NEEDS AND OPINIONS OF STUDENTS WHO STUDIED FOR THE HIGHER GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CLINICAL SCIENCES PROGRAMS, FACULTY OF MEDICINE, CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY

Background fi cate of Profi ciency rather than HigherGraduate Diploma.Objectives Methods fi rst- and second-year students, who studied in the academic year 2007. The data werecollected and analyzed by computer software, and shown by number and percent.Results Conclusion Chiang Mai Medical Journal 2010;49(2):59-66.Most of the students enroll in Higher Graduate Diploma Programs because theygain knowledge in basic science. They agree that programs should be improved to the master’s ordoctoral degree level and medical law, medical ethics, epidemiology and social medicine subjectsshould be added.One hundred and thirty four (67%) questionnaires were returned, with 62% of respondersbeing male. Students in Surgery, Forensic Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedicsand Radiology were the biggest responders (100%). Most of the students needed to study(65.7%). The most common reason for studying was to obtain basic knowledge such as researchmethodology (51.5%). If the responders had to pay a registration fee by themselves they would nothave enrolled (77.6%). They agreed to the idea of improving the curriculum from the diploma tomaster’s degree (40.7%) and doctoral degree (54.7%) level. Medical laws (73.9%), medical ethics(56.7%), epidemiology (48.5%) and social medicine (37.3%) should be added to the curriculum.The students thought that receiving payment during study would not be appropriate for serviceworkload (37.3%).This is a descriptive study. The contents of the questionnaire were validated and sentto 201To evaluate needs and opinions of students who studied for the Higher GraduateDiploma in Clinical Science Programs.In 2006, the Faculty of Medicine initially offered 14 Higher Graduate Diplomasin Clinical Science Programs for residents or interns. However, problems were encountered,as several students dropped out when they did not understand the steps taken in proposing andapproving the Independent Study proposal and examination. Furthermore, credits were diverseamong curricula and students needed a professional Certi

PATIENT SATISFACTION ON HEALTH SERVICE AT THE FAMILY MEDICINE LEARNING CENTERS, DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE, FACULTY OF MEDICINE, CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY IN 2003

Objective  To evaluate the satisfaction of the patients who came for health services at the three centers where Family Medicine courses are taught. Methods Statistical analysis using a Linkert (5-1) scoring system questionnaire containing 29 items. The data was collected over 2-monthly periods (February and April 2003). The data was analyzed by SPSS ver.11 software. This method was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results The number of questionnaires returned were 898 copies (75.9%) from the Primary Care Unit, 105 copies (8.9%) from the Chiang Mai Gate Public Health Service Center and 180 copies (15.2%) from the Srivichai Public Health Service Center. The analysis of general characteristics showed all the different aspects between the respondents in each center. Patient satisfaction to the health care personnel dimension (11 items) did not show a difference in each center. There were differences in the examination place, service system , facilities and medicine dimensions (13 items). Conclusions Standards of health services provided by health care personnel and medical students teaching and learning in each center were no differences. There were differences could in patient satisfaction in the examination place, service system, facilities and medicine, which could be improved. Chiang Mai Med Bull 2004;43(2):67-76.

THE SECOND YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS’ OPINION OF HOME CARE BY HOME VISITS IN A NEW MEDICAL CURRICULUM AT THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE, CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY, THAILAND

Background: and objective In 2005, the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University started a new medical curriculum. Home care is an activity for second year medical students in Medical Professional Development subjects. This activity aims to study integration of health (individual-family-community), evidence-based medicine and behavioral science. It is an activity in the “Healthy families” project, which is funded by the Faculty of Medicine and Thai Health Promotion Foundation and managed by the Consortium of Thai Medical Schools. This study evaluated the opinion of second year medical students regarding home care. Methods: The opinions were evaluated by questionnaire after the students had visited their assigned families during a 14 week period between June-October 2006. The questionnaire was in two parts: medical student characteristics and their opinions. Results: The class comprised 188 medical students. The response rate was 63.3%. Most of the respondants were female (58%) and lived in a nuclear family (74.49%). Their parents were government officials (35.3%). Most of the students (63%) visited their assigned home 3-4 times during the 14 week period by themselves (73.1%), during Monday - Friday (86.6%), in the afternoon (74.7%) and they went by car (77.5%). This activity was a suitable arrangement (family preparation, student group visits, availability of family nurses and instructor/advisors). Assigned data were collected and appropriated for study. The students benefited from this activity, especially regarding communication. Conclusion: Home care is appropriate for medical students studying in their second year of a new medical curriculum.

Benzodiazepine overuse in an internal medicine outpatient department: a prospective study

Objective: This study aims to assess benzodiazepine overuse, in particular indications, prolonged use, and dependence for usage in out-patients treated at the internal medicine clinic of Chiang Mai University Hospital. Methods: The indications of benzodiazepine usage were examined by using the Thai Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in patients who were started on benzodiazepines. The duration of benzodiazepine usage was classified into: i) less than 1 month; ii) 1-6 months; and iii) longer than 6 months, and benzodiazepine dependence was assessed by using the Severity of Dependence Scale. Results: Of 40 out-patients started on benzodiazepines, only one of them (2.5%) had clinically significant anxiety. Of 58 outpatients receiving benzodiazepines, 42 patients (72.4%) had used benzodiazepines longer than 6 months. In addition, 8 patients (13.8%) were dependent on benzodiazepines. Conclusions: Benzodiazepine overuse is common in physically ill out-patients, even in the university hospital. Almost half of the surveyed patients appear to have prolonged benzodiazepine use; however, only a few patients are dependent on benzodiazepines.