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OBJECTIVES: The increasing need for anesthetists has been coupled with a rising number of open training positions. Thus, there is an increased need to attract future anesthetists among students and graduates from medical universities. Using results from a questionnaire, we designed an information and training program to increase interest in anesthesia and intensive care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With the use of semistructured interviews, medical students were questioned about factors influencing their decision for a speciality. We used the results to design an information and practice program for students and young doctors. This program was held 12 times at different anesthesia departments in different hospitals. Evaluation was obtained through a feedback questionnaire at the end of each sessions and with another questionnaire 2 to 4 years after the program. RESULTS: Feedback showed positive responses concerning utility for practical work, actuality, and relevance for daily practical work. There was a 22.7% response from participants for the follow-up questionnaire. Of these, 87% stated that interest in anesthesia was increased by the program, and 74% underwent practical training in an anesthesia department. Seventeen participants started a speciality training for anesthesia and intensive care medicine. CONCLUSIONS: The design of this practice-oriented program was effective in eliciting, spreading, and increasing interest and attracting students to a medical specialty.

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CONTEXT: Regarding the increasing gap between demand and supply of donor organs the question is increasingly discussed, if families of organ donors should receive a financial incentive for consenting to organ donation. However, little attention has been paid to the psychological consequences of such incentives. OBJECTIVE: We discuss the question of financial incentives for families of presumed organ donors in the light of relevant psychological theories. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION: Overview of the psychological literature. Only well established theories were included. CONCLUSIONS: We summarise, that financial benefits for consent to organ donoation could affect adversely the public opinion toward organ donation and the whole process of transplantation and thus could counterproductively influence the consent rates.

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In this article a supporting program for increasing donor rates is described. Beside medical knowledge and skills, communication and organisation as well as personal values and beliefs are determining factors for the success of every single step in the whole process of organ transplantation. Training for the sensibility in communication, developing concepts for the organization within the team and the work with personal attitudes and values, not only with skills and tools are necessary. In already evaluated sections of our program we markedly improved personal attitudes, self-management and stress resistance of the participants. We conclude that the holistic approach, which combines the three factors of COPe with the nine steps of the transplant process, is a promising attempt to improve the donor rates.

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First kidney transplantations were performed in Aden, Jemen in 2003. A difficult medical environment and unrehearsed decision-making process in a country of scant resources were the background of this undertaking. A brief report is given on the medical situation, training and preparedness of the Yemeni medical community for transplant procedures. Initial impressions of psychological aspects of first-ever organ transplantation in this Islamic country are presented.

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Ethical controversies in transplantation medicine are frequent and are not only discussed in the medical societies, but also by the pubic at large. Recently, the shortage of donor organs has led to a discussion of the commonly accepted ethical principles applied in transplantation medicine. In this paper, we highlight some of the thoughts expressed in the literature and discuss them in the context of transplantation.

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During the first Yemeni Congress of Uro-Nephrology in Aden, an international team performed the first kidney tranplantations in the region. We report the difficulties encountered and discuss the pros and cons for transplantations in developing countries.

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Members of transplant teams are oft confronted with highly emotional situations. Inability to handle these situations leads to burn-out and impairs the performance of the team. We introduce and discuss first experiences with a training program--COPe--specifically concentrating on establishing and maintaining communication in such situations.

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