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Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cysts are abnormal epithelial cavities containing fluid, usually serous or serous-hemorrhagic, or even pus, and they can be found in both the soft tissue and the bone of the jaws. Large bone cysts, with a diameter of 4.5 cm or larger, are the subject of this report. This paper presents 5 of the 22 cases of large jaw cysts treated in the last five years in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the General Hospital of Tripoli. The diagnostic approach is described, and the treatment of these cysts, with or without the use of bone grafts and titanium reconstruction plates, is evaluated. The technique with good results is that of enucleation and extensive surgical debridement, with or without the use of bone grafts and reconstruction plates, decided on a case-by-case basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid technological developments of the 21st century and the adoption of Internet 4.0 technologies in all facets of everyday life, has led to the digitization of services even in areas that have traditionally operated without the help of technology. One of the areas that is being modernized due to the abovementioned developments is that of health care. Medical process automation, robotics and medical devices are creating a wealth of digital health data. Each patient's health data is organized and structured in electronic health records (EHR), which are usually stored in the central databases of healthcare providers. Although EHRs offer many possibilities, the centralized data storage makes them vulnerable to malicious attack, and they do not provide interoperability between the systems of different healthcare providers. Blockchain is a technology that provides appropriate solutions and which can eliminate the abovementioned challenges in the healthcare sector. Decentralized data storage and data management by the patients themselves can provide greater security, interoperability and, generally, more efficient health services. The scope of this paper work is to present the challenges in the field of eHealth, to introduce blockchain as a solution for most of these challenges, and to present appropriate methodology that can be used to store medical data in a healthcare application based on blockchain. The methodology presented is already being developed and applied in the context of the Impilo research project, which aims to develop a blockchain-based social networking application in the healthcare domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

OJECTIVE To capture information needs and feelings of the general population towards the vaccination against COVID-19 in the regional unit of Achaia, as well as to investigate their differentiation on the basis of their demographics. METHOD A cross-sectional study with a sample of 306 Achaia residents was designed to serve the purpose of the study. The research tool was composed of three distinct, structured, closed-type, anonymized, self-fulfilling questionnaires; one recording participants' demographics, one investigating their informational behavior, and one assessing their feelings toward COVID-19 vaccination. Data's analysis was carried out with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS IBM), version 22.0. RESULTS Topics as "precautionary measures in case of contact", "protective measures and precautions", "vaccination for COVID-19 treatment", and "ways of transmission and transmissibility" were the ones the study participants more frequently seek information for. "Anxiety" and "relief" were the feelings acknowledged as felt more intently by the study participants towards COVID-19 vaccination, with women manifesting "anxiety" more intensively while those with higher income manifested "anger" more intensively. CONCLUSIONS The changes brought by COVID-19 that have created a novel global health reality comprise a teaching experience for the future. However, it is imperative not only to highlight information literacy's and information behavior's importance, but also to develop continuous education programs for the population in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Miraculous medicine was widespread over the Byzantine Empire, and not only the people of low social classes but also the aristocracy up to the imperial court used to seek treatment with such methods. Doctors from the Orthodox Church (Anargyroi) were the major representatives of this kind of medicine and the cure usually came after healing prophetic dreams. This paper presents the miraculous treatment that Emperor Justinian I received when he suffered variously from plague, gout, venereal disease and urinary lithiasis. According to records, Emperor Justinian I suffered from serious illnesses and benefited from divine grace on at least four different occasions. In all cases the cure was miraculous. On the first occasion he experienced fatal plague, during the plague period 541-542, but managed to recover through the miraculous cures of Saint Kosmas and Saint Damian. On the second occasion, when he was diagnosed with arthritis, Saint Irene helped his healing, then when he was suffering from venereal diseases Saint Samson's wonders saved him and, finally, the Virgin Mary relieved him of kidney stones. Until the 12th century, individuals from all social classes used to seek miraculous cures. The instances of miraculous treatment of Emperor Justinian I are typical examples of divine intervention in the treatment of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present dental market is characterized by the adverse effects of the economic crisis, and intense competition. Dentists could address the impact of the economic crisis, inflation and competition by adopting principles of management and marketing with proven benefit in business, recognizing and exploiting current opportunities. This paper applies management techniques and marketing tools to dental services and identifies the expected benefits. The key characteristics of the dental services in Greece