The Western China Gastric Cancer Collaboration (WCGCC) was founded in Chongqing, China in 2011. At the early stage of the collaboration, there were only about 20 centers. While now, there are 36 centers from western area of China, including Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Ningxia and Tibet. During the past few years, the WCGCC organized routinely gastric cancer standardized treatment tours, training courses of mini-invasive surgical treatment of gastric cancer and the clinical research methodology for members of the collaboration. Meanwhile, the WCGCC built a multicenter database of gastric cancer since 2011 and the entering and management refer to national gastric cancer registration entering system of Japan Gastric Cancer Association. During the entering and collection of data, 190 items of data have unified definition and entering standard from Japan Gastric Cancer Guidelines. Nowadays, this database included about 11 872 gastric cancer cases, and in this paper we will introduce the initial results of these cases. Next, the collaboration will conduct some retrospective studies based on this database to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of patients in the western area of China. Besides, the WCGCC performed a prospective study, also. The first randomized clinical trial of the collaboration aims to compare the postoperative quality of life between different reconstruction methods for total gastrectomy(WCGCC-1202, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02110628), which began in 2015, and now this study is in the recruitment period. In the next steps, we will improve the quality of the database, optimize the management processes. Meanwhile, we will engage in more exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese Cochrane Center, reinforce the foundation of the clinical trials research methodology. In aspect of standardized surgical treatment of gastric cancer, we will further strengthen communication with other international centers in order to improve both the treatment and research levels of gastric cancer in Western China.
Cancer Care Facilities ; China ; Clinical Protocols ; standards ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; methods ; standards ; Databases, Factual ; statistics & numerical data ; trends ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; education ; Organizational Objectives ; Organizations ; statistics & numerical data ; trends ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Registries ; statistics & numerical data ; Research Design ; standards ; Retrospective Studies ; Stomach Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; therapy

For advanced stage tumor patients who can not receive radical treatment, quite a part of them require surgical intervention. Surgeons play a important role and are still the main force in palliative treatment for tumors. But in present medical education system, training contents for surgeon involving palliative treatment are few. In fact, surgeons have responsibilities for improving the quality of life, ameliorating pain, preserving the dignity and relieving symptoms of patients in the palliative treatment of tumors. Surgeons should pay attentions to the communication with patients, play a part of clinical multidisciplinary team and apply reasonable surgical intervention approach. Education of palliative treatment for surgeons should also include medical humanistic concern, and the recognition of effects of medical humanity, ethics, dignity and religion on the recovery of tumor patients.
Communication ; Education, Medical ; standards ; Humans ; Interprofessional Relations ; Neoplasms ; surgery ; Pain Management ; methods ; Palliative Care ; methods ; Patient Care Team ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Quality of Life ; Surgeons ; education ; psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability and validity of new clinical performance examination (CPX) for assessing clinical reasoning skills and evaluating clinical reasoning ability of the students. METHODS: Third-year medical school students (n=313) in Busan-Gyeongnam consortium in 2014 were included in the study. One of 12 stations was developed to assess clinical reasoning abilities. The scenario and checklists of the station were revised by six experts. Chief complaint of the case was rhinorrhea, accompanied by fever, headache, and vomiting. Checklists focused on identifying of the main problem and systematic approach to the problem. Students interviewed the patient and recorded subjective and objective findings, assessments, plans (SOAP) note for 15 minutes. Two professors assessed students simultaneously. We performed statistical analysis on their scores and survey. RESULTS: The Cronbach α of subject station was 0.878 and Cohen κ coefficient between graders was 0.785. Students agreed on CPX as an adequate tool to evaluate students' performance, but some graders argued that the CPX failed to secure its validity due to their lack of understanding the case. One hundred eight students (34.5%) identified essential problem early and only 58 (18.5%) performed systematic history taking and physical examination. One hundred seventy-three of them (55.3%) communicated correct diagnosis with the patient. Most of them had trouble in writing SOAP notes. CONCLUSION: To gain reliability and validity, interrater agreement should be secured. Students' clinical reasoning skills were not enough. Students need to be trained on problem identification, reasoning skills and accurate record-keeping.
Checklist ; *Clinical Competence ; Communication ; Comprehension ; *Education, Medical, Undergraduate ; Educational Measurement/*standards ; Humans ; Medical History Taking ; Medical Records ; Observer Variation ; Physical Examination ; Physician-Patient Relations ; *Problem-Based Learning ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea ; *Schools, Medical ; *Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; *Thinking ; Universities

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of student ratings of instruction by analyzing their relationships with several variables, including gender, academic rank, specialty, teaching time, and teaching method, at a medical school. METHODS: This study analyzed the student ratings of 297 courses at Ajou University School of Medicine in 2013. SPSS version 12.0 was used to analyze the data and statistics by t-test, analysis of variance, and Scheffe test. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in student ratings between gender, rank, and specialty. However, student ratings were significantly influenced by teaching times and methods (p<0.05). Student ratings were high for teaching times of 10 hours or more and small-group learning, compared with lectures. There was relatively mean differences in students ratings by teaching times, specialty and rank, although the difference in ratings was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Student ratings can be classified by teaching time and method for summative purposes. To apply student ratings to the evaluation of the performance of faculty, further studies are needed to analyze the variables that influence student ratings.
*Attitude ; *Curriculum ; *Education, Medical, Undergraduate ; Faculty/standards ; Female ; Humans ; *Learning ; Male ; *Schools, Medical ; *Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Teaching/*standards

