Attitudes Of Medical Students Research Articles

Attitude and Understanding of Artificial Intelligence Among Saudi Medical Students: An Online Cross-Sectional Study.

Artificial Intelligence is drastically used nowadays in healthcare, but little is known about the attitude and perception of medical students towards AI in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to explore undergraduate medical student's views on AI, assessed their understanding of AI, and the level of confidence of using basic AI tools in the future. This cross-sectional study invited 303 medical undergraduate students to complete an anonymous electronic survey, which consists of questions related to attitude, understanding and confidence of using basic AI tools. We examined the statistical association between the categorical variables by using Chi-square test. The results of the study indicate that eighty-seven percent of participants believed that AI will play significant role in healthcare. Thirty-eight percent respondents reported that they have an understanding of the basic computational principle of AI. 71.29% respondents agreed that teaching in AI would be favorable for their career. More than half of the participants were confident in using basic AI tools in the future, Male students (p = 0.00), 26-30 years old participants (p = 0.03), intern students (p = 0.00), and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University medical students (p = 0.04) had positive attitude of artificial intelligence. Male participants (p = 0.02), and intern students (p = 0.00) had the highest proportion of confidence in using basic healthcare AI tool. Nearly 14% students received training on AI. Participants who received training on AI reported better understanding of AI (p = 0.03), develops positive attitude towards teaching in AI (p = 0.05), more confidence in using basic healthcare AI tools (p = 0.05). Saudi medical undergraduate students understand the significance of AI and demonstrated a positive attitude towards AI. Medical students training on AI should be expanded and improved to avoid threats for seeking jobs by adapting artificial intelligence.

Evaluation of Attitudes and Knowledge Levels of Medical Faculty Students about Probiotics

Aim: Probiotics are natural products with proven benefits in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, with relatively few side effects. The study aimed to assess medical students' knowledge, attitudes and usage habits about probiotics. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study comprised final-year medical students in the academic year 2019-2020. Preliminary information about the study was given to the participants, and their verbal consent was obtained. A questionnaire prepared by the researchers in line with the literature evaluating socio-demographic characteristics, probiotic food consumption and knowledge about probiotics was applied to the participants. Results: The mean age of 229 students (78.4%) who participated in the study was 24.24±1.61 years and 58.1% were female. Of the participants, 92.6% stated that they knew the term 'probiotic', 44.1% indicated that they knew the microorganism content of probiotic foods, and 54.2% did not consume probiotic-containing foods. The most common reasons for taking probiotics were 'digestive benefits' (42.4%) and 'boosting the immune system' (26.6%), while the most common reason for not taking probiotics was 'not needed'. In the study, 51.5% of students said they would recommend probiotic foods to their peers and patients, and the most common reason for recommendation was constipation (73.4%). The participants had a mean probiotic knowledge score of 52.41±8.70 (20-76) points. There was no relationship between male students' (51.34±9.05) and female students' knowledge levels (53.26±8.38) (p=0.101). Conclusion: The level of knowledge about probiotics, the consumption of probiotics and the attitude towards recommending probiotics among the Faculty of Medicine senior students were found to be moderate. Consumption of probiotics by healthy or sick people should be done on the advice of trained physicians Keywords: Probiotic, Medical Student, Knowledge, Attitude

Facts to Snacks. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Bite-Sized Animations in Teaching Palliative Care to Medical Students.

Current palliative care training in medical school is inadequate in preparing doctors to provide quality palliative care. Little attention is paid to determining effective methods of training. To assess the use of bite-sized animations in improving the confidence, knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards palliative care. A mixed methods cohort study was adopted for the study. 50 medical students without prior palliative training completed questionnaires before and after watching a 12-part animated palliative care video series called PowerFacts. Of these participants, 18 underwent semi-structured interviews. The quantitative results showed that animations are effective in improving the confidence (P < .001) and knowledge (P < .001), but not the attitudes (P = .183) of medical students. Confidence, knowledge and attitudes were not correlated. Analysis of follow-up interviews of a convenience sample of participants showed that animations can be effective in teaching knowledge and does fill some gaps in palliative education for medical undergraduates. However, the content delivered as a sole learning tool is inadequate in preparing medical students for clinical practice. All participants achieved level 1 (reaction), some achieved level 2 (learning) but most did not achieve level 3 (behaviour) of the Kirkpatrick's model. There is a need for a multimodal approach in the comprehensive teaching of palliative care in undergraduate medical training to achieve all four levels of the Kirkpatrick Model.

