The following abstracts have been accepted for presentation at this meeting in Poster format in the category of Curriculum.  Those selected for Oral Poster Presentations are so designated in the far right column.
 
 

C1	AN INDEPENDENT STUDY CURRICULUM TO PROMOTE LIFE-LONG LEARNING SKILLS Mark A.W. Andrews, Ph.D.*, Laurie A.Troup, D.O., The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA 16426 U.S.A. The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) has adopted a curricular model giving students the opportunity to choose among three different curriculum styles or "pathways" during the MS 1 and MS 2 years of their D.O. studies. These include a traditional Lecture-Discussion Pathway (LDP), a Problem-Based Learning Pathway (PBLP), and an Independent Study Pathway (ISP). Once accepted for matriculation in the medical program, students are able to choose a pathway (within enrollment limits) based on their particular learning style and needs. ISP, the newest pathway, requires minimal scheduled meeting times as students base their studies on lists of structured learning objectives developed by LECOM faculty and compiled into "module" booklets representing the material covered in a typical medical school course. The module curriculum starts in the fall semester of the first year with "core" modules, each giving an overview of a specific basic science discipline. Beginning in the spring semester, and continuing through to the end of the second year, the modules are systems based and contain significant clinical learning objectives. Though stressing independence, the ISP is closely directed and overseen, and students meet with faculty members at least weekly at regularly scheduled times. Faculty help is also readily available, either in person or by e-mail, to assist individual or groups in mastering the materials and concepts. In addition, ISP students are welcome to sit in on any or all of the LDP lectures as part of their learning experience, however they typically proceed through the modules using textbooks, computer-aided instruction, audio and video tapes, and other resources. Finishing each module within specific time limits, typically three to four weeks, students are expected to have mastered all learning objectives and a multiple choice examination is administered. The ISP is based on active learning, with students being given the primary responsibility for their personal progress throughout the curriculum. The ISP is proposed to be appropriate for students who are self-motivated, with good organizational and time-management skills, who enjoy the freedom of non-traditional time scheduling, learn best through reading and small group interaction, and in most cases have a strong science, or previous clinical, background (though neither is a requirement). Geared towards the development of skills that are necessary for an effective clinical education and post-graduate experience, ISP reinforces learning skills needed throughout a physician’s career, including self-education and time management, and especially the ability to efficiently learn without a constant dependence on instructors. In all, the ISP is geared to develop a solid knowledge base and life-long learning skills.	ORAL
C3	UPDATE ON AN INTEGRATED MEDICAL SCHOOL GENETICS CURRICULUM: LESSONS LEARNED Pamela L. Derstine, Ph.D.*, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153 U.S.A. Last year we reported a plan for an integrated four-year medical genetics curriculum.1 The plan centers around the use of a structured notebook with a set of core genetic disorders and a competency-based framework: genetic principles; phenotype and natural history; clinical cases; disease etiology; pathogenesis; management; inheritance risk; family, social, legal and ethical issues. Students are expected to collect evidence for learning from both course-related activities/materials and independent study throughout their four years of medical school. Use of the notebooks was implemented at the beginning of the current academic year with all M1 students. Formal courses in the first year include Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics (1/2 semester), Anatomy (1/2 semester), Physiology (1 semester), Immunology (1/2 semester), and Introduction to the Practice of Medicine (2 semesters). All courses except Anatomy were able to include the additional genetics agreed to in the planning discussions. Notebooks were to have been collected and rated twice each semester during the mid-semester break and end-of semester break. Experience with the first rating period quickly lead to revising that to just once per semester. Physically collecting, storing, examining and returning 140 notebooks was challenging and the prospect of 280 notebooks next year was daunting. An online system would facilitate both student and faculty use of the genetics notebook. Examination of notebooks revealed student use was inconsistent and generally below expectations. Despite written and verbal directions, students reported being unclear on how notebooks should be used. This early in medical school most students are dependent on structured learning, so a set of more explicit expectations was developed. The notebooks themselves are not graded, thus eliminating a known motivator for use. This prompted a re-evaluation of the form and function of the notebooks with a model of portfolio assessment emerging as a tool better suited to tracking and measuring developing student outcomes throughout the curriculum, drawing on activities and assessments identified both within courses and outside the formal curriculum. Elements of a Genetics Portfolio Assessment Plan will be presented in the poster. 1 Derstine, PL (2003) "Design and implementation of an integrated medical school genetics curriculum: first report" IAMSE Annual Meeting
