AMEE Berlin 2002 Programme

7D5 Research in medical education:
constructing an ethical framework
E B Peile* and A Slowther
Department of Primary Healthcare, University of Oxford,
Chiltern Waters, 1 Stablebridge Road, Aston Clinton, Bucks
HP22 5ND, UK
Proposals for research in medical education are
frequently submitted to UK medical research ethics
committees, which are more accustomed to considering
the implications of research on patients than research
on learners. After reviewing relevant codes for
educational research, we propose an adaptation to a
framework of medical research ethics for use in medical
education research. Key issues in our suggested
framework include:
• Scientific validity of the research on medical
education
• Safety aspects, including
- risk to the students’ psychological well-being
- risk to patients from exposure to learners
• Consent procedure:
- are students fully informed about the study and
the implications for their education?
- is consent voluntary and without coercion?
• Confidentiality issues, including whether examiners
or assessors will have access to research
information.
We discuss some ethics considerations, which may help
to inform the critical appraisal of research projects in
medical education and thereby encourage good
practice.
7D6 Students’ perceptions of the
Physiology course in a traditional
medical school
F Riggione*, J Perez-Ojeda and J F Perez-Gonzalez
Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Educacion Medica,
Escuela de Medicina “Luis Razetti”, Facultad de Medicina,
Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Apartado de
Correos No 90.350, El Hatillo 1083A, VENEZUELA
Students’ perceptions of learning experiences
contribute to a better understanding of the need for
curricular reform. We explored the opinion of 2nd year
medical students after their 36 week Physiology course
of lectures and laboratory sessions. 166 students
received a 25 item survey and 146 responses (88%)
were evaluated. 76% of the respondents attended 50%
or less of the lectures. 64% considered the course to be
detailed and 57% to be complex. 34% considered it
relevant and 34% difficult. Teachers were considered
competent by 56%, accessible by 51% and rigid by
48%. On a 5 point Likert scale (0 = not at all, 5 = very
much) their experience of the course was defined as
significant (mean score = 3.65), pleasurable (2.51) and
stressing (2.28), while it lacked “feeling of discovery”
(0.55) and motivation (0.37). 41% of respondents
indicated to have learnt 50% or less of the course
contents, and only 9% indicated learning >70%.
Wednesday 5 September
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7D7 Students’ perceptions of a
traditional undergraduate course in
Microbiology
Z Uzcategui*, J Perez-Ojeda and J F Perez-Gonzalez
Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Educacion Medica,
Escuela de Medicina “Luis Razetti”, Facultad de Medicina,
Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Apartado de
Correos No 90.350, El Hatillo 1083A, VENEZUELA
Microbiology can be an abstruse subject for medical
students. We explored the opinion of our students after
their 36 week traditional Microbiology course of
lectures and laboratory sessions in the 2nd year. 187
students completed a 25 item survey of their
experiences in the course. 71% of respondents attended
50% or less of the lectures and 100% attended >85%
of the compulsory laboratory sessions. 68% thought
the course was relevant, 41% found it detailed and 24%
excessive. Teachers were considered competent (79%),
accessible (69%), interested (66%) and stimulating
(41%). The students defined their learning experience
by grading items on a 5 point Likert scale (0 = not at
all, 5 = very much), as significant (mean score = 4.15),
creating a “feeling of discovery” (4.08), leading to new
questions (3.88), pleasurable (3.7) and stimulating
(3.63). 88% of respondents indicated to have learnt
>50% of the course’s contents.
7D8 Faculty development in General
Practice - the German experience
M Ehrhardt, P Engeser, M Herrmann, T Lichte, N Donner-
Banzhoff and S Wilm*, on behalf of the participants
Heinrich-Heine University, Department of General Practice, PO
Box 10 10 07, D-40001 Duesseldorf, GERMANY
Since 1978 General Practice has been a required subject
of the undergraduate curriculum in Germany. However,
only about one third of all 33 medical schools have
established academic departments. At the remaining
schools, GP teachers are often working in isolation and
without adequate support. In 1999 the National Society
of General Practice started a programme to help GP
teachers develop their academic skills. Six weekends
spanning 1 1/2 years are being offered covering
teaching, clinical work, quality issues, research and
academic survival skills. Participants are expected to
work together in small groups on projects during
intervals and to complete an international practicum
of at least one week duration. There is also an intranet
platform to facilitate the exchange of ideas and
materials.
While in the beginning the learner-centered philosophy
created tension and uncertainty, the group has now
found a working identity that participants find
enjoyable and productive.
7D9 Medicine and ethnic issues; do our
tutors reflect their community?
D Reeves, R Loudon and J Parle*
Department of Primary Care & General Practice, Medical
School, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 3QR, UK
We conducted an audit of primary care teaching
practices in order to determine the characteristics of