Knowledge, perception, and attitudes of medical students towards antimicrobial resistance and stewardship: an observational cross-sectional study from Palestine

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance is a global health concern that contributes to significant mortality and morbidity. This study investigated knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of medical students in Palestinian universities towards antimicrobial resistance and stewardship. The study also investigated associations between variables of students with their knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes.MethodsA questionnaire was used in this cross-sectional study. Medical students in Palestinian universities were surveyed in this study. In addition to the demographic variables of the medical students, the questionnaire measured knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of medical students in Palestinian universities towards antimicrobial resistance and stewardship.ResultsIn this study, 384 medical students returned complete questionnaires. Of the medical students, 269 (70.1%) were female, 215 (56.0%) lived in urban areas, and 244 (63.5%) were in their clinical training years. Medical students in the clinical phase demonstrated higher knowledge about microbial resistance compared to preclinical students as evidenced by a mean score of 89.7 ± 15.9 compared to 74.0 ± 26.4, respectively (p < 0.05). Similarly, clinical students displayed higher score regarding antimicrobial resistance perception, with a mean score of 85.7 ± 15.6, contrasted with 72.6 ± 24.1 among preclinical students. In terms of knowledge pertaining to antimicrobial stewardship, clinical students scored higher with a mean of 63.4 ± 28.5 compared to 54.5 ± 31.5 among preclinical students. Regarding attitudes, clinical students also demonstrated a higher mean score of 67.6 ± 22.6 in contrast to 61.1 ± 24.6 among preclinical students.ConclusionThe medical students are the future workforce of physicians in any healthcare system. Therefore, increasing knowledge of the medical students about and how to combat antimicrobial resistance can help save lives and improve patient outcomes. More studies are needed to find the best ways to increase knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of medical students towards antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship.

Medical Students' Knowledge, Attitudes Toward, and Identification of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Care.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic experiences that occur prior to age 18 years and can have a long-term impact on adult physical and mental health. Knowledge of ACEs, including the link between ACEs and health, and trauma-informed care (TIC), is essential for medical professionals to ensure respectful and compassionate care for those with a history of childhood adversity. This study examined medical students' knowledge, attitudes toward, and identification of ACEs and TIC to inform curricular efforts. Using a cross-sectional design, students were recruited from 2 medical schools, one allopathic (medical degree) and one osteopathic (doctor of osteopathic medicine degree) to complete an electronic needs assessment survey. The survey included a patient vignette to assess students' ability to identify ACEs as contributing factors to patient health. The students were blind to the full purpose of the study to obtain an objective measurement of their ability to identify ACEs as contributors to patient health. Additional questions targeting knowledge and attitudes of ACEs and TIC were devised from previously published surveys with supplemental study-designed questions. Two hundred forty students completed the survey. Results demonstrated variable ability to identify ACEs; strong general knowledge of ACEs, with less developed practical knowledge; and overall positive attitudes toward ACEs and TIC. No differences were found between the medical degree and doctor of osteopathic medicine degree, or year in program. Medical students would benefit from curricular efforts that help to increase knowledge of the link between ACEs and health, increase practical application of ACEs and TIC, and improve their ability to identify ACEs in clinical scenarios.

International support for abortion education in medical schools: results of a global online survey to explore abortion willingness, intentions, and attitudes among medical students in 85 countries.

