Literature in medical teaching : the crucial importance of literature in the education of medical students

Recent years have seen an increase in the interest for the use of literature in the medical context with different objectives. First of all, its use as a pedagogical tool for medicine students made it possible to improve necessary professional competencies that were difficult to achieve with traditional biologist education. Secondly, patients? accounts have become very interesting to understand how they live their disease. Finally, the usefulness of literary works as an enhancing tool in order to improve the quality of life of patients is starting to be recognised. In conclusion, literature constitutes an element with great formative interest that can improve the relationship with patients because it allows a better understanding of their disease

Mecanismes adrenèrgics en la fisiopatología del tremolor essencial

L'expressió tremolor essencial o tremolor essencial benigne s'empra per descriure una síndrome neurològica caracteritzada per la presència gairebé exclusiva d'un tremolor posicional predominant a les extremitats superiors..

Acció facilitadora dels fàrmacs adrenèrgics sobre la neurotransmissió en el múscul esquelètic de rata

The effect of alphaadrenegic drugs on the skeletal muscle junction manifests itself as an increased functional response in various experimental situations. The sbtype of receptor implicated has not been fully ascertained. In order to clrify this point, we used the in vitro pharmacological sample of a phreno-diaphragmatic preparation in which the facilitating effect on contractility produced by alpha-adregenic drugs was studied, as well as its inhibition by both specific and nonspecific antagonists. The present study shows evidence demonstrating the implication of an alpha-1 type receptor possibly different from those described in other structures. We also suggest that the mechanisms involved in this facilitation by adrenergic drugs, in basal conditions and in the presence of tubocurarine, can be differen

La utilización del Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini-CEX) en estudiantes de medicina

En los últimos años se recomienda el uso de instrumentos que evalúen la adquisición de habilidades clínicas en el contexto de la práctica clínica. Entre los instrumentos más recomendados se encuentra el Mini Clinical Evaluation Exercise (mini-CEX), desarrollado inicialmente para la evaluación de médicos residentes, y que ha demostrado una buena fi abilidad y validez. Aunque se ha utilizado en estudiantes de medicina, no se dispone de un análisis completo de la experiencia acumulada. Para la presente revisión se realizó en septiembre de 2014 la búsqueda de los artículos indizados en Medline, Embase, Biosis Previews y Current Contents. Se seleccionaron aquellos artículos que incluían los términos 'mini clinical evaluation exercise', 'mini-CEX' o 'mcex'. Tras la eliminación de los duplicados se obtuvo un total de 168 artículos. Se revisaron los que se referían al uso del mini-CEX en estudiantes de medicina (n = 34) y se analizaron a fondo aquellos que contenían datos empíricos (n = 21). Los estudios llevados a cabo en estudiantes de medicina confi rman que el mini- CEX es un instrumento útil y factible para evaluar las habilidades clínicas de los estudiantes de medicina y que posee propiedades psicométricas adecuadas en términos de validez y fi abilidad. Asimismo, es bien aceptado por estudiantes y tutores y puede ser usado tanto con fi nalidades formativas como sumativas. La importancia de dar un feedback adecuado y la concordancia de las puntuaciones de los tutores son los puntos más críticos en la implementación del mini-CEX en estudiantes de grado

Psychological distress, burnout, and academic performance in first year college students

Background: The first years of university can be very challenging for students. Previous research has focused on the study of the prevalence of burnout and of psychological distress in medical students. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of psychological symptoms and burnout reported by first-year students, the relationship between these variables and their academic performance, and the differences between health and non-health sciences students. Methods: An observational study with a cross-sectional design was performed. Students of health sciences (medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, psychology), and non-health sciences (biology, social sciences, business management, and engineering) undergraduate programs completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). Students' grades for the first semester were collected. Results: A sample of 506 students participated. Prevalence of psychological distress was 27.1% and burnout was 7.3%. Academic performance was unaffected in relation to either psychological distress or burnout. Non-health sciences students showed a greater risk of depression. Conclusions: This study provides evidence of the high prevalence of psychological distress in the first year of college. Even when burnout prevalence was low, the results suggest the need to introduce prevention programs to improve the psychological wellbeing of these students. Keywords: burnout; psychological distress; academic performance; mental health; university students; medical student

Bioterrorism in the literature of the nineteenth century: The case of Wells and The Stolen Bacillus

This article analyzes H.G. Wells’ The Stolen Bacillus, one of the first works of fiction to deal with bioterrorism. Although the use of biological agents by armies in warfare is probably as old as mankind, since the last Iraq War, the fear of biological agents being used in terrorist attacks has increased. Although bioterrorism might seem a problem beginning in the late twentieth century, Wells’ short story, written in 1894, foreboded the threat of an attack with biological agents. The article reviews previous analyses of this work of fiction, contextualizes it in Victorian British society’s beliefs about anarchism and discoveries in bacteriology, and discusses other possible influences on Wells’ work of fiction

Bioterrorism in the literature of the nineteenth century: The case of Wells and The Stolen Bacillus

This article analyzes H.G. Wells’ The Stolen Bacillus, one of the first works of fiction to deal with bioterrorism. Although the use of biological agents by armies in warfare is probably as old as mankind, since the last Iraq War, the fear of biological agents being used in terrorist attacks has increased. Although bioterrorism might seem a problem beginning in the late twentieth century, Wells’ short story, written in 1894, foreboded the threat of an attack with biological agents. The article reviews previous analyses of this work of fiction, contextualizes it in Victorian British society’s beliefs about anarchism and discoveries in bacteriology, and discusses other possible influences on Wells’ work of fiction