Neutrality in the Study of Religion

The Archive is a feature of the Bulletin in which previous publications are reprinted to reinforce the modern relevance of archived arguments. “Neutrality in the Study of Religion,” originally published in 1981, comes from Dr. John H. Whittaker (1945-2019), who was the Department Chair of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Louisiana State University until 2006. This article is relevant 30 years after its original publication, as it explores an ongoing debate in the field: the limits of objectivity in religious studies. Whittaker critiques a claim made by sociologist Robert Bellah in order to argue that religion can and should be taught from what he terms a “neutral” standpoint that encourages critical inquiry. The role of the scholar of religion as a researcher, observer, and teacher is one that remains contended across the field of religious studies today.

The DeBoer v. Snyder Trial, 2014

Chapter 13 tells the story of the DeBoer v. Snyder trial, the expert testimony on both sides, and how the witnesses called to defend Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban were found to be entirely lacking in credibility. Defense witness Douglas Allen presented graphs that he admitted were not even intended to be accurate. Defense witness Mark Regnerus’ testimony was disavowed by his department chair and criticized by his professional organization. The plaintiffs’ expert witnesses described the scholarly consensus about the health of children raised by same-sex couples. This scholarly consensus was accepted by Judge Friedman. The DeBoer trial resulted in a victory for plaintiffs DeBoer and Rowse and their children, but the Sixth Circuit reversed the decision on constitutional grounds, necessitating a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court.

Opportunity for Improved Transparency on Otolaryngology Residency Websites for Prospective Applicants

Objective Otolaryngology residency applicants often struggle to gauge their competitiveness at programs due to the lack of information available, resulting in a rising number of applications. We aimed to evaluate otolaryngology websites for information pertaining to prospective applicants. Study Design Systematic content analysis. Setting Web. Methods We reviewed 50 otolaryngology websites from June to July 2021. We searched for information pertaining to the application process, including requirements, screening and/or selection processes, and average interviewee or matched resident statistics. Results All websites had a page for prospective applicants. Under half (n = 24, 48%) explicitly listed required application components. Only 23 (46%) mentioned the desired number of letters of recommendation, and only 2 (4%) noted the need for a letter from the department chair. The majority (n = 35, 70%) provided no information regarding the number of applications received or interviews granted. Most (n = 35, 70%) did not mention how candidates are evaluated. A minority (n = 14, 30%) provided very general metrics on which candidates are scored or ranked. Almost all (n = 49, 98%) did not mention screening processes in place to select applicants for interview. None provided information about the academic characteristics or demographics of their interviewed applicants, and only 1 (2%) included this information for matched applicants. Conclusion Otolaryngology websites contain limited information pertaining to the residency application process for prospective applicants, making it difficult for candidates to discern their competitiveness at programs and potentially contributing to match inefficiency.

Message of the Department Chair

The creation of a department often happens ‘de novo’. For most institutions, they were born as a department while for Dermatology in the UP College of Medicine, Philippine General Hospital, it took almost two decades to become one. The Unit of Dermatology was established by Dr. Perpetuo Gutierrez under the Department of Medicine in 1922. He was the pioneer and known to be the Father of Philippine Dermatology as he paved the way for the development of the specialty in our country. Fast forward to February 2020 and five section and division chiefs later, the Division of Dermatology has finally become the Department of Dermatology - the 21st department of the UP College of Medicine. In essence, the Department is just one year old but UP Dermatology is 99 years old, turning 100 in 2022. For this first year as a department, we celebrate with our second Dermatology issue of the Acta Medica Philippina. Again, we showcase the original studies and interesting cases seen both in the outpatient and in-patient wards of the Philippine General Hospital. In behalf of the faculty and residents of the Department of Dermatology, I thank the editorial staff of the Acta Medica Philippina. I also congratulate Dr. Hanna Orillaza, Special editor for this issue, and most especially the authors for continuing the Department’s thrust for excellence in research; boosting further the Department’s strength in training as we continue to graduate dermatologists that are in the forefront both here and abroad; and, more importantly, continuing to broaden our reach in the service of Filipino patients in the various regions of the country. Eileen Liesl A. Cubillan, MD, FPDS, FDSPFounding Chair Department of DermatologyCollege of Medicine and Philippine General HospitalUniversity of the Philippines Manila