Access to safe abortion has been recognized as a fundamental human right and important public health priority. Medical schools provide a rare opportunity to expose medical students to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) topics and normalize abortion care early in a physician's career. This cross-sectional descriptive study used an online survey to explore abortion content in medical curricula and medical student intentions, attitudes, and beliefs regarding abortion provision among 1,699 medical students from 85 countries. Results demonstrate positive attitudes towards abortion provision, with 83% reporting that "access to safe abortion is every woman's right". Students also reported a relatively high willingness to provide abortion professionally despite few opportunities to learn about this care. Only one-third of students surveyed reported having taken a gynecology course (n = 487; 33%); among these, one-third said they had no content on abortion care in their programs thus far (n = 155; 32%), including instruction on postabortion care. Among the two-thirds of students who had some content on abortion care (n = 335), either on induced abortion, postabortion care (PAC), or both, 55% said content was limited to one lecture and only 19% reported having an opportunity to participate in any practical training on abortion provision. Despite most students having no or very limited didactic and practical training on abortion, 42% intended to provide this care after graduation. Three-quarters of student respondents were in favor of mandatory abortion education in medical curricula. The findings of this study offer new evidence about abortion care education in medical curricula around the globe, indicating that there is no lack of demand or interest in increasing medical knowledge on comprehensive abortion care, merely a lack of institutional will to expand course offerings and content.

Knowledge and attitudes of medical students toward death: a cross-sectional comparative study between an Arab and a Western University

BackgroundCultural factors influence attitudes toward death, and gender disparities are evident. Prior studies show that medical students have limited knowledge about death and are uncomfortable with it. Moreover, there is limited research that has examined factors that influence medical students’ knowledge and attitudes toward death.ObjectivesThe objectives of the study were to compare cultural and gender differences in relation to knowledge and attitudes toward loss and grief and to screen for complicated grief among medical students at the Arabian Gulf University and the University of Toronto.MethodsA cross-sectional study was disseminated to medical students at both universities in 2022. The variables in the survey included four parts: demographic characteristics of the participants, religious observance, history of encountering loss of a loved one, grief following loss, attitude toward death, and learning about how to deal with grief and death during medical school. The brief grief questionnaire and the death attitude profile-revised scales were used.ResultsThe study sample consisted of 168 medical students, with 74.1% being female. Complicated grief scores were higher among Arabian Gulf University students (3.87 ± 2.39) than among University of Toronto students (2.00 ± 1.93) and were higher for participants with a higher degree of religious observance in both schools (p < 0.05). Death avoidance (p = 0.003), approach acceptance (p < 0.001), and escape acceptance (p = 0.038) domains were significantly higher among Arabian Gulf University students than among University of Toronto students. Almost three-quarters of University of Toronto students reported not being taught about grief, compared to 54% of Arabian Gulf University students.ConclusionsArabian Gulf University medical students scored higher on complicated grief, most likely due to cultural and religious factors. Females at both institutions as well as those who indicated a higher level of religious observance reported higher scores of complicated grief. The study highlights how cultural and religious beliefs influence medical students’ attitudes toward death and bereavement. It provides valuable insight into the knowledge and attitudes of medical students toward loss.