Certification ; economics ; standards ; Clinical Competence ; economics ; standards ; Education, Medical, Continuing ; economics ; standards ; Humans ; Specialty Boards ; United States

PURPOSE: This study conducted a needs assessment for developing teaching competencies of medical educators by assessing their perceived ability to perform teaching competencies as well as their perceived importance of these competencies. Additionally, this study examined whether there were any differences in needs assessments scores among three faculty groups. METHODS: Hundred and eighteen professors from Dong-A University College of Medicine were surveyed, and the data from 44 professors who answered all the questions were analyzed using IBM SPSS 21. The needs assessment tool measured participants' perceived ability to perform teaching competencies and perceived importance of these competencies. The Borich formula was used to calculate needs assessment scores. RESULTS: The most urgent needs for faculty development were identified for the teaching competencies of "diagnosis and reflection," followed by "test and feedback," and "facilitation." Additionally, two, out of 51, items with the highest needs assessment scores were "developing a thorough course syllabus" and "introducing students to the course syllabus on the first day of class." The assistant professor group scored significantly higher on educational needs related to "facilitation," "affection and concern for students," and "respect for diversity" competencies than the professor group. Furthermore, the educational needs scores for all the teaching competencies except "diagnosis and reflection," "global mindset," and "instructional management" were higher for the assistant professor group than the other two faculty groups. CONCLUSION: Thus, the educational needs assessment scores obtained in this study can be used as criteria for designing and developing faculty development programs for medical educators.
*Education, Medical ; Faculty, Medical/*standards ; Female ; Humans ; *Needs Assessment/standards ; *Professional Competence ; Republic of Korea ; Schools, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Teaching/*standards ; Universities

PURPOSE: This study analyzed the perceptions of medical students and faculty regarding disclosure of test items on the Korean medical licensing examination. METHODS: I conducted a survey of medical students from medical colleges and professional medical schools nationwide. Responses were analyzed from 718 participants as well as 69 faculty members who participated in creating the medical licensing examination item sets. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square test. RESULTS: It is important to maintain test quality and to keep the test items unavailable to the public. There are also concerns among students that disclosure of test items would prompt increasing difficulty of test items (48.3%). Further, few students found it desirable to disclose test items regardless of any considerations (28.5%). The professors, who had experience in designing the test items, also expressed their opposition to test item disclosure (60.9%). CONCLUSION: It is desirable not to disclose the test items of the Korean medical licensing examination to the public on the condition that students are provided with a sufficient amount of information regarding the examination. This is so that the exam can appropriately identify candidates with the required qualifications.
*Attitude ; *Disclosure ; *Education, Medical ; *Educational Measurement ; *Faculty, Medical ; Humans ; Information Dissemination ; *Licensure, Medical ; Perception ; Physicians/standards ; Republic of Korea ; *Students, Medical

Clinical Competence ; Education, Medical ; Pediatrics ; standards

PURPOSE: Clinical performance examination (CPX) has been used to assess clinical competence as one step of medical license examination. Initial CPX score of the fourth year medical student is important since it indicates how to prepare successfully for the final examination. This study was conducted to assess the predictors of CPX scores of the fourth year medical students who completed core clinical clerkship. METHODS: One hundred eleven fourth year medical students took a formative CPX in February. The score was compared with the scores of cognitive area and those of behavioral area which students had acquired in the past. We analyzed the correlation between the scores and determined the predictors of the fourth year CPX score. RESULTS: The fourth year CPX score showed stronger correlation with the scores of behavioral area than those of cognitive area. The significant predictors of fourth year CPX score included third year simple procedure exam score and third year clerkship CPX score. The risk factors for low fourth year CPX score included second year patient-physician interaction (PPI) score and third year CPX score after adjusted for age, sex, and school type. The risk factors of being selected as a low PPI score group of fourth year included low PPI scores of first, second, and third year exams. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights importance of educational balance between cognitive and behavioral areas. To improve clinical competence of final year medical students, clinical interview training using standardized patient with other modules is to be enhanced and initiated early in the medical curriculum.
Adult ; Behavior ; *Clinical Clerkship ; Clinical Competence/*standards ; Cognition ; Education, Medical, Undergraduate/*methods ; Educational Measurement/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Students, Medical/psychology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of a mammography boot camp (MBC) to improve radiologists' performance in interpreting mammograms in the National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January and July of 2013, 141 radiologists were invited to a 3-day educational program composed of lectures and group practice readings using 250 digital mammography cases. The radiologists' performance in interpreting mammograms were evaluated using a pre- and post-camp test set of 25 cases validated prior to the camp by experienced breast radiologists. Factors affecting the radiologists' performance, including age, type of attending institution, and type of test set cases, were analyzed. RESULTS: The average scores of the pre- and post-camp tests were 56.0 +/- 12.2 and 78.3 +/- 9.2, respectively (p < 0.001). The post-camp test scores were higher than the pre-camp test scores for all age groups and all types of attending institutions (p < 0.001). The rate of incorrect answers in the post-camp test decreased compared to the pre-camp test for all suspicious cases, but not for negative cases (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The MBC improves radiologists' performance in interpreting mammograms irrespective of age and type of attending institution. Improved interpretation is observed for suspicious cases, but not for negative cases.
Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms/*radiography ; Education, Medical, Continuing/*standards ; Education, Professional, Retraining ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; *Mammography ; Middle Aged