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Medical Council (medical + council)
Kinds of Medical Council Selected AbstractsEmergency medicine in India: Why are we unable to ,walk the talk'?EMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 4 2007Suresh S David Abstract The largest democracy on earth, the second most populous country and one of the most progressive countries in the globe, India, has advanced tremendously in most conventional fields of Medicine. However, emergency medicine (EM) is a nascent specialty and is yet to receive an identity. Today, it is mostly practised by inadequately trained clinicians in poorly equipped emergency departments (EDs), with no networking. Multiple factors such as the size of the population, variation in standards of medical education, lack of pre-hospital medical systems and non-availability of health insurance schemes are some of the salient causes for this tardy response. The Indian medical system is governed by a central, regulatory body which is responsible for the introduction and monitoring of all specialties , the Medical Council of India (MCI). This organisation has not recognized EM as a distinct specialty, despite a decade of dogged attempts. Bright young clinicians who once demonstrated a keen interest in EM have eventually migrated to other conventional branches of medicine, due to the lack of MCI recognition and the lack of specialty status. The Government of India has launched a nationwide network of transport vehicles and first aid stations along the national highways to expedite the transfer of patients from a crash site. However, this system cannot be expected to decrease morbidity and mortality, unless there is a concurrent development of EDs. The present article intends to highlight factors that continue to challenge the handful of dedicated, full time emergency physicians who have tenaciously pursued the cause for the past decade. A three-pronged synchronous development strategy is recommended: (i) recognise the specialty of EM as a distinct and independent basic specialty; (ii) initiate postgraduate training in EM, thus enabling EDs in all hospitals to be staffed by trained Emergency physicians; and (iii) ensure that EMs are staffed by trained ambulance officers. The time is ripe for a paradigm shift, since the country is aware that emergency care is the felt need of the hour and it is the right of the citizen. [source] Australian Medical Council: a view from the insideINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001K. Breen Abstract Although it has an important role in maintaining medical standards, little is known about the work of the Australian Medical Council (AMC) by members of the medical profession. A non-statutory standards authority, the AMC accredits medical schools in Australia and New Zealand, examines overseas-trained doctors for registration purposes and advises Medical Boards and Health Ministers on registration issues. The AMC, in consultation with Specialist Medical Colleges and others, is currently working on a number of initiatives to ensure standards of medical training and practice, including procedures to recognize new specialties and to accredit externally specialist education and training courses. (Intern Med J 2001; 31: 243,248) [source] Resources Used by General Practitioners for Advising Travelers from New ZealandJOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2000Peter A. Leggat Background: The risks of the destination and any specific requirements for travel health advice may be obtained from a variety of resources. This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of various resources available in New Zealand for providing travel health advice and the extent to which GPs used these resources in providing travel health advice. Methods: Four hundred GPs (400/2830) were randomly selected from the register of the New Zealand Medical Council and sent self-administered questionnaires. Two reminders were sent. Results: Three hundred and thirty-two (332/400, 83%) GPs responded. The usefulness of various resources was reported, including Health Advice for Overseas Travellers (277/289, 96%), New Ethicals (256/278, 92%), New Zealand Public Health Report (79/164, 48%), International Travel and Health (41/144, 28%), computerized databases (6/122, 5%), journals (14/130, 11%), and other resources (44/139, 32%). Health Advice for Overseas Travellers was regarded as significantly more useful than International Travel and Health (x2= 4,68, df = 1, p < .05). Only 23% (70/309) of respondents indicated that they always used these resources in their practice of travel medicine. Fifty percent (154/309) of respondents indicated that they usually used these resources, while 27% (83/309) of respondents indicated that they used these resources sometimes. Only 1% (2/309) of GPs did not use resources at all for their practice of travel medicine. Conclusion: The most useful resource was Health Advice for Overseas Travellers, which outlines the New Zealand recommendations for medical practitioners providing travel health advice. It may be useful for GPs to gain access to and training in association with a greater range of specialist resources to use in conjunction with the provision of travel health advice. These might include international guidelines, journals, and access to computerized databases and the internet. With the recent introduction of a widely accessible computerized database in New Zealand, follow-up studies could be instituted to determine if GPs' use of computerized databases becomes more widespread and whether access to and use of these computerized databases influences the provision of travel health advice by GPs. Further studies are needed to examine the appropriateness of the advice provided by the various resources used by GPs in New Zealand. [source] Privacy, professionalism and Facebook: a dilemma for young doctorsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 8 2010Joanna MacDonald Medical Education 2010: 44: 805,813 Objectives, This study aimed to examine the nature and extent of use of the social networking service Facebook by young medical graduates, and their utilisation of privacy options. Methods, We carried out a cross-sectional survey of the use of Facebook by recent medical graduates, accessing material potentially available to a wider public. Data were then categorised and analysed. Survey subjects were 338 doctors who had graduated from the University of Otago in 2006 and 2007 and were registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand. Main outcome measures were Facebook membership, utilisation of privacy options, and the nature and extent of the material revealed. Results, A total of 220 (65%) graduates had Facebook accounts; 138 (63%) of these had activated their privacy options, restricting their information to ,Friends'. Of the remaining 82 accounts that were more publicly available, 30 (37%) revealed users' sexual orientation, 13 (16%) revealed their religious views, 35 (43%) indicated their relationship status, 38 (46%) showed photographs of the users drinking alcohol, eight (10%) showed images of the users intoxicated and 37 (45%) showed photographs of the users engaged in healthy behaviours. A total of 54 (66%) members had used their accounts within the last week, indicating active use. Conclusions, Young doctors are active members of Facebook. A quarter of the doctors in our survey sample did not use the privacy options, rendering the information they revealed readily available to a wider public. This information, although it included some healthy behaviours, also revealed personal information that might cause distress to patients or alter the professional boundary between patient and practitioner, as well as information that could bring the profession into disrepute (e.g. belonging to groups like ,Perverts united'). Educators and regulators need to consider how best to advise students and doctors on societal changes in the concepts of what is public and what is private. [source] Relevant behavioural and social science for medical undergraduates: a comparison of specialist and non-specialist educatorsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2006Sarah Peters Aim, To compare what medical educators who are specialists in the behavioural and social sciences and their non-specialist counterparts consider to be core concepts that medical graduates should understand. Background, Previously perceived as ,nice to know' rather than ,need to know', the General Medical Council (GMC) now places behavioural and social sciences on the same need-to-know basis as clinical and basic sciences. Attempts have been made to identify what components of these topics medical students need to know; however, it remains unknown if decisions over programme content differ depending on whether or not educationalists have specialist knowledge of the behavioural and social sciences. Methods, In a survey of medical educationalists within all UK medical schools, respondents were asked to indicate from a comprehensive list of psychological, sociological and anthropological concepts what they considered a minimally competent graduate should understand. Comparisons were made between the concepts identified by specialist behavioural and social science (BSS) educators and those without such training. Results, Despite different disciplinary backgrounds, non-specialist educators largely concurred with BSS specialist educators in the concepts they considered tomorrow's doctors should know about. However, among BSS specialists there remained disagreement on what BSS content was relevant for graduates. Differences reflect specialist knowledge and recognition of the role of theoretical underpinning of BSS and reveal gaps in non-specialists knowledge. Conclusions, Educationalists with formal training in the full range of behavioural and social sciences should be involved in the development of BSS curriculum content at both national and school levels. [source] A pre-employment programme for overseas-trained doctors entering the Australian workforce, 1997,99MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 7 2002Elizabeth A Sullivan Objectives Overseas-trained doctors (OTDs) have limited access and formal interaction with the Australian health care system prior to joining the Australian medical workforce. A pre-employment programme was designed to familiarize OTDs with the Australian health care system. Method All OTDs who had passed their Australian Medical Council (AMC) exams and were applying for a pre-registration year in New South Wales were invited to participate in the voluntary, free programme. A 4-week full-time programme was developed consisting of core group teaching and a hospital attachment. The