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Context A special study module (SSM) option was introduced for medical students at Leicester Warwick Medical School in January 2000. Its aim was to enhance students' knowledge and understanding of people's experiences and emotions in relation to health and sickness through study of the arts. The module was set up and run through collaboration between the medical school and the University of Leicester's Department of English. This paper describes the context of SSMs in the arts and their relevance to medicine, and examines student perceptions of the benefits gained from this particular course. Method Students were exposed to a core series of arts-based seminars, and were given time to research a chosen study topic looking at an artist or art form in relation to health and sickness issue(s). They were assessed on their written submissions on these study topics according to the module objectives. Students were encouraged to develop a reflective style of learning by keeping learning journals. Conclusions Evaluation demonstrated that the students considered that their professional development had been enhanced by taking time to study the arts. Students also felt that they would continue to use the arts to this end after the module had finished. Summative assessment showed that the objectives were achievable by the great majority of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective In order to inform discussions about possible changes to Medical Education's blinding policy, members of the journal's editorial board were interested in discovering reviewers' and authors' preferences with regard to the current double-blind policy and various alternatives. Methods In September 2005, an 8-question, web-based survey was sent to all authors and reviewers who had submitted or reviewed a manuscript for Medical Education in 2003 and 2004 ( n = 2632). The questions asked about authorship and reviewing experiences and preferences regarding 5 types of blinding procedure, from double-blinding to fully unblinded, open reviews. Results Following 2 electronic mailings, 838 surveys were completed. There was a range of experience among respondents, with a high proportion of experienced authors (49% with over 20 publications) and reviewers (41% with over 20 reviews). Overall, 68% of respondents preferred a review process that concealed author names and 72% preferred a process that allowed for concealment of reviewer names. Less experienced authors and reviewers were significantly more likely to prefer concealing author names, but even the most experienced respondents had a 54% preference for author concealment. Reasons for concealing identities included facilitating fairness and honesty in reviews and acknowledging the need to avoid personal conflicts or rivalries. Reasons for revealing identities included facilitating greater transparency and accountability, and a better understanding of the author's and reviewer's contexts and credentials. Conclusions The Medical Education authors and reviewers who chose to respond to the survey voted strongly in favour of continuing the double-blinding procedure of concealing both author and reviewer identities during the review process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]