Long-term clinical clerkship improves medical students' attitudes toward team collaboration.

Objectives: To examine the related factors associated with medical students' attitudes toward team collaboration. Methods: This cross-sectional study targeted medical students, residents, and doctors. A survey was conducted from 2016 to 2017 using the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Collaboration (JeffSATIC-J), which evaluated "working relationship" and "accountability." We analyzed 2409 questionnaire responses with JeffSATIC-J items and the gender item. Analysis of variance was used for factors associated with the JeffSATIC-J score and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for the relationship between educational intervention and the JeffSATIC-J score. Results: First-year students' scores were the highest (F(2, 2045) = 13.42 to 18.87, p < .001), and female students' scores were significantly higher than those of male students (F(1, 2045) = 21.16 to 31.10, p < .001). For residents' scores, the institution was not a significant variable. Female "accountability" scores were significantly higher than those of males (F (1,108) = 4.95, p = .03). Gender was not a significant variable for doctors' scores. Sixth-year students' scores were significantly correlated with the length of clinical clerkship (r(5)=.78 to .96, p<.05), with the exception of females' "working relationship" scores. The medical school with the highest JeffSATIC-J scores had the longest clinical clerkship in the community. Conclusions: These results indicate that long-term clinical clerkship in the community at higher grades is important in improving medical students' attitudes toward team collaboration. A qualitative study is required to confirm our findings.

[Different educational programs on medical ultrasound examination for radiological technologists and medical technologists].

Radiological technologists (RTs) and medical technologists (MTs) are legally allowed to work as sonographers performing medical ultrasound examination. Despite the total number, much fewer RTs work as sonographers than MTs. To explore the reason, we investigated educational programs, universities, and colleges for both specialties. First, we established five categories of sonographers' competency: 1) Anatomy for imaging diagnosis, 2) Diseases and diagnosis, 3) Imaging, 4) Structure and principle of the equipment, and 5) Evaluation of image quality, using competence reported by the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT) and diagnostic competency required of sonographers in Japan. Using these categories, we analyzed the content and total instruction time by lectures and seminars based on information written in the syllabi, and explored the differences in education related to sonographers' competency in both programs. "Anatomy for imaging diagnosis" was taught in 15 RT programs (93.8%), and 6 MT programs (31.6%). "Diseases and diagnosis" was taught in 13 RT programs (86.7%), and 8 MT programs (53.3%). "Imaging" was taught in 14 RT programs (100%), and 13 MT programs (76.5%). "Structure and principle of the equipment" was taught in 12 RT programs (85.7%), and 6 MT programs (31.6%). "Evaluation of image quality" was taught in 11 RT programs (84.6%), and 3 MT programs (15.0%). The average instruction time for RT was longer than for MT programs in all categories. RTs are educated and have a foundation to be sonographers at graduation, and may have the possibility to expand their career in this field.