ABSTRACT
Introduction: This paper reports the results of a practical communication education program for medical students that incorporates motivational interviewing and nonverbal communication. Methods: Changes in confidence in communication before and after the class were measured with the NRS scale and a corresponding t-test, and qualitative analysis of the class feedback was conducted by text mining using KH coders and content analysis. Results: The results showed that the students’ confidence in communication increased after the class. The most frequently mentioned topics in the feedback were communication, ability, class, learning, self, questions, conversation, speaking, partner, and listening. Conclusions: This is the first validation of the effectiveness of motivational interviewing and nonverbal communication in improving the communication confidence of Japanese medical students.
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Introduction: To implement effective medical education, it is important to clarify the process of recognizing and comprehending medical terms. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of 492 first- to fifth-year medical students to evaluate the recognition and comprehension rates of 57 medical terms in each grade. The terms were classified using the hierarchical cluster analysis based on the recognition and comprehension rates. Results: The response rate was 91.1% (n=448). The 57 terms were classified into the following five clusters: #1, 30 terms that the students recognized and comprehended from Y1; #2, 18 terms that the students recognized from Y1 and comprehended as the grade increased; #3, six terms that the students recognized and comprehended as the grade increased; #4, two terms that the students recognized from Y1 but had not comprehended even in upper grades; #5, one term that the students recognized as the grade increased but had not comprehended even in Y5. Discussion: Teachers may need to devise educational strategies while considering different patterns of students’ recognition and comprehension of medical terms.
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STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study. PURPOSE: To assess the surgical outcomes of posterior decompression and fusion for cervical myelopathy in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Patients with athetoid cerebral palsy demonstrate involuntary movements and develop severe cervical spondylosis with kyphosis. In these patients, surgery is often performed at an early age because of myelopathy. A few studies have reported about the long-term outcomes of surgical treatment; however, they contain insufficient information. METHODS: From 2003 to 2008, 13 patients with cervical myelopathy due to athetoid cerebral palsy underwent posterior fusion surgery and were included in this study. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, neck disability index (NDI), C2–7 angle on radiography, and need for additional surgical treatment were examined at 1 and 5 years postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean C2–7 angle was −10.5°±21.1° preoperatively and was corrected to −2.9°±13.5° immediately postoperatively. This improvement was maintained for 5 years. The JOA score was 9.5±2.5 preoperatively and 12.2±1.7 at the 5-year follow-up. NDI was 17±6.9 preoperatively and 16±7.5 at the 5-year follow-up. Patient satisfaction with surgery on a 100-point scale was 62.2±22.5 at the 5-year follow-up. Three patients needed additional surgery for loosening of screws. These results demonstrate good surgical outcomes for posterior fusion at 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior decompression and fusion should be considered a viable option for cervical myelopathy in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy.