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Duke University Medical Center
VOLUME 24, NUMBER 27
JULY 8,1977
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
In First Human Resource Development Course
Illogical Images Teach Medical Terminology
ByJohnBecton
A slide flashes onto the screen and
shows a mother who recently has
given birth to twins. Several other
children around are exclaiming,
“Oh, ma, two more!"
After seeing this image, one
remembers that the suffix -oma
meaiis "tumor."
"Many people said that there was
no way to make a medical
tenninology course interesting, but
we thiitk we have found a unique
approach," according to Dr. Ann
Britt, director of human resource
development.
The course here is using the E)ean
Vaughn Learning System, she said.
Fascinating Method
In planning the medical
terminology course, Britt found that,
in fact, most approaches to the
subject were iminteresting, but the
Dean Vaughn approach was a
significant exception.
"We had a group of medical center
employees preview the course and
everyone foimd it fascinating," Britt
said. "And we contacted other places
where it had been used, such as the
Mayo Clinic, and found they had
been pleased with the results."
The positive feedback has
continued to come in from
employees taking the course.
Ridiculous Pictures
The course features no homework,
positively prohibits taking notes in
class and promises close to 100%
retention of some 300 Latin and
Greek elements that make up about
10,000 complex medical terms.
Participants view a series of slide
presentations which present roots
along with pictures of objects whose
names sound similar.
For example, gastr- is shown with
a gas truck. Then the gas truck is
shown with a human stomach for a
gas tank. The image is so ridiculous,
it comes to mind when one
encounters gaslr- later, and serves as
a reminder that gastr- means
"stomach,"
Upbeat music and soimd effects
add to the effectiveness of the
technique.
Gc^ Times and Hard Woilc
Several laughs are also provided
along the way, as the images depend
on illogical associations for
effectiveness. And while participmts
have said the course gets tougher as
it proceeds, instructor Anne
Drennan said the test scores have
been getting progressively higher.
There are 12 sessions, and
participants who successfully
complete the course earn continuing
education units (CEUs) through
Piedmont Technical Institute.
Earned CEUs will be recorded in
each employee's individual
personnel file.
'This is important for transfer or
moving to another job," Britt said.
"Many people who are hiring note
an applicant's continuing education
work."
Developing the Assets
The Department of Human
Resource Development was
established and Britt appointed
director in February.
The department is unique because
of its scope, its potential for touching
the lives of practically every
employee and its working
relationship with the state's
community college system.
"Human resources are the most
valiiable assets of the hospital. The
ultimate goal of developing these
resources is to provide better patient
csue," Britt said.
Responding to Needs
Medical terminology was chosen
as the topic for the first course, Britt
explained, because it is so basic to
the enviroiunent here and because of
the extent of the perceived need.
"I had people calling' me to say
they had employees needing a
course in medical terminology, and
the persoimel office had a list of
those who had called about it over
the past few years," she said.
That the first class offered by the
new department responded to a
sigmficant need is evidenced by the
initial response. There were 180
applicants for 25 places.
Two more closes were added,
including one at night, but the
waiting list has grown to about 400,
Britt said. The first class began May
19.
Britt noted that this particular
course is indicative of the goal of her
office to provide hospital-wide
training.
(Continued on page 3)
Hyperbaric Laboratory Gets
New Director, Dr. Bennett
Dr. Peter B. Bennett, professor of
anesthesiology and associate
professor of physiology, has been
named director of the F.G. Hall
Laboratory for Environmental
Research (hyperbaric chamber).
He succeeds Dr. Herbert A.
Saltzman, professor of medicine,
who will remain with the laboratory
as co-director, but is giving up
administrative duties to devote more
time to his clinical practice.
Announcement of the
appointment came from Dr. William
G. Anlyan, vice president for health
affairs.
Bennett, 46, is a native of
Alverstqke, near Portsmouth,
England. An international expert on
hyperbaric (high pressure) research,
he joined the Duke faculty in 1972
and was named co-director of the
Hall laboratory in 1974.
The scientist's chief research
interests have centered on the
mechanisms of general anesthesia
and the physiological and medical
problems affecting deep divers. He
has published more than 100
scientific papers and several books
on his investigations, and his recent
(Continued on page 4)
gas truck
hi
Stomach
FUNNY, BUT IT WO/2KS—Members of a medical terminology class are amused by a
slide such as the one reproduced above, but the illogical association greatly
increases retention. This approach was developed by Dean Vaughan Learning
^tems. The clas^ are the first offered t>y the Department ot Human Resource
Development, ^ich has been established to provide hospital-wide employee
training. The goal of this training is better patient care.