ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To investigate the past and current status of teaching communication skills in undergraduate medical education and to review how medical education is progressing. METHODS: A selective search was conducted of the literature that was published from 1960 to Jun 2008 in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, Psychlnfo, and KMbase databases using "communication." All articles in 13 medical journals (including Academic Medicine, Medical Education, Teaching and Learning in Medicine, Medical Teacher, and Korean Journal of Medical Education) were reviewed. Each article was categorized according to 5 subjects (curriculum, methods, assessment, student factors, and research type). RESULTS: A total of 306 studies met the inclusion criteria for this study. Curriculum was the most frequent subject (n=85), followed by assessment (n=71), student factors (n=48), and methods (n=23). According to this research, the current trends of teaching communication skills in medical school are characterized by curriculum development,' 'blended-methods,' 'multisource assessment,' 'student attitudes,' and 'comparative studies' of education. CONCLUSION: It is time to figure it out optimistic ways to design a formal course. Now, 4 current trends in teaching and learning are emerging in communication skills. Curriculum development is stabilizing a variety of teaching methods are being adopted; a method of multisource assessment is being identified and the need to consider student attitudesis being recognized. In the near future, objective, comprehensive, and sophisticated evaluation is going to be the top priority in teaching communication skills with a variety of research types.
ABSTRACT
To develop a 13C-urea-containing capsule for more economic and sensitive diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection, the 13C-urea-containing capsules were prepared with various additives such as polyethylene glycol, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate and citric acid. Their dissolution test and 13C-urea Breath Test in human volunteers were then performed. Polyethylene glycol increased the initial dissolution rates of urea and difference delta 13C values from 13C-urea, while microcrystalline cellulose and sodium lauryl sulfate decreased them. Irrespective of addition of citric acid, the compositions with polyethylene glycol showed higher values from 13C-urea compared to a commercial 76 mg 13C-urea-containing capsule due to higher initial dissolution rate. The capsules with 38 mg 13C-urea and 1.9 mg polyethylene glycol, which showed higher Helicobacter pylori-positive value of about 8 per thousand at 10 min, improved the sensitivity of 13C-urea in human volunteers. Thus, the 13C-urea-containing capsule with polyethylene glycol would be a more economical and sensitive preparation for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection.