C4	BASIC SCIENCE CONTENT IN PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL YEARS: BIOCHEMISTRY AND THE REFORM-CURRICULUM DIPOL® IN DRESDEN-GERMANY Peter E. Dieter*, Dean of Medical Education & Professor of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, D-01307 Dresden GERMANY Medical education in Germany is strictly regulated by a federal law. A new amendment of this law offers more sovereignty to the medical schools, favors problem-based and patient-oriented learning, and supports integrative and interdisciplinary teaching in basic and clinical sciences. In contrast to this new philosophy of the law, the curriculum is still divided -by law- into a pre-clinical part (2 years) and a clinical part (4 years), with a national board examination after 2 years, examining "only" basic sciences. The new reform-curriculum DIPOL® (Dresden Integrative Problem/Praxis/Patient-Oriented Learning) is a hybrid-curriculum (lectures, seminars, tutorials, experimental courses, bedside teaching). It is composed into 4 modules (pre-clinical 2 years), and several interdisciplinary PBL- and clinical block- courses in the 4 clinical years. All teachers are professionally trained in specific PBL-didactic courses. Although, most of basic sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy, biochemistry, physiology) and clinical sciences has to be taught -by law- in the first 2 and the last 4 years, respectively, DIPOL® strengthens the teaching of basic and clinical sciences longitudinally throughout the whole curriculum. Examples will be given for longitudinal teaching of clinical aspects, e.g. Module "patient & doctor" in the pre-clinical years (organized and taught by clinicians, including a standardized patient program) And in basic sciences, teaching of biochemistry in several clinical PBL courses in the last 4 years (e.g. pharmacotherapy, nutrition & metabolism & secretion).
C5	Genesis 2003: Integrating a Comprehensive Approach to Spirituality, Cultural Diversity and End-of-Life Care into a Medical Education Curriculum Nehad I. El-Sawi, Ph.D.*; Carol E. Kirila, D.O., Pamela P. Thomas, Ph.D., and Melissa Citarelli, M.A. The University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine, Kansas City, MO 64106 U.S.A. A comprehensive program inclusive of spirituality, culture diversity and palliative care issues is integrated into the University’s curriculum across all stages of learning. It is a multi-year longitudinal program that cuts across all four years of undergraduate medical education including both the pre-clerkship years and the clinical clerkship setting. It also extends into the internal medicine and family medicine residencies. The curriculum is formatted for the purpose of introducing physicians-in-training to the fundamentals of caring for dying patients and addresses the role of religion, spirituality and socio-cultural issues in patient care. Student assessment and program evaluation has been specified and is conducted at various points throughout the curriculum. The program received the prestigious 2002 John Templeton Spirituality Award.
C7	THE VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF THE MEDICAL SCHOOL CURRICULUM: insights and obstacles Douglas J. Gould, Ph.D.*, Jennifer Brueckner, Ph.D., Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536-0298 U.S.A. The objective of the current project was to conduct and analyze the results of a survey of medical school educators regarding the vertical integration of the medical school curriculum. The integration of the basic science years with the clinical science years of medical school education has been proposed as a way of making the most of increasingly limited educational resources and a way to demonstrate the relevance of both topics in order to illustrate a continuity not otherwise possible. This integration may be best accomplished by establishing communities of interrelated medical education scholars working together in order to illustrate clinical relevance during students’ basic science coursework and reintroducing basic science principals during the clinical period. Forty-four basic and clinical scientists responded to our survey; they provided information regarding their level of interest in a more integrated curriculum, the level of integration that they currently enjoy at their institutions and opinions on obstacles to integration. Results indicate that interest in the vertical integration of the medical school curriculum is high, that individual faculty members are interested in increased integration, but that the current level of integration is not adequate. The main obstacles cited by survey participants include the lack of a reward system for faculty to put effort into integration and lack of time. In sum, although faculty members recognize that integrating the basic and clinical sciences into a more cohesive experience for students is of interest to them and of benefit to their students, there is currently not sufficient support in the form of faculty time or reward to move forward towards a more vertically integrated curriculum.
