Modelo Teórico Sistema de Créditos Académicos para la carrera de medicina en Cuba / Theoretical Model for the Academic Credit System for medical studies in Cuba

Introducción: La formación de médicos en Cuba posee reconocido prestigio nacional e internacional, lo que ha favorecido el aumento de la cooperación internacional, tanto en el posgrado como en el pregrado; sin embargo, el plan de estudios de la carrera de medicina no contempla los créditos académicos que faciliten los procesos de homologación y convalidación para la incorporación al mercado laboral. Objetivo: Diseñar un Modelo Teórico del Sistema de Créditos Académicos para la carrera de medicina en Cuba que favorezca la homologación y convalidación en el contexto de la internacionalización. Métodos: Se efectuó una investigación de desarrollo en el campo pedagógico con enfoque mixto, mediante la aplicación de métodos y procedimientos cualitativos y cuantitativos para la obtención de la información por diferentes vías o fuentes. Se aplicó la triangulación metodológica para la integración de los resultados. Resultados: El diseño del modelo teórico tuvo una concepción integral y participativa en respuesta a las necesidades de la homologación y convalidación. Este modelo teórico se estructuró en los niveles teórico normativo -comprende los referentes teóricos, las dimensiones y los indicadores- y teórico conceptual -abarca sus propios componentes y su interrelación para lograr el propósito deseado. Conclusiones: La modelación como método científico permitió la elaboración del Modelo Teórico del Sistema de Créditos Académicos en Cuba, para favorecer los procesos de homologación y convalidación en el contexto de la internacionalización(AU)

Introduction: The Cuban doctor training program has national and international prestige, which has favored the increase of international cooperation, both in postgraduate and undergraduate degrees. However, the syllabus for the medical studies does not include academic credits that facilitate homologation and validation processes allowing insertion into the labor market. Objective: To design a theoretical model of the academic credit system for medical studies in Cuba that favors homologation and validation in the international context. Methods: A development research was carried out in the pedagogical field with a mixed approach, using qualitative and quantitative methods and procedures to obtain information through different routes or sources. Methodological triangulation was used to integrate the results. Results: The design of the theoretical model had comprehensive and participatory conception in response to the needs of homologation and validation. This theoretical model was structured at theoretical-normative levels -including theoretical referents, dimensions and indicators and theoretical conceptual. It encompasses its own components and their interrelation to achieve the desired purpose. Conclusions: The modeling as a scientific method allowed preparing the theoretical model of the academic credit system in Cuba, to favor the homologation and validation processes in the international context(AU)

Determining of agricultural credit impact on agricultural production value in Turkey / Determinação do impacto do crédito agrícola no valor da produção agrícola na Turquia

ABSTRACT: Agriculture is an indispensable activity for all countries. Depending on the increasing population, food needs can be met by increasing agricultural production. In this respect, it is of great importance to investigate the value of agricultural production and the factors affecting agricultural production. This study aimed to examine the impact on the agricultural production value of agricultural bank credit in Turkey. In the study, with the aim of examining the relationship between agricultural credit and agricultural production value in Turkey, 1998-2016 real agricultural loans and agricultural real gross domestic product annual data covering the period given above were used. The statistical analysis tool is ordinary least squares (OLS) techniques. According to OLS regression, the purposed model explains 83.94% of total variance. Regression coefficients show that effect of term is higher than effect of agricultural credits. The reason for this difference may be explained as dependency of credits on macroeconomic indicators and political structure of the country. This study proposes that agricultural credit mechanism in the country needs to be developed to increase the financing opportunities for the realization of technology and modernization investments by farmers.

RESUMO: A agricultura é uma atividade indispensável para todos os países. Dependendo do aumento da população, as necessidades alimentares podem ser atendidas através do aumento da produção agrícola. A esse respeito, é de grande importância investigar o valor da produção agrícola e os fatores que afetam a produção agrícola. Este estudo teve como objetivo examinar o impacto no valor da produção agrícola do crédito bancário agrícola na Turquia. No estudo, com o objetivo de examinar a relação entre crédito agrícola e valor da produção agrícola na Turquia, foram utilizados os empréstimos reais para 1998-2016 e os dados anuais do produto interno bruto agrícola real, cobrindo o período indicado acima. A ferramenta de análise estatística é uma técnica de mínimos quadrados ordinários (OLS). De acordo com a regressão OLS, o modelo proposto explica 83,94% da variância total. Os coeficientes de regressão mostram que o efeito do prazo é superior ao efeito dos créditos agrícolas. O motivo dessa diferença pode ser explicado como dependência de créditos em indicadores macroeconômicos e estrutura política do país. Este estudo propõe que o mecanismo de crédito agrícola no país precise ser desenvolvido para aumentar as oportunidades de financiamento para a realização de investimentos em tecnologia e modernização pelos agricultores.

Pertinencia de los créditos académicos / Appropriateness of academic credits

Se realizó una revisión sobre el sistema de créditos académicos y su aplicación en la educación superior, partiendo del concepto de créditos académicos, que surgen como una necesidad para establecer comparaciones y equivalencias a escala internacional, además de permitir la movilidad estudiantil y profesoral. Se revisa su aplicación en las universidades de Europa, Norteamérica y América Latina, y se expresan las consideraciones en Cuba donde existe la experiencia solamente en la formación posgraduada. Se toman en consideraciones los conclaves celebrados en Europa y Latinoamérica sobre el tema.