curriculum included communication, health and workplace skills; and sessions on culture shock and the role of junior doctors. A pilot programme was run in 1997. The programme was repeated in 1998 and 1999. The OTDs' confidence regarding the general duties of internship, and attitudes towards hospital workplace skills were examined. Results The 66 OTDs reported greater understanding of staff and communication issues and familiarization with the hospital environment. They reported a more realistic understanding of the role of a junior doctor, the need for separation of workplace and personal responsibilities and knowledge of pathways for future professional development. The course structure, with a focus on hospital attachments, establishment of a peer network, and workplace familiarization facilitated entry into the hospital workforce. Conclusion The pre-employment programme enabled the OTDs to have a more equitable entry into the public hospital system, resulting in a more integrated, confident and functional workforce. [source] The assessment of poorly performing doctors: the development of the assessment programmes for the General Medical Council's Performance ProceduresMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 2001Lesley Southgate Background Modernization of medical regulation has included the introduction of the Professional Performance Procedures by the UK General Medical Council in 1995. The Council now has the power to assess any registered practitioner whose performance may be seriously deficient, thus calling registration (licensure) into question. Problems arising from ill health or conduct are dealt with under separate programmes. Methods This paper describes the development of the assessment programmes within the overall policy framework determined by the Council. Peer review of performance in the workplace (Phase 1) is followed by tests of competence (Phase 2) to reflect the relationship between clinical competence and performance. The theoretical and research basis for the approach are presented, and the relationship between the qualitative methods in Phase 1 and the quantitative methods in Phase 2 explored. Conclusions The approach is feasible, has been implemented and has stood legal challenge. The assessors judge and report all the evidence they collect and may not select from it. All their judgements are included and the voice of the lay assessor is preserved. Taken together, the output from both phases forms an important basis for remediation and training should it be required. [source] The value of marginality in a medical school: general practice and curriculum changeMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 2 2001Harriet Mowat Objective To report the process of introduction, development and sustenance of a curriculum for a department of general practice in the context of changing curricula required by the General Medical Council. Setting and context Tayside Centre for General Practice, the Department of General Practice within Dundee University Medical School. Methods Use of action research methodology common in educational and sociological research. Action research utilizes a range of data collection techniques which allow the participants in the research full opportunities to reflect on the data as it emerges and make developments accordingly. Analysis This took place as part of the process of the 5-year project. The analysis used as its starting point the sociological theory of the social construction of power within institutions. It offers the thesis that marginality seems to be a prerequisite in confronting institutional conservatism. Conclusions Use of an action research model facilitated more effective change by providing a supportive atmosphere in which to tackle changes. The marginal status of the general practice group in relation to the medical school allowed creative negotiation of alliances within the medical school. Other groups within the medical school who are introducing new curricula can learn from this report. [source] Curriculum planning in dermatologyCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2004S. M. Burge Summary Curriculum planners should familiarize themselves with the recommendations for medical education in the UK made by the Quality Assurance Agency and the General Medical Council. The dermatology curriculum must maximize undergraduate learning experiences in dermatology, but lengthy curricula lead to rote learning and do not promote understanding. The core dermatology curricula might be built around the clinical problems graduates are likely to encounter as preregistration house-officers, but should also prepare students for their future careers in whatever speciality. Graduates should know when it might be appropriate to refer a patient to a dermatologist. Learning experiences in dermatology might be threaded into the curriculum at a number of stages and student-selected components might provide opportunities to explore dermatological topics in depth. The views of a broad constituency will give the core curriculum validity and consensus might be reached with the Delphi technique or by using multidisciplinary groups. Temptations to overload the curriculum should be resisted. Medical curricula should give students time to experience the art of medicine as well as to explore the science behind clinical practice. [source] | ||||||||||