are analyzed and suggestions are made for the adoption of management and marketing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the British colonial health policy concerning the case of vaccination against smallpox in the Ionian Islands (1815-1864). The study was based on the registers of the Executive Police Archives during the mass vaccination which was conducted in Corfu in 1852. The archival material provides information about the number of people vaccinated and their sex, age and nationality, the year of the last vaccination and the last year that people "had smallpox". One of the most important items of information is if the vaccinated people had "had smallpox" during the most recent epidemic of smallpox. The findings of the analysis of the registers were combined with the concurrent data of the anti-British press about the extensive epidemic in Corfu in 1852. The unedited archival material and the final findings provide a new dimension to the medical and historical data generally known until now, showing the unprecedented negligence and inefficiency of the health model in that era, which was applied as a part of the British colonial policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the relationship between religious beliefs and medical treatment is studied, especially in the case of Muslim patients. The importance is stressed of the awareness of the doctor treating Muslim patients of their dietary habits and their attitudes towards medication and other aspects of therapeutic procedures. The stance is described of female Muslim patients towards physical examination and various therapeutic interventions. Practical issues dealing with the hospitalization of Muslim patients are also presented. It is argued that the therapeutic plan for Muslim patients needs to take into account their religious convictions and make beneficial use of certain aspects of the religion of Islam, such as the Ramadan fasting, the daily prayers and Jihad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until the late 1970s, quality assurance in the healthcare field was restricted to research conducted by academic institutions, in contrast to industry where statistical methods had already been in use since the 1930s. Avedis Donabedian, in a review of papers published between 1954 and 1984, identified three pillars for quality assurance in health care: "Sound structures, good processes and suitable outcomes". Quality in health care is associated with effectiveness, efficiency and technical competence, as well as safety, accessibility and a patient-centred approach, on the basis of continuity of service. Quality can be measured, and it involves all aspects of the functions of departments, from staffing and management to clinical practice. According to the systems theory of Donabedian, healthcare services consist of three elements: Structures and staff (human resources, equipment, buildings, etc.), procedures (services) and the results of actions and services. In each category, there are quantitative characteristics that can be measured, such as training and years of experience, waiting times, accuracy of equipment, level of patient satisfaction, complication rate, etc. When the areas of interest for quality improvement are defined, then quality standards can be set, along with appropriate quality indicators and definition of actions of conformity. The main selection criteria for a quality indicator in the healthcare sector are its usefulness, validity, reliability, comparability, responsiveness and, finally, sensitivity and specificity. When procedures are written and clearly specified and the results of clinical practice are published, useful conclusions can be drawn, on which can be based both continuous improvement of everyday practice, and better compliance of the personnel. Application of a common methodology by different departments enables valid comparisons to be made and offers useful material for research. Finally, quality cannot be achieved without evaluation of performance, with the application of statistical methods in everyday practice, according to quality assurance procedures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE The assessment of the health-related quality of life has been internationally acknowledged during the past decades as a reliable method in the assessment of the effectiveness of medical procedures. This paper reports on the assessment of the health-related quality of life of patients who had undergone laparoscopic repair of an inguinal hernia. This assessment focused on the three main dimensions of physical, mental and social health. METHOD Data collection was carried out at the Third Surgical Clinic of "G. Gennimatas" General Hospital of Athens, in 2008-2009 with the use of the self-administered instrument "health survey SF-36", which consists of 36 questions constituting 8 scales of physical and socio-mental health. The sample consisted of 100 patients who had undergone laparoscopic repair of an inguinal hernia. The majority of the patients were men (86.9%), aged over 65 years (47%) and between 56-64 years old (25%). RESULTS The rating of the scales of the review SF-36 gave the following results: "physical functioning" 70.8 (SD 18.6), "physical role" 63.7 (SD 38.6), "physical pain" 48.5 (SD 4.7), "general health" 62.2 (SD 14.1), "vitality" 73.3 (SD 22.3), "social functioning" 68.3 (SD 26.6), "emotional role" 64.2 (SD 36.2), "mental health" 78.4 (SD 18.8). Linear regression analysis showed that 6 of the 8 scales of the health survey SF-36: "physical functioning" (B=0.860, t=5.901, p=0.000), "physical role" (B=0.658, t=3.378, p=0.002), "general health" (B=0.639, t=4.079, p=0.000), "vitality" (B=0.662, t=3.638, p=0.001), "social operability" (B=0.608, t=4.097, p=0.000), "mental health" (B=0.653, t=3.231, p=0.003) were related to the patients' satisfaction with the quality of life, while, in addition, "physical functioning" (B=-0.380, t=-2.986, p=0.005) and "social functioning" (B=-0.425, t=-3.282, p=0.002) showed an inverse relationship with age. CONCLUSIONS Patients who have undergone