Expanding the basic science debate: the role of physics knowledge in interpreting clinical findings.

Current research suggests a role for biomedical knowledge in learning and retaining concepts related to medical diagnosis. However, learning may be influenced by other, non-biomedical knowledge. We explored this idea using an experimental design and examined the effects of causal knowledge on the learning, retention, and interpretation of medical information. Participants studied a handout about several respiratory disorders and how to interpret respiratory exam findings. The control group received the information in standard textbook format and the experimental group was presented with the same information as well as a causal explanation about how sound travels through lungs in both the normal and disease states. Comprehension and memory of the information was evaluated with a multiple-choice exam. Several questions that were not related to the causal knowledge served as control items. Questions related to the interpretation of physical exam findings served as the critical test items. The experimental group outperformed the control group on the critical test items, and our study shows that a causal explanation can improve a student\u27s memory for interpreting clinical details. We suggest an expansion of which basic sciences are considered fundamental to medical education

Context and Causal Structure Enhance Memory for Clinical Details

Current research suggests a facilitatory role for basic biomedical knowledge in learning and retaining concepts related to medical diagnosis. But learning and performance may be influenced by other knowledge as well. Accordingly, we examined the effects of foundational knowledge beyond basic biomedical science on the learning and retention of medical information. Subjects were asked to study a handout detailing a percussive chest exam and several respiratory disorders. One group was presented with the information in a standard “textbook ” format and the other group was presented with foundational knowledge about how sound travels though solids and liquids. The foundational knowledge group outperformed the control group in a memory task. We suggest that these subjects were able to create causal links between the information to be learned and the foundational knowledge which made the critical information more memorable

Erratum to: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (Autophagy, 12, 1, 1-222, 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356

non present