The system of academic credits and its implementation in the higher education was made based on the concept of academic credits emerging from the need of making comparisons and finding equivalences at international scale, in addition to facilitating the mobility of professors and students to other institutions. Its implementation in European, American and Latin American universities was reviewed and the final considerations about this issue in Cuba, where the experience accumulated just in the graduate education, were also stated. This paper took into account the events about this topic held in Europe and Latin America.

Clinical Reasons for Returning Hearing Aids

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Increases in older aged populations and exposure to complicated noise environments have increased the number of hearing-impaired patients, creating greater demands for hearing aids. We have assessed the reasons that individuals rejected wearing and returned properly prescribed hearing aids, as well as differences in individual factors between younger and elderly adults. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Of 1138 patients for whom hearing aids were prescribed at Kyung Hee University Medical Center Hearing Aid Clinic, 81 (6.14%) returned their hearing aids, including 36 patients aged or =65 years. Patient-related, hearing-related, and hearing aid-related factors were assessed by retrospective chart analysis and phone survey and compared in the two groups. RESULTS: The primary symptoms reported by the 81 patients who returned their hearing aids were hearing disturbance, ringing, and fullness in the ear, in that order and in both groups. The rate of hearing aid return was similar in elderly females and males (p=0.288). The spondee recognition threshold was significantly higher in younger than in elderly adults (63.3+/-14.0 dB vs. 55.6+/-14.74 dB, p=0.019), but the hearing aid return rate was highest in patients with moderate hearing loss in both groups. In evaluating the reasons for return of hearing aids, we found that ineffectiveness of the device was the most frequent reason, accounting for 32.0% of returns, the highest percentage in both groups, with the most frequent patient problem caused by management difficulty in elderly and financial difficulty in younger adults. CONCLUSIONS: The reasons for hearing aid return were different in two groups. Financial considerations were cited more by younger adults, while difficulties in managing hearing aids were cited more frequently by elderly adults. Patients in both groups, however, reported that the most frequent reasons for return were inadequate hearing improvement and inconvenience wearing the hearing aid due to noise amplification.

El tiempo de los estudiantes de medicina en las rotaciones clínicas y el sistema de créditos / Medical Student's Use of Time during Clinical Clerkships and the Credits Based System

Introducción: La formación en ciencias clínicas del pregrado de medicina se fundamenta en rotaciones clínicas. Para implementar el sistema de créditos es necesario conocer cómo se llevan a cabo estas experiencias. Objetivo: Describir cómo los estudiantes utilizan el tiempo durante las rotaciones clínicas, el valor académico y el grado de disfrute que le asignan a las actividades. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo con una muestra aleatoria estratificada de cien estudiantes de los semestres clínicos. Se recolectó información sobre el tiempo empleado durante una semana, el valor educativo y el grado de disfrute de las actividades de las rotaciones clínicas. Los datos fueron analizados en Excel® 98 y SPSS. Resultados: Las actividades de un día ocuparon en promedio 10.8 h, con 7.3 h (69%) dedicadas a actividades académicas. La actividad asistencial con docente representó el mayor porcentaje de utilización del tiempo (15.4%). Durante una semana, el 56% (28 h) del tiempo efectivo estuvo dedicado al trabajo asistencial y 22.4 h (44.5%) al trabajo independiente en el sitio de práctica. El tiempo dedicado al aprendizaje en la rotación clínica corresponde a 19 créditos para un semestre de 18 semanas. Las actividades calificadas con mayor valor educativo fueron el estudio independiente por fuera de la institución (4.6) y las actividades académicas con el docente (4.5). Las calificadas como de mayor disfrute fueron las extracurriculares y la docencia formal. Conclusiones: Los estudiantes tienen mayor tiempo de contacto con los pacientes que el reportado en la literatura. El trabajo presencial de nuestros estudiantes es mayor al reportado en estudios similares.

Introduction: Comprehensive undergraduate education in clinical sciences is grounded on activities developed during clerkships. To implement the credits system we must know how these experiences take place. Objectives: to describe how students spend time in clerkships, how they assess the educative value of activities and the enjoyment it provides. Method: We distributed a form to a random clustered sample of a 100 students coursing clinical sciences, designed to record the time spent, and to assess the educative value and the grade of enjoyment of the activities in clerkship during a week. Data were registered and analyzed on Excel® 98 and SPSS. Results: mean time spent by students in clerkship activities on a day were 10.8 hours. Of those, 7.3 hours (69%) were spent in formal education activities. Patient care activities with teachers occupied the major proportion of time (15.4%). Of the teaching and learning activities in a week, 28 hours (56%) were spent in patient care activities and 22.4 hours (44.5%) were used in independent academic work. The time spent in teaching and learning activities correspond to 19 credits of a semester of 18 weeks. The activities assessed as having the major educational value were homework activities (4.6) and formal education activities (4.5). The graded as most enjoyable were extracurricular activities, formal educational activities and independent academic work. Conclusion: our students spend more time in activities with patients than the reported in literature. The attending workload of our students is greater than the one reported in similar studies.