C8	PREPARATORY YEAR PROGRAM AT THE AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY MEDICAL COLLEGE, PAKISTAN: A 7-YEAR EXPERIENCE OF A NOVEL INITIATIVE M. Perwaiz Iqbal, Ph.D.*, Camer W. Vellani, F.R.C.P., Arif A. Zaidi, Ph.D., Laila Akberali, M.B.A., Perviz Husain, M.A. Ed., Departments of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Student Affairs & Center for English Language, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, P.O. Box-3500, Karachi-74800 PAKISTAN The M.B., B.S. program of the Aga Khan University (AKU) began in 1983. Admission is based on merit. Approximately 3000 applicants compete for 100 places. A preparatory program was initiated in 1995 to support intellectually endowed applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds who were not competitive. The justification for this fully subsidized program was that such students will serve underprivileged populations at some stage of their lives. The goals of the preparatory year were the acquisition of effective self-directed learning, self-confidence and acculturation to the learning and social environment of the AKU. The program focused on comprehension of knowledge; communication in the English language; discussion of major social issues and social determinants of health; understanding of basic principles of Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics; and reasoning. Up to September 2002, 22 students completed the preparatory program and 19 of them were admitted to the M.B., B.S. program and 8 have graduated to date. Of the total of 54 student-examination experiences, in 44, their performance was within ± 1 SD of the class mean. In 3 instances, the performance was greater than 1 SD of the class mean; in 7 it was less than 1 SD; in no instance was it less than 2 SD. The performance indicates that the handicap of poorly supported education in school can be overcome by a structured preparatory educational program in the course of one academic year.
C9	NEW CURRICULUM OF THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONCEPCION, CHILE Octavio Enríquez, M.D., Dean*, Mario Muñoz, M.D., Vicedean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción CHILE Regarding curricular change in medical education, worldwide agreements have been reached (WFME Declaration, 1999) (Chilean Association of Medical Schools). They, together with the changes in the practice of medicine, government health policies and the social environment variables have been the referents for the process of curricular change at the School of Medicine of the University of Concepcion. In 2002 the School of Medicine put into practice a New Curriculum. This curriculum will last 14 semesters, out of which, the last four correspond to internship. It reduces class room time, emphasizes problem based learning and problem solving, distance education, virtual class rooms and telemedicine, student teacher relationships, small group work, knowledge integration, the use of standardized patients, ethics; it also introduces integration of Biomedical Sciences, educational technologies of information and Evidence Based Medicine as key elements to assure the practice of Medicine. The physician, as a result of this New Curriculum will be able to offer the Chilean population the new medicine that is required, contributing in this way to the development of the country. Some foreign Universities like Edimburg and Calgary have innovative curricula and have committed their support through the visits of experts as consultants evaluators.
C10	THE 15-YEAR EVOLUTION OF A MEDICAL GENETICS COURSE – THE BLENDING OF BASIC AND CLINICAL SCIENCE INTERESTS IN AN INTEGRATED PRE-CLINICAL CURRICULUM Denise Ferrier, Ph.D., Kirsten A. Larson, Ph.D*., Sigmund B. Kahn, M.D., Akhil B. Vaidya, Ph.D., Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Biochemistry, and Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine), Philadelphia, PA 19129 U.S.A. In 1986, a number of basic science and clinical faculty created a 20-hour, pre-clinical, stand-alone genetics course at Hahnemann University School of Medicine. Like most schools at that time, the institution did not have a genetics department; therefore, a small interdepartmental team worked together to develop the course content and recruit faculty. While their original goal was "to prepare students for the emerging role of genetics in medicine", it rapidly became evident that each faculty member had different views of what this entailed. In general, the basic science faculty tended to focus on the newest information or techniques, often without adequately addressing their relevance to clinical medicine. In contrast, clinical faculty often concentrated on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of selected genetic diseases without addressing the underlying principles of genetics and molecular biology. While the goal has been to encompass both aspects, the course is still striving to find an appropriate balance between these interests. During the intervening years, the course and the medical school underwent many significant changes, including course movement to different basic science and clinical departments, a bankruptcy, two school mergers, and multiple curricular changes. A recent change was the transition of our pre-clinical curriculum from a traditional semester-based structure to an integrated, course-coordinated format called the Interdisciplinary Foundations of Medicine. In this new curriculum, the first-year courses, including Medical Genetics, are organized into modules around signs and symptoms (e.g., Muscle Weakness, Chest Pain, Abnormal Amniocentesis, Suspicious Lump, Failure to Thrive). Over the past five years, various modifications have been tried to integrate genetics into the curriculum while preserving course continuity and content integrity. This poster will focus on 1) the changes in the course precipitated by the transition into an integrated, course-coordinated format, 2) how this change has helped to solve some of the long standing challenges in merging basic science with clinical medicine in medical genetics, and 3) the new challenges created by this curricular change such as maintaining course continuity and faculty recruitment.	ORAL
C12	ANALYSIS OF PHARMACOLOGY OBJECTIVES IN A HYBRID PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING MEDICAL CURRICULUM: THE OTTAWA EXPERIENCE John J. Leddy, Ph.D.*, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and François Vincelette, M.Sc., School of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada K1H 8M5 In 1992, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa moved from a traditional, lecture-based curriculum to a hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) / lecture-based curriculum. Traditional basic science courses, such as pharmacology, that were once taught and coordinated by basic science departments were replaced by multidisciplinary, system-based learning blocks taught by teams of basic scientists and medical clinicians. Students who have experienced this new approach have increasingly questioned the level of integration of pharmacology into the Stage 1 (first and second year) blocks. These concerns appear to be shared by students at other Canadian medical schools as reflected by the University of Toronto Student LCME Accreditation Self-Study Report (2004) "…students agreed that their pharmacology preparation was inadequate and delivered in a ‘patchwork’ fashion and suggest that pharmacology be better integrated in various units of the curriculum". We conducted a comprehensive review of the Stage 1 pharmacology curriculum and extracted the learning objectives. These were compared to the knowledge objectives in medical pharmacology established by the Association for Medical School Pharmacology (AMSP) in 2002. We found that our program fully addressed the objectives in many specialties (cardiology, hematology, gastroenterology) but fell short in others (general principles of pharmacology, anesthesia, toxicology). The results of our survey indicate that, under the new curriculum, the presentation of pharmacology is comprehensive but may not be structured.