‘Professional-supportive’ versus ‘economic-operational’ management: the relationship between leadership style and hospital physicians’ organisational climate

Background Health systems across the world have implemented reforms that call for a reconsideration of the role of management in hospitals, which is increasingly seen as important for performance. These reorganisation efforts of the hospitals have challenged and supplemented traditional profession-based management with more complex systems of management inspired by the business sector. Whereas there is emerging evidence on how medical professionals in their role as leaders and managers adapt to the new institutional logics of the health care sector with increasing demands for efficiency and budgetary discipline, no previous studies have investigated whether leaders’ emphasis on clinical or financial priorities is related to how hospital physicians’ view their working situation. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the relationship between leadership style and hospital physicians’ organisational climate. Methods We utilised data from a survey among 3000 Norwegian hospital physicians from 2016. The analysis used three additive indexes as dependent variables to reflect various aspects of the organisational climate: social climate, innovation climate and engagement at the workplace. The variables reflecting leadership style were based on an item in the survey asking the respondents to rate the leadership qualities of their proximate leaders (department chair) on 11 specific dimensions. We used factor analysis to identify two types of leadership styles: a traditional profession-based leadership style that emphasises the promotion of professional standards and quality in patient treatment, and a leadership style that reflects the emerging management philosophy with focus on economic administration and budgetary control. Controlling for demographic background, leader role, foreign medical exam and specialty, the empirical model was estimated via multivariate regression. Results The results documented a clear relationship between leadership style and organisational climate: a ‘professional-supportive’ leadership style is associated with better social climate, innovation climate and engagement at the workplace, while an ‘economic-operational’ leadership style is associated with a poorer social climate. Conclusions The cross-sectional study design makes it impossible to draw inferences about direction of causality and causal pathways. However, the positive relationship between professional-supportive leadership and organisational climate is a matter, which should be seriously considered regardless of direction of causality.

Message of the Department Chair

Fifty years ago, the Department of Orthopaedics was founded and became the newest clinical department of the College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines. This year 2021, we celebrate its Golden Anniversary. Even in its infancy, the department has given due emphasis on research as much as its commitment to training and service. It was one of the first if not the first clinical department to hold an Annual Research Forum and even a research unit was organized by its first Chair, Dr. Jose Silao. Much later, a small biomechanical testing unit was put up. Time and again, its staff and trainees have contributed to the continuing studies in Orthopaedics. These include a better understanding of essential surgical anatomy, validation of surgical procedures, new approaches to the treatment of many Orthopaedic pathologies, and innovations in implants and devices. The generation of new knowledge is a mandate for all university colleges and units and the Department of Orthopaedics takes this seriously. It takes pride in being recognized as a university-based training program. It hammers into the consciousness of its staff and trainees the importance of research. It uses research training for its residents as an important tool in inculcating in them the art of critical thinking, a must in our present-day evidence-based medical practice. This Orthopaedic issue of the Acta Medica Philippina is a fitting way of honoring the department’s long research tradition. The ease with which we gathered publishable researches for this issue just shows the vibrancy of research in the department and how much it has grown from its beginning in 1971. The founding fathers of the department will be proud to see that the department takes seriously the challenge to excel in Training, Service, and Research. I heartily congratulate and profusely thank the authors and editorial staff for coming out with this special Orthopaedic Issue of the Acta Medica Philippina. Juanito S. Javier, MD, MChOrth Chair Department of Orthopedics Philippine General HospitalUniversity of the Philippines Manila