Aprendizaje autodirigido en estudiantes de primer año de medicina de la Universidad de Concepción y su relación con el perfil sociodemográfico y académico / Association between self-directed learning behaviors, socio-demographic and academic variables among medical students

Medical education must encourage autonomous learning behaviors among students. However the great income profile disparity among university students may influence their capacity to acquire such skills. Aim: To assess the association between self-directed learning, socio-demographic and academic variables. Material and Methods: The self-directed learning readiness scale was applied to 202 medical students aged between 17 and 25 years (64% males). Simultaneously information about each surveyed participant was obtained from the databases of the medical school. Results: There is an association between socio-demographic and academic variables with the general scale of self-directed learning and the subscales learning planning and willingness to learn. Participants coming from municipal schools have a greater willingness to learn than their counterparts coming from subsidized and private schools. High school grades are related to self-directed learning and the subscales learning planning and self-assessment. Conclusions: Among the surveyed medical students, there is a relationship between self-directed learning behaviors, the type of school where they come from and the grades that they obtained during high school.

Aprendizaje autodirigido y su relación con el perfil valórico en estudiantes de medicina / Relationship between self-directed learning and value profile in Chilean medical students

Background: Medical education should prepare students to face a dynamic environment, through competencies that allow them to learn independently. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between self-directed learning and value profile of undergraduate first year students in a medical school in Chile. Material and Methods: Self-Directed Learning Scale and Schwartz's Values Questionnaire were applied to 235 medical students from the University of Concepción, Chile. Results: Self-direction and Security are value types that correlate directly and significantly with the overall scale and with the five subscales of Self-Directed Learning. Conclusions: In first year medical students ofUniversity of Concepcion, Chile, Self-direction and Security are values that facilitate Self-directed Learning.

Atributos del profesionalismo estimados por estudiantes de medicina y médicos: análisis mediante el modelo de disponibilidad léxica / Professionalism of physicians from the point of view of physicians and students

Background: Professionalism should be included as a fundamental component in the curriculum of undergraduate as well as graduate students of Medicine. Future physicians should be aware of the attributes that a professional should possess. Aim: To analyze the ideal medical doctor attributes from the point of view of physicians and students of Medicine. Material and methods: One hundred four physicians (MD) and 47 students answered a free association test on the attributes they would assign to a good physician. The test was applied via Internet to professionals, and students were tested in group dynamics at the beginning of the class on Bioethics and Professionalism. Data were processed according to the Lexical Availability Model (LAM) which provides quantitative as well as qualitative evaluations. Results: The attributes with higher scores among MD's were honesty (0.379), regular academic updating (0.373), ability (0.325) and empathy (0.241). Among students, the selected attributes were excellence (0.625), empathy (0.511), responsibility (0.280) and ability (0.209). A general agreement was found among physicians and students, excepts by the fact that MD's consider continuing academic updating as the most important attribute. Conclusions: The attributes that physicians and medical students evaluate as essential in professionalism were identified using the LAM approach. At the beginning of the career, students have a definite humanistic approach to their future profession.

Perfil del síndrome de Sjogren asociado a artritis reumatoídea / Profile of Sjogren syndrome associated to rheumathoid arthritis

Se estudió prospectivamente 105 artritis reumatoídeas a las que se les evaluó tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad y de los síntomas de Sjogren. Se les efectuó test de Schirmer y se les midió flujo salival, se les determinó factor reumatoídeo, anticuerpos antinucleares, anti Ro, anti La y crioprecipitinas. A los pacientes con xerostomía y xeroftalmía se les efectuó biopsia de las glándulas salivares menores. La incidencia de síndrome de Sjogren fue de 44,8% y su aparición estuvo en relación directa con el tiempo de evolución de la artritis reumatoídea. La xerostomía fue un síntoma frecuente de Sjogren, pero también se encontró en artritis reumatoídeas sin este síndrome. El factor reumatoídeo y el anti Ro tuvieron un alto valor predictivo positivo y la certeza diagnóstica la dió la biopsia