C13	WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE COMPETENCY INITIATIVE: THE BASIC SCIENCE COMPONENT Metheny W, Stein T, Cowan B, Eldridge J, La Barbera A, Lura T, Newton B*, Post M, Rusch, R. Brown University, Providence, RI 02905, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, University of Mississippi, Jackson, MS 39216, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR 72205, Jefferson Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Crofton, MD 21114 U.S.A. The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) Women’s Health Education Office (WHEO) hosted a weekend working retreat in June 2003 and assembled a distinguished group of 64 medical educators from multiple disciplines in the basic and clinical sciences. The purpose was to develop an educational tool for faculty to use to integrate sex and gender differences in health and disease into the medical school curriculum. The invitees included deans, government officials, and representatives from the National Centers of Excellence in Women’s Health (CoEs), medical students and others interested in undergraduate women’s health. The participants were divided into eight working groups, organized around specific competencies. Each invitee was considered an "expert" in the competency area they were assigned. The groups shared the responsibility of writing learning objectives for the competencies outlined in the document Women’s Health Care Competencies for Medical Students, developed by another multidisciplinary group of education experts during an earlier WHEO retreat in November 2000. Based on a model developed by the APGO Undergraduate Medical Education Committee and the Professional Education Working Group of the CoEs, the groups also identified expected competence levels for each learning objective based on Miller’s pyramid (i.e., knows, knows how, shows how, and does), and identified appropriate evaluation methods for measuring competence of the specific learning objective. In addition the groups linked each objective to the ACGME core competencies, and identified reference materials for medical students and teachers. The authors listed above developed learning objectives for women’s health competencies in the basic sciences. The result of this project –women’s health competencies supplemented with learning objectives, evaluation tools, links to residency-level competencies, and references– is intended to be a key resource for evaluating, improving, and integrating curricula in sex and gender differences in health and disease in undergraduate medical education.	ORAL
C14	Foundations of Scientific Inquiry: Stimulating Interest in Research Among Medical Students through a Research Elective Igor Mitrovic, M.D.*, Department of Physiology, University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0450 U.S.A. The nation-wide decrease in a number of physician-scientists may undermine our ability to efficiently devise new disease-fighting strategies. One problem may be the lack of venues for communication between research faculty and medical students. Thus, we have designed an elective course aimed to 1) stimulate medical students’ interest in basic science research and physician-scientist careers by exposing them to physician-scientists 2) introduce students to the process of scientific inquiry. In its inaugural year (2002/03), the course had two thematic units: the first unit concentrated on molecular and proteomic methods, while the second focused on the process of scientific inquiry from problem identification through data collection and analysis. Teachers were UCSF physician-scientists; twelve first year medical students participated. The impact of the course was evaluated using controlled quasi-experimental attitude survey, with a control group composed of 15 first year medical students not taking the course. Both elective course participants and the control group students expressed positive opinions on the importance of basic science research and physician-scientists in the field of medicine. Both groups had little information on the physician-scientist careers and the basic science research in general, indicating a lot of room for future interventions. Predictably, elective participants indicated greater interest in the academic and physician scientist careers. Posttest results revealed an increase in the participants’ ability to identify the critical steps in the process of scientific inquiry. There was also a (non-significant) trend among the participants toward a better understanding of academic and physician scientist careers. This was supported by the data from the qualitative course evaluation; students uniformly indicated that the course stimulated their interest in the science of medicine. Both teacher and course evaluations were uniformly positive; overall effectiveness of the teachers was rated 4.8 ± 0.1 and the overall quality of the course 4.6 ± 0.5 [mean ± SD; scale 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent)]. Based on the above data, we believe that the course has a potential to stimulate positive attitude change among UCSF medical students toward physician scientist careers. This is further supported by the fact that the enrollment for the current school year has increased by almost 100%.	ORAL
C15	Case oriented learning – Contextual learning in the first year curriculum Paul J. Monaco, Ph.D., Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614 U.S.A. Case Oriented Learning (COL) at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine was instituted in 2000 as a yearlong course to provide first year students in our Generalist Track an opportunity to work independently and as members of small groups in addressing specific objectives and learning issues related to a series of clinical vignettes / cases. The vignettes may be based on patients seen by our clinical faculty, on case records published in the New England Journal of Medicine or written by our faculty. Topics are scheduled to integrate with the course material presented in the first year basic science curriculum and are studied over two or three sessions. Groups of six to eight students generally meet weekly for a total of 33 two-hour sessions. COL is modeled on a problem-based learning format. While the major focus of the course is to offer a contextual basis for discussion and reflection on important science concepts, related psychosocial, ethical and professionalism issues are emphasized. Intellectual curiosity is encouraged as is developing a habit of life-long learning. Small groups are co-facilitated by a basic scientist and a faculty physician. Basic science facilitators have been or are presently members of the departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Physiology, Microbiology and Pharmacology. Faculty physicians are presently drawn from the departments of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Surgery. Students and faculty access materials on a course web site. Faculty-generated learning objectives are available to facilitators in advance of each session and to students after they have discussed a case and developed their own learning issues. Ample time is provided for students to "teach each other" within the small group setting. Students are evaluated based on their class participation (attendance is mandatory) and on oral and written reports on designated learning objectives. Student evaluation of the course and faculty facilitators has been favorable, and there is a general consensus that students like learning in settings other than traditional lectures.
