Objective: To investigate the role of postgraduate clinical training at the emergency department of Tenri Hospital in teaching the diagnostic process in the general outpatient department.
Method: Patients seen by 11 first-year residents at the emergency department were consecutively registered with summary sheets. Further information was added, and an analysis was performed of: 1) the distribution of chief complaints in the emergency and general outpatient departments and 2) initial diagnoses and the diagnostic process in the emergency department and the final diagnoses.
Results: The distributions of chief complaints in 89 cases in the emergency department and in 183 cases in the general outpatient department were closely correlated (p=0.0016). Diagnoses in the emergency department were correct in 58% of cases. Treatment was incorrect in 3% of cases.
Conclusion: The distributions of chief complaints in the emergency and general outpatient departments were similar. In our hospital the emergency department plays a major role in postgraduate clinical training by teaching the diagnostic process for the general outpatient department. Clinical management, including decision making for further tests and consultation, in the emergency department by first year residents did lead to any major adverse events.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: A barbed puncture needle with a side hole was recently developed to improve sample quality and quantity in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). In this study, we retrospectively assessed the usefulness of this puncture needle. METHODS: Factors affecting diagnostic yield, safety, and diagnostic accuracy were investigated in 76 patients who consecutively underwent EUS-FNA for neoplastic lesions at our hospital between January and December 2013. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in all cases; the rates of sample collection and determination of the correct diagnosis were 92.1% and 89.5%, respectively. The mean number of needle passes required for diagnosis was 1.1. Complications included mild intraluminal bleeding in two patients (2.6%). Multivariate analysis revealed that lesion size (< or =20 mm) was significantly associated with a decreased chance of determining the correct diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Core biopsy needles with a side hole are safe and provide a satisfactory diagnostic yield. However, the side hole may potentially reduce the rate of making the correct diagnosis in small lesions.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Digestive System Neoplasms/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration/*instrumentation ; Equipment Design ; Equipment Safety ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract/pathology/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Needles/adverse effects/*statistics & numerical data ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Statistics, Nonparametric

Since its outbreak in 2019, COVID-19 has significantly impacted human lives worldwide. It has caused millions of deaths globally, as well as profound confusion and turmoil among medical professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical professionals have realized the challenges of controlling infectious diseases and the need to update their knowledge and skills to manage them better. This study examines physicians’ experiences of COVID-19 through an alumni survey conducted at Asahikawa Medical University faculty of medicine in Japan (final sample: 3,105 alumni since the university’s establishment in 1973). It draws important implications to enhance continuing education to prepare for future pandemics. An online questionnaire was developed and administered to investigate the alumni’s experiences with COVID-19, as well as their medical specialty and opinions on medical education. The response rate was 21.9%, with 680 responses collected out of the 3,105 questionnaires sent. Results show that the top three important items from participants’ experiences are infectious disease control and prevention (90.7%), acquisition of accurate knowledge on infectious diseases (85.1%), and providing accurate information on infectious diseases (83.6%). Furthermore, multiple coders conducted content analysis of free text data regarding other important elements. They identified the following major themes: information literacy, difficulty in risk management, medical treatment and healthcare system, and prejudice against medical workers and their families. Continuing education can be improved by incorporating alumni’s experiences with COVID-19 to better prepare for future pandemics.