Analyzing the effectiveness of teaching and factors in clinical decision-making

Objective: The aim of this study is to prepare junior physicians, clinical education should focus on the teaching of clinical decision-making. This research is designed to explore teaching of clinical decision-making and to analyze the benefits of an “Analogy guide clinical decision-making” as a learning intervention for junior doctors. Materials and Methods: This study had a “quasi-experimental design” and was conducted in a medical center in eastern Taiwan. Participants and Program Description: Thirty junior doctors and three clinical teachers were involved in the study. The experimental group (15) received 1 h of instruction from the “Analogy guide for teaching clinical decision-making” every day for 3 months. Program Evaluation: A “Clinical decision-making self-evaluation form” was used as the assessment tool to evaluate participant learning efficiency before and after the teaching program. Semi-structured qualitative research interviews were also conducted. Results: We found using the analogy guide for teaching clinical decision-making could help enhance junior doctors' self-confidence. Important factors influencing clinical decision-making included workload, decision-making, and past experience. Conclusion: Clinical teaching using the analogy guide for clinical decision-making may be a helpful tool for training and can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of decision-making

High throughput and label-free particle sensor based on microwave resonators

We developed a novel particle sensor based on micro channels embedded in microwave resonators, which are fabricated by standard print circuit board manufacturing technology. The sensing frequency falls in the range 2–4 GHz, the widely used microwave S band. A 70 μm-particle can produce a frequency shift of 0.5 MHz in a sensor with 150 μm channel size, with a dwell time of 0.5 ms by using double split ring resonators. These resonator sensors may employ phase-locked loop in achieving a higher detection resolution