Contribution of medical student research to the Medline-indexed publications of a German medical faculty.

Medical students in Germany have to write a research thesis to acquire the title of medical doctor. This study evaluates the contribution of student research to the Medline-indexed publications of a German medical faculty. A 1993-1995 Medline-publication list, on which medical students among authors should be marked, was sent to medical faculty staff of the University of Würzburg, Germany (n = 238). Faculty members responded (106, 45%), 66 were working at a clinic, 26 at a clinic-associated institute and 14 at a basic science institute. Between 1993 and 1995, 1128 Medline-indexed papers were published by these faculty members, who on average supervised 4.5 medical students (n = 477). Medical students were among the authors of 316 (28%) and were the first authors of 88 papers (7.8%). For 66% of medical students their research resulted in a Medline-indexed publication. Medical student research activity can significantly influence the published output of a medical faculty.

Evaluation of bone mineral density in children receiving antiepileptic drugs.

The effects of the valproic acid and carbamazepine monotherapies on bone mineral density were evaluated. Bone mineral density was measured in 53 children with primary epilepsy taking either valproic acid (n = 25) or carbamazepine (n = 28) for longer than 1 year and in a healthy control group (n = 26) by the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry method at L2-L4 levels of lumbar vertebrae. The mean serum levels of valproic acid and carbamazepine were 66 +/- 2.2 microg/mL and 7.0 +/- 9.3 microg/mL, respectively, and the mean duration of treatment for each drug was 2.4 +/- 0.2 years and 2.6 +/- 0.5 years, respectively. Calcium intakes in diet were similar in both the control and study groups. The serum levels of calcium and phosphorus in all groups were normal. Bone mineral density values of both valproic acid and carbamazepine groups were not statistically different from that of the control group (P > 0.05).

[Research activities of medical students in Germany using as an example the Würzburg University Clinic]. / Forschungsaktivität von Medizinstudenten in Deutschland am Beispiel der Universitätsklinik Würzburg.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Many medical students in Germany take part in research at their university, as part of their work on a doctoral dissertation. There are alternatives to this model in other countries. To have a basis for comparison, the research activities of medical students at the University of Würzburg were analysed. METHOD: A questionnaire was sent to all members of the teaching staff of the medical faculty of the University Würzburg (n = 238). It contained 20 questions about the number of students whose research had been supervised, duration of the research, number of uncompleted research studies, cost of materials, resulting publications and estimate of value of the research done. Among those questioned were two groups of professors (50 and 66 respectively, 122 senior lecturers or titular professors). RESULTS: 106 faculty members answered the questionnaire sent to them (45%), 66 working clinically, 26 in a clinic-related institute and 14 in basic research. The students' research usually started in their 4th year and on average took up 216 full-time days. The average training period had lasted for 3 months, 10% of student broke off their research, and each faculty member supervised a mean of 4.5 students. Nonexperimental work (48.3%) cost on average DM 2300, experimental work (51.7%) DM 15,000. Generally two publications resulted and one or two posters/oral communications per student. Two-thirds of the faculty members thought that research undertaken by medical students was important for maintaining a qualitatively and quantitatively high publication level at a university clinic. CONCLUSION: Work on a doctoral dissertation not only promotes scientific thinking of the future doctor but also contributes towards maintaining scientific standards.

[Is surgical therapy of bronchial carcinoma in advanced age justified?]. / Ist die chirurgische Therapie des Bronchialkarzinoms im höheren Lebensalter sinnvoll?

It was the aim of this study to evaluate the results of surgical therapy in patients with bronchial carcinoma aged younger and older than 70 years. From 1985 to 1995, 130 patients older than 70 years (group 1) and 572 patients younger than 70 years (group 2) underwent thoracotomy for bronchial carcinoma. The 5-year survival rate was significantly worse in the older group (25%) as compared to group 2 (39%). Postoperative complications such as atelectases, pulmonary insufficiency and cardiac problems were more frequent in group 1. Thirty-day mortality was almost double (9.2%) in the older group.