There is convincing evidence that nursing home residents who have more visitors fare better than those who have fewer visitors. However, as many as one third of all individuals living in nursing homes have virtually no visitors. The purpose of this study was to address this concern by examining telephone use in older adults living in nursing homes, and evaluating the potential of telephone communications as a means of social support for this at-risk group. Using a recording device activated each time the receiver was picked up, the research team "listened in" on the telephone conversations of three nursing home residents (aged 76, 79, and 92) for a period of 1 week. The transcripts revealed 56 minutes of actual conversation during the week (10, 21, and 25 minutes, respectively), most often with family or longtime friends living out of town. Each resident laughed aloud more than once per minute. The telephone conversations provided the residents with vivid glimpses of life outside the walls of their facility and appeared to help them stay connected with their family and friends. The findings support further study of the telephone as a way to sustain authentic social support in long-term care populations.

Medical schools are creating programs to introduce careers in healthcare to students at earlier stages in their education. At the Penn State College of Medicine University Park Regional Campus, we have created and implemented a novel improvisational, case-based, small-group learning curriculum for high school students to introduce integrative thinking in basic and clinical sciences and to cultivate an early interest in health professions careers. The program also includes elements of health systems science and humanities.  A multidisciplinary team of educators with both secondary and post-secondary pedagogical expertise worked together to develop a longitudinal case-based curriculum suitable for high school students. This curriculum was administered to a group of 40 students in grades 9-12.  At the start of each session, students were challenged to explore personal biases, reflect upon ethical dilemmas, and to step outside their comfort zones with “centering exercises.” Through these activities, we strived to challenge the learners’ preconceptions about their colleagues, medicine, and their role within it. Students were then presented with a case as a large group.  At critical junctures in the cases, students worked in small groups of 8-10 with 1-2 medical student facilitators to discuss questions and solve clinical dilemmas associated with the case.  Early feedback from students and faculty advisors has been overwhelmingly positive.  The authors have no conflicts of interest.

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