laparoscopic repair of an inguinal hernia appear to assess their socio-mental health (average 71.0) as more important than their physical health (average 61.3). This finding raises the issue of non-concurrence of the individual assessment of patients between the objective (physical functioning, physical role, physical pain, general health) and the subjective (vitality, mental role, social functioning, mental health) dimensions of health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper summarizes currently available data on the development of newer categories of antidiabetic agents, their ways of action and their clinical importance. During recent years significant achievements have been made in this field, including the development of SGLT2 inhibitors and glucokinase activators. The role of the metabolism of free fatty acids and bile acid in the treatment of diabetes mellitus is also reviewed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Delphi research methodology has been applied extensively in a wide variety of scientific fields and it is becoming a popular choice among health researchers. The method aims at obtaining the most reliable consensus among a pre-selected panel of experts by sending out a series of sequential questionnaires, particularly in fields where data are unavailable or impaired. The advantages of the Delphi method include the absence of geographical limitations, since the questionnaires are often completed by mail or e-mail, and the possibility for the participants to express their views impersonally on matters which emerge from the experience and interaction of all the panel members. The characteristics of the Delphi methodology are anonymity, expert input, iteration with controlled feedback and statistical group response. Health issues which have been investigated using the Delphi method include, inter alia, solving clinical problems, drawing up clinical protocols and guidelines, defining priorities in clinical research, planning health services and identifying inadequacies in the health education curriculum. Delphi is a flexible research methodology and subsequently numerous modifications of the classical version have been developed. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the basic principles of the Delphi method and to describe each stage of the procedure in detail yet in simplified terms, specifically for researchers who would like to use this methodology for the first time. In order to maximize the comprehension of the theoretical terms and relate them to their practical application, the theory is illustrated by research examples from the health sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE Although valid instruments are available for measuring the educational environment during the 6-year period of undergraduate medical study, there was no tool for measuring the end-product of the medical curriculum, i.e. the abilities of the "medical graduate". The I CAN! questionnaire, based on the tuning-medicine project, is an instrument designed to measure this. The construction and validation of the questionnaire Greek, and graduates' answers to the open question "if you could change one thing in your school, what would this be?" have been described elsewhere. The aim of this paper was to present how of the instrument works and the responses of medical graduates to its closed questions. METHOD The I CAN! questionnaire consists of 104 randomly arranged closed questions, based on the tuning-medicine level-two learning outcomes for undergraduate medical education in Europe, organized into 16 level-one outcomes, 12 for medical competencies and 4 for professionalism. The questionnaire was distributed to the graduates of Greek medical schools during the summer and autumn 2009 graduation. Their responses were coded (disagree absolutely=0, disagree=20, disagree moderately=40, agree moderately=60, agree=80, agree absolutely=100). The mean question, level-one outcomes and overall scores were calculated, and interpreted as: <50 very poor, 50-60.9 poor, 61-70.9 fairly poor, 71-78.9 fairly good, 79-88.9 good, 89-100 very good. RESULTS Completed questionnaires were provided by 408 graduates of 6 medical schools, representing 55% of the total graduate population: 45% male, 55% female. They were graduates of the Universities of: Athens 148 (48% of graduates), Thessaloniki 147 (71%), Thrace 38 (81%), Ioannina 12 (17%), Crete 32 (47%), and Thessaly 31 (100%). On average they self-assessed their overall ability at 74% (i.e., in the "moderately good" interpretation zone), their ability to prescribe drugs 65% and to apply evidence-based medicine 68%, being a global doctor 80% and possessing professional atributes 83%. They considered themselves weaker in specific areas: Carrying out blood transfusion (37%), requesting autopsy (52%), administering intravenous therapy and using infusion devices (55%), completing correctly a death certificate (57%), matching appropriate drugs and other treatment to the clinical context (58%), and using diagnostic and therapeutic options available through other health professions (59%). They reported strength in: measuring blood pressure (96%), carrying out electrocardiography (92%), will to succeed (92%), maintaining confidentiality (91%), recognizing their own limits and asking for help (88%). CONCLUSIONS The I CAN! self-assessment questionnaire can identify the perceived strengths and weaknesses of medical graduates, offering the basis for implementation of a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) and evidence-based educational policy. Medical schools could use the instrument to monitor progress towards competence of tomorrow's doctors, and to assess effectiveness of policy changes. If all ?uropean medical schools were to use it on every graduate cohort, a time series database could be created to serve administrative, research and other purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archives of Hellenic Medicine / Arheia Ellenikes Iatrikes is the property of Athens Medical Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)