C16	Teaching Microbiology Using an Organ System Approach in an Integrated Curriculum  Donna M. Russo Ph.D*, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Interdisciplinary Foundations of Medicine Curriculum, Drexel University College of Medicine (formerly MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine), Philadelphia, PA 19129 U.S.A. Our curriculum, Interdisciplinary Foundations of Medicine, is a didactic integrated/coordinated curriculum where both basic science and clinical medicine are integrated throughout the pre-clinical program. Medical Microbiology is taught in the 2nd year, using an organ system approach. The course is integrated with Pathology, Pharmacology and Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM). All of these courses run for the full academic year. The year begins with a Fundamentals Module. Here, basic aspects of Microbiology are presented; including an overview of bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology, pathogenesis, diagnostics, vaccines and anti-microbial immunity. Pharmacology introduces the topic of anti-microbials at this time but it will be revisited in future modules. The year continues with Systems Modules some of which include: Pulmonary, Skin/Musculoskeletal, Gastrointestinal and Reproductive. The content in Microbiology is spread throughout the modules based on symptoms manifested in the various organ systems. Many organisms have pulmonary manifestations; therefore we frequently choose another symptom to avoid overloading any particular module. For instance, the topic, Measles is covered in the Skin/Musculoskeletal Module at the same time as other organisms causing maculopapular rash. One advantage of this approach is that students begin developing clinical reasoning skills based on clinical signs and symptoms, and other epidemiological clues. Another advantage is that organisms that cause disease in multiple organ systems such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus are covered in multiple modules. They receive a primary comprehensive treatment in one module but are revisited and reinforced multiple times. Pathology and ICM are covering related topics at the same time in each module, many of which are related to Infectious Diseases. Course Directors work together to stress reinforcement and prevent excessive redundancy. However, individual course testing and grading assures competency in each content area. Most of our exam questions follow the format of USMLE Step 1 and are in the form of a clinical vignette. Student satisfaction with the Microbiology course is high and their performance on internal and external measures of achievement indicate proficiency in the content area. This approach to the organization of the content in the Microbiology course can be achieved in a traditional one-semester course as well as in an integrated curriculum.
C17	"DRUG BUDDY": A WEB-BASED EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE PROVIDING SOUND FILES AS A GUIDE TO DRUG PRONUNCIATION Chris J. Van Dyke, B.S., Karen A. Woodfork, Ph.D. and David J. Smith, Ph.D.*, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-9142 U.S.A. Because students at our institution were requesting advice on the pronunciation of drug names, we developed, Drug Buddy, a web-based resource to assist them in their study of pharmacology. Drug Buddy contains a compilation of sound files of the generic names of common drugs. Currently, the resource consists of about 500 drugs, but more are to be added on a routine basis. Drugs covered in our courses were used as the basis for Drug Buddy's content. In addition, all drugs from Rx List's (RxList.com) "Top 200 Drugs of 2002", and many of those on the "Pharmacology Drug List" complied by University of Texas at Houston were included. The sounds are monophonic files (.WAV) sampled at 22 kHz with a median file size of 24 kB. Guidance for articulating the sounds was from the text presentation of the pronunciation of the drugs from USP DI® Advice for the Patient® produced by US Pharmacopeia, and MedMaster™ produced by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. The audio portion of Drug Buddy and a text pronunciation of each drug can be copied to a CD for distribution. However, we routinely use it as a WEB-based resource, which provides links to other pharmaceutical information available through the Internet. For example, as selected drugs are accessed, the student finds a link to Medline-PlusÒ , and within our institution's secure, password protected, web-based internet site, students may also link to Clinical PharmacologyÒ , which is provided through Gold Standard Multimedia, Inc. Students find a link to Drug Buddy as they access on-line study materials used in each of our separate courses for medical, pharmacy, dental and undergraduate students. Additionally, our on-line course for undergraduate students provides links to individual sound files of drugs as they are initially encountered in the on-line text. Students report that Drug Buddy is useful, and that links to other reference material is helpful.
