PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the causal relationship between the following variables: basic science score, written examination score (Internal medicine and Pediatrics), clinical clerkship score (Internal medicine and Pediatrics), and affective factors (self-efficacy, anxiety, and perception of preparedness). METHODS: Forty-two medical students took the clinical performance examination (CPX) at the end of the first semester. One day before the CPX, the students completed a brief survey, which included 11 items that sampled their self-efficacy, preparedness and anxiety with regard to the CPX. The responses from the 38 identifiable surveys (90%), out of 42, were analyzed for this study. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the relationships between the variables. The students' basic science scores, clinical clerkship scores, and written examination scores were considered for this study. RESULTS: We found that self-efficacy influenced students' CPX scores indirectly through their preparedness and anxiety. Preparedness influenced students' CPX scores indirectly through their anxiety. Anxiety was predicated on self-efficacy directly or indirectly and it predicted CPX scores. The clinical clerkship scores affected the students' CPX scores indirectly. The written examination scores and basic science scores, however, did not impact the students' CPX scores directly or indirectly. The basic science scores, clinical clerkship scores, and written examination scores were not associated with self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of clinical clerkship education and reasonable medical teaching methods in improving the student self-efficacy for the CPX.
Anxiety ; Clinical Clerkship ; Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Self Efficacy ; Students, Medical ; Teaching

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the causal relationship between the following variables: basic science score, written examination score (Internal medicine and Pediatrics), clinical clerkship score (Internal medicine and Pediatrics), and affective factors (self-efficacy, anxiety, and perception of preparedness). METHODS: Forty-two medical students took the clinical performance examination (CPX) at the end of the first semester. One day before the CPX, the students completed a brief survey, which included 11 items that sampled their self-efficacy, preparedness and anxiety with regard to the CPX. The responses from the 38 identifiable surveys (90%), out of 42, were analyzed for this study. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to test the relationships between the variables. The students' basic science scores, clinical clerkship scores, and written examination scores were considered for this study. RESULTS: We found that self-efficacy influenced students' CPX scores indirectly through their preparedness and anxiety. Preparedness influenced students' CPX scores indirectly through their anxiety. Anxiety was predicated on self-efficacy directly or indirectly and it predicted CPX scores. The clinical clerkship scores affected the students' CPX scores indirectly. The written examination scores and basic science scores, however, did not impact the students' CPX scores directly or indirectly. The basic science scores, clinical clerkship scores, and written examination scores were not associated with self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of clinical clerkship education and reasonable medical teaching methods in improving the student self-efficacy for the CPX.
Anxiety ; Clinical Clerkship ; Clinical Competence ; Humans ; Self Efficacy ; Students, Medical ; Teaching

OBJECTIVES: To develop a Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) fraud candidate detection method, using data mining techniques, and to examine the efficiency of the developed method. METHODS: The study included 79, 790 DRGs and their related claims of 8 disease groups (Lens procedures, with or without, vitrectomy, tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy only, appendectomy, Cesarean section, vaginal delivery, anal and/or perianal procedures, inguinal and/or femoral hernia procedures, uterine and/or adnexa procedures for nonmalignancy), which were examined manually during a 32 months period. To construct an optimal prediction model, 38 variables were applied, and the correction rate and lift value of 3 models (decision tree, logistic regression, neural network) compared. The analyses were performed separately by disease group. RESULTS: The correction rates of the developed method, using data mining techniques, were 15.4 to 81.9%, according to disease groups, with an overall correction rate of 60.7%. The lift values were 1.9 to 7.3 according to disease groups, with an overall lift value of 4.1. CONCLUSIONS: The above findings suggested that the applying of data mining techniques is necessary to improve the efficiency of DRG fraud candidate detection.
Adenoidectomy ; Appendectomy ; Cesarean Section ; Data Mining* ; Decision Trees ; Diagnosis-Related Groups* ; Female ; Fraud* ; Hernia, Femoral ; Logistic Models ; Methods* ; Pregnancy ; Tonsillectomy ; Trees ; Vitrectomy

OBJECTIVES: Incheon metropolitan city has set a model program of community partnership for hypertensive or diabetic patients detection and follow-up since 2005. This study examines the effects of the model on the compliance and the control of blood pressure or blood sugar level METHODS: Telephone-surveys were done for 140 persons selected from 408 patients who were detected newly as hypertensive or diabetic patients at Gangwha-Gun and Seo-Gu in Incheon between January 1st and August 31th in 2006, and finally completed in 110 patients(78.6%). Survey questionnaires included socio-demographic(age, gender, and educational level), health behavioral (smoking, drinking, physical activity, and diet), and therapy-related (registration state, compliance, blood pressure or blood sugar control) variables. Odds ratio and 95% CI were derived from logistic regression model. RESULTS: Registered group exhibited high compliance and well managed blood pressure or blood sugar level. The odds ratio of registration were 5.55(95% CI:1.83~16.89) for compliance and 3.78(95% CI:1.43~9.99) for blood pressure or blood sugar control after adjusting for age, gender, disease, and area CONCLUSIONS: It is independently related to compliance and blood pressure or blood sugar control whether the patient is registered or not. To control hypertension or diabetes mellitus in terms of compliance and control state, a community-based registration program through community partnership could be a powerful tool.
Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Compliance ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drinking ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Motor Activity ; Odds Ratio ; Patient Compliance ; Registries ; Surveys and Questionnaires