A Student-Led National Conference on Leadership: Broadening the Medical Student Role

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Students have traditionally held a singular role in medical education - the learner. This narrow view neglects students unique perspective and ability to shape the future of medical education. In recognizing the need for deliberate leadership skill development and networking opportunities for medical student leaders, the American Medical Association (AMA) supported the first AMA Accelerating Change in Medical Education Student-Led Conference on Leadership in Medical Education. A planning committee of 19 students from seven medical schools collaborated to develop this conference, which took place on August 4-5, 2017 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. The primary goal of the conference was for students to learn about leadership skills, connect with other student leaders, feel empowered to lead change, and continue to lead from their roles as students. Attendees participated in a variety of workshops and presentations focused on developing practical leadership skills. In addition, students formed multi-institutional teams to participate on in the MedEd Impact Challenge, attempting to address issues in medical education such as leadership curriculum development, wellness, and culture change. Post-conference surveys showed an overwhelming majority of students connected with other student leaders, shared ideas, developed collaborations, and felt empowered to enact change. Looking forward, we believe that similar student-led conferences focused on broadening the medical student role would provide avenues for positive change in medical education.

Coping with stress during childhood and adolescence: problems, progress, and potential in theory and research

Progress and issues in the study of coping with stress during childhood and adolescence are reviewed. Definitions of coping are considered, and the relationship between coping and other aspects of responses to stress (e.g., temperament and stress reactivity) is described. Questionnaire, interview, and observation measures of child and adolescent coping are evaluated with regard to reliability and validity. Studies of the association of coping with symptoms of psychopathology and social and academic competence are reviewed. Initial progress has been made in the conceptualization and measurement of coping, and substantial evidence has accumulated on the association between coping and adjustment. Problems still remain in the conceptualization and measurement of coping in young people, however, and aspects of the development and correlates of coping remain to be identified. An agenda for future research on child-adolescent coping is outlined.

Responses to stress in adolescence: measurement of coping and involuntary stress responses

The development of a measure of coping and involuntary stress responses in adolescence is described. The Responses to Stress Questionnaire (RSQ) reflects a conceptual model that includes volitional coping efforts and involuntary responses to specific stressful events or specified domains of stress. The psychometric characteristics of the RSQ were examined across 4 domains of stress in 3 samples of adolescents and parent reports obtained in 2 samples. The factor structure of the RSQ was tested and replicated with an adequate degree of fit using confirmatory factor analysis across 3 stressors in 2 samples. Internal consistency and retest reliability for the 5 factors were adequate to excellent. Concurrent validity was established through correlations with another measure of coping, heart rate reactivity, and correlations of self- and parent-reports. Significant correlations with both adolescents' and parents' reports of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were consistent with hypotheses.

Housing quality and mental health

This study examined the potential link between housing quality and mental health. First, the development of a psychometrically sound, observer-based instrument to assess physical housing quality in ways conceptually relevant to psychological health is reported. Then 2 different studies, including a prospective longitudinal design, demonstrate that physical housing quality predicts mental health. Possible underlying psychosocial processes for the housing quality-psychological distress link are discussed.

A statewide survey of age at first intercourse for adolescent females and age of their male partners: relation to other risk behaviors and statutory rape implications

In a statewide survey of a representative sample of adolescent girls in 8th-12th grades (N = 4201), information was obtained on age at first intercourse and age of their male partners. Excluding intercourse experiences where physical force was threatened or used, 31% had intercourse by age 15 and 45% by age 16. Contrary to the impression left by studies of teenage mothers, girls who first had sex between age 13 and age 15 or between age 16 and age 18 did not have a large percentage of much older partners (5 or more years older; 12 and 7%, respectively). The percentage of much older partners was higher, however, for girls who had sex in very early adolescence, ages 11-12 (34%). Much older male partners were associated with greater problem behaviors for girls who first had intercourse in very early adolescence (11-12), but less so for those who first had intercourse between age 13 and age 15 (truancy only) and not at all for those who first had intercourse at between 16 and 18. Regardless of partner's age disparity, earlier age at first intercourse during adolescence was associated with a greater number of other problem behaviors. The implications of these findings for recent calls to enforce statutory rape laws more stringently to reduce teenage pregnancy were discussed.

Housing quality and mental health

This study examined the potential link between housing quality and mental health. First, the development of a psychometrically sound, observer-based instrument to assess physical housing quality in ways conceptually relevant to psychological health is reported. Then 2 different studies, including a prospective longitudinal design, demonstrate that physical housing quality predicts mental health. Possible underlying psychosocial processes for the housing quality-psychological distress link are discussed.

Biochemical and ultrastructural differences between muco-epidermoid and carcinoid tumors of the bronchus

Bronchial adenomas have been classified into three types: carcinoid tumors, cylindromas (adenoid cystic carcinomas), and mucoepidermoid tumors. Studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that the quantitative measurement of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in homogenates of carcinoid tumors of foregut origin is different than the activity enzymes in other tumors of neural crest origin. In this study we compared the biochemical composition of 12 bronchial carcinoid tumors with the biochemical composition of a rare mucoepidermoid adenoma of the bronchus. Electron microscopy revealed that some cells of the mucoepidermoid adenoma contained mucin and tonofilaments; none of the cells contained neurosecretory granules. The MAO activity of the bronchial carcinoid tumors was much higher than the MAO activity of the mucoepidermoid adenoma. Thus, there are distinctive ultrastructural and biochemical differences in these two types of bronchial adenomas.