C18	Human genetics in the traditional and in a PBL-based medical curriculum –Teaching Mendel? teaching Ethics? Teaching HOX? Ute Tautenhahn, M.D.*, Joerg Pelz,Ph. D. Reformstudiengang Medizin, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin GERMANY With the completion of the human genome project a milestone for research in human genetics has been achieved. This work is generating a new surge of experimental studies. Exiting prospects arise for the application of this knowledge to medical clinical practice. On the other hand studies show that (primary care) physicians misinterpret a lot of genetic test results. Medical educators are facing two problems. to strengthen the knowledge about genetics among practicing physicians by ensuring the quality of continuing genetics education; this is highly dependent on the motivation of this group to increase the emphasis on genetics in medical school curricula. Since changes in medical curricula are zero sum games a major problem for the latter undertaking is the incorporation of new knowledge into an existing curriculum. The ideas of German University teachers for human genetics are contrasted with the actual presentation of human genetics in regular curricula and in the reformed medical curriculum of the Charité.
C19	A CLINICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING MODULE: FACILITATING THE TRANSITION FROM CLASSROOM TO CLINIC Joan Wing O.D.*, Pierrette Dayhaw-Barker, Ph.D., Lorraine Lombardi Ph.D., Susan Oleszewski, M.A.,O.D., and Anthony DiStefano, O.D., M.P.H,. Department of Basic Sciences and Department of Clinical Sciences, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Elkins Park, PA 19027 U.S.A. In 2001, the Pennsylvania College of Optometry introduced a Clinical Problem-solving (CPS) module as part of a hybrid curriculum designed to foster a more integrated, clinically oriented approach to professional training. The CPS module consists of a three-year sequence beginning in the first year, utilizing the format of problem-based learning. Clinical case scenarios are presented to the students in small group settings. Each case vignette contains content issues to which the students have previously been exposed and also presents problems that are new to them. In this fashion the students have opportunities to integrate and consolidate their existing knowledge but must also direct their learning in new areas. Lastly they must apply their findings to clinical decision-making. Since the CPS module provides opportunities to utilize the process of clinical reasoning, a study was undertaken to determine whether the CPS experience facilitates the students' transition from classroom to clinic. A survey was distributed to students who had recently completed two years of the CPS sequence and their first semester of clinical assignments. In addition, experienced faculties were surveyed for their perception of the students' clinical performance. Most students reported that the tasks performed in CPS simulated and prepared them for those that they performed in their clinical assignments, citing features as: identifying problems (93%), clarifying history (96%) and problem solving with clinical reasoning (90%). Based on their experience in CPS, students agreed that they can more readily integrate knowledge of basic sciences with clinical sciences (88%) and are more confident in evaluating novel clinical situations (88%). Faculty reported that students met expectations in identifying problems (91%), problem-solving (91%) and integrating knowledge (91%). In addition, faculty noted benefits in other courses, such as the ability of students to complete assigned on-line course-specific cases with less difficulty than expected. The overall results of the survey shows that the students have attributed their problem-solving learning environment as having a positive impact in preparing them for their clinical assignments. Their perceptions of performance are further supported by the observations of clinical preceptors.