriram que o diabetes não pode primariamente alterar parâmetros comumente usados para medir a cicatrização em colon de animais diabéticos antes da injúria cirúrgica.

Caracterização de um modelo experimental de Diabetes Mellitus, induzido pela aloxana em ratos: estudo clínico e laboratorial

OBJETIVO: O presente estudo teve por objetivo caracterizar as alterações clínicas e laboratoriais do rato portador de Diabetes Mellitus induzido pela administração endovenosa de aloxana. MÉTODOS: Os animais foram distribuídos, por sorteio, em dois grupos experimentais: Grupo Controle Normal (G1), constituído de 25 animais sadios, e Grupo Diabético (G2), formado por 25 animais diabéticos graves, que foram avaliados em cinco momentos (1, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses) de seguimento, tendo sido estudados os seguintes parâmetros: evolução clínica (peso, ingestão hídrica, ingestão alimentar e diurese) e exames bioquímicos (glicemia de jejum, glicose urinária, glicosúria, cetonúria, colesterol total, colesterol HDL, triglicérides e lipídios). RESULTADOS: A injeção de aloxana 2% na via endovenosa do rato acompanhou-se de um índice de mortalidade de 39%, tendo produzido diabetes grave também em 39% dos animais. O diabetes foi caracterizado por queda progressiva do peso corporal, elevação substancial da ingestão hídrica, ingestão alimentar e da diurese, com valores glicêmicos acima de 300 mg/dl, glicosúria 3+ e, eventualmente, cetonúria. O diabetes não altera o perfil de colesterol e lípides de ratos a longo prazo. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos estudos revelam que a aloxana produz, no rato, alterações clínicas e laboratoriais características de diabetes grave, as quais possibilitam estudos a longo prazo do diabetes.

Caracterização de um modelo experimental de neuropatia em ratos diabéticos induzidos pela aloxana

Cem ratos norvégicus, machos, com aproximadamente 3 meses de idade foram distribuídos por sorteio em 2 grupos experimentais: Grupo Controle (GC): com 50 ratos sadios, não diabéticos e Grupo Diabético (GD): com 50 ratos diabéticos, induzidos pela aloxana, sem qualquer tratamento. Cada grupo foi dividido em 5 subgrupos com 10 ratos cada e sacrificados com 1, 3, 6, 9 e 12 meses de seguimento, respectivamente. Parâmetros clínicos (peso, ingestão hídrica e alimentar, e diurese) e laboratoriais (glicemia, glicose urinária e insulina) foram documentados em todos os momentos de avaliação. Um segmento do nervo ciático foi obtido de cada animal, em ambos os grupos, para estudo à MO. e ME. Alterações clínicas e laboratoriais significativas (P<0,01), compatíveis com diabetes grave, foram observadas em todos os animais do GD a partir do 4o dia após a indução. Ratos de ambos os grupos apresentaram alterações no número de fibras mielínicas e nos depósitos intraaxonais de glicogênio que não diferiram, estatisticamente, aos 1, 3 e 6 meses de seguimento. Entretanto, aos 9 e 12 meses, ratos do GD apresentaram diminuição significativa no número de fibras mielínicas, com aumento do número de fibras mielínicas de menor calibre, quando comparados com ratos do GC (P<0,05). Grânulos de glicogênio intraaxonais também foram mais acentuados em ratos do GD no 9o e 12o mês de seguimento. Não foram observadas diferenças na densidade de fibras amielínicas ou alterações ultraestruturais significativas entre os dois grupos, em relação aos espaços intraaxonais e endoneurais, bainhas de mielina e células de Schwann durante todo o estudo.

Experimental pancreas transplantation: the consequences of the portocaval shunt on the blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon

The consequences of the bypass of the portal venous effluent into the systemic circulation on the blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon in immediate postoperative period of rats submitted to pancreas transplantation were studied. Forty outbred male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: group NC included 20 non-diabetic control rats, submitted to simulated operating (sham-operated), and group PT included 20 diabetic rats that received heterotopic pancreas transplantation from normal donor Wistar rats. For 7 days prior and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after transplantation blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon were recorded. These parameters were also concurrently recorded for NC rats. Diabetes was induced by i.v. alloxan administration; PT rats were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A. NC rats presented normal values of blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon over the course of experiment. A marked hyperinsulinemia was found in peripheral venous blood of PT rats, being plasma insulin significantly higher than that for NC rats (P<0.01) beginning 72- h after transplant. The plasma glucagon, elevated in pre-transplant period, did not change after transplant. Despite hyperinsulinemia and hyperglucagonemia, the blood glucose levels were elevated up to 6- h after transplant, but were within normal levels following this period. Beginning at 12- h after transplant the blood glucose levels observed in PT rats did not differ significantly to NC rats until the sacrifice.

Uma nova iniciativa na formação dos profissionais de saúde

O projeto UNI é uma iniciativa da Fundação W. K. Kellogg que começou a ser implantada em Botucatu em 1993, pressupondo um esforço de cooperação entre a Universidade, serviços locais de saúde e organizações comunitárias. O principal objetivo do UNI é apoiar o desenvolvimento integrado de modelos inovadores de ensino, dos sistemas locais de saúde e da ação comunitária. Em Botucatu, o Projeto UNI toma forma numa parceria entre a Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu (FMB), a Secretaria de Saúde e Meio Ambiente da Prefeitura e a União das Associações e Sociedade de Amigos de Bairro do Município, a Unasab’s. A gestão partilhada é a marca registrada do Projeto, que se encontra agora em sua segunda fase de execução e já está sendo transformado na Fundação UNI. Por meio dessa iniciativa, o UNI vem delineando uma nova maneira de integrar parceiros e desenvolver modelos. Abre, assim, caminhos para a formação de profissionais de Saúde que articulem os avanços científicos e tecnológicos à necessidade de nossa gente.