Evaluation of monkeypox knowledge and attitudes among Chinese medical students

BackgroundMonkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by the monkeypox virus and is increasingly recognized as a serious public health concern worldwide. Our aim was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of Chinese medical students regarding monkeypox.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 8,897 college students from China. An e-questionnaire was used to collect data on knowledge (17 items), attitudes (12 items), and baseline criteria. The relationships between a range of factors and knowledge and attitudes were studied using univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA total of 79.33% of the study participants were female, 89.10% were of Han ethnicity, 72.50% were from rural areas, 50.39% were in their first year, and 80.65% were medical majors. A total of 50.88% had good knowledge of monkeypox, and 57.11% had a positive attitude towards monkeypox knowledge. Univariate analysis revealed that origin and major were the factors affecting the knowledge level of monkeypox among participants. Rural students had more knowledge of monkeypox than urban students, and nonmedical students had greater awareness of monkeypox than did medical students. Moreover, sex and grade were the factors influencing participants’ attitudes towards monkeypox; men had more positive attitudes than women did, and senior students had more positive attitudes than junior students did. Multivariate analysis revealed that major and the origin of the students independently influenced the monkeypox knowledge of Chinese medical students, while sex, grade and monkeypox knowledge were significantly related to attitudes towards monkeypox.ConclusionThis study revealed that nearly half of the Chinese medical students had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards monkeypox. Student origin and major independently influenced the knowledge of Chinese medical students of monkeypox, while sex, grade and knowledge were independently related to the attitudes of Chinese medical students towards monkeypox.

Usage and attitude of medical students towards mobile medical applications during and after COVID-19 lockdown: repeated cross-sectional study

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift toward e-learning, particularly in medical education. Mobile medical applications (apps) have become integral tools for e-learning due to the prevalence of smartphones among medical students. Therefore, we aim to assess the usage and attitude of undergraduate Egyptian medical students towards mobile medical apps during and after the COVID-19 lockdown.MethodsThis is a two-phase repeated cross-sectional study using an online, pilot-tested, and self-administered survey conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt. Phase 1 was during the academic year 2019–2020 (during lockdown), and phase 2 was during the academic year 2021–2022 (after lockdown). Out of the 4800-target population for each phase, a sample size of 140 medical students was randomly selected from each study year, resulting in a total sample size of 840 students for all six academic and clinical years for each phase.ResultsA total of 566 students in phase 1 and 616 students in phase 2 responded to the survey, with response rates of 67.62% and 73.33%, respectively. In phase 1, 55.7% of students reported using medical apps, with no significant difference between males and females (60.1% vs. 53.8%; p = 0.17) or between academic and clinical years (56.3% vs. 54.7%; p = 0.7). In phase 2, the percentage increased to 70.9%, with a significant difference between males and females (80% vs. 62.9%; p < 0.001) and between academic and clinical years (79.8% vs. 63%; p < 0.001). Medical dictionaries were the most commonly used apps, whereas medical calculators were the least common in both phases. Regarding their attitude, most students (65.1% and 73.9% in phases 1 and 2, respectively) expressed confidence in using medical apps, while 81.3% in phase 1 and 88.1% in phase 2 agreed that using medical apps is a flexible method of learning. Lack of knowledge regarding which app to download was the most reported cause of limitation in medical app usage by 37.8% of the students in phase 1 and 40% in phase 2.ConclusionOur study revealed that the COVID-19 lockdown led to a significant increase in the use of mobile medical apps among Egyptian medical students. Despite the positive attitude of students towards these apps, multiple challenges still need to be addressed to ensure their optimal utilization in medical education.

Shifts in Students' Attitudes Towards Pain Patients, Pain, and Opioid Management Following a Dedicated Medical School Pain Curriculum.

To examine the immediate effects of a comprehensive pain course on medical students' pre-existing perceptions and attitudes toward pain patients and opioid management. First-year medical students at a major academic medical center enrolled in a required pre-clerkship pain course in June 2020 and completed pre- and post-course online surveys with Likert-scale questions about their attitudes toward pain management and opioid-related issues. Additionally, the surveys included a free-text question where the students listed the first five words that came to mind when hearing the word "opioids". These words were categorized as "professional" or "lay" words and further as having "positive", "negative", or "neutral" connotations. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, as well as non-parametric and parametric tests. Fifty-four of the 119 students responded to pretest and posttest surveys and were included in paired analyses. There was a significant difference between the number of professional words used before (M=1.21, SD=0.97) and after the course (M=2.40 SD=1.33); t(52)=-6.39, P<0.001. Students also used more lay-positive words after the course (M=0.81, SD=0.63) than they used pre-course (M=0.23, SD=0.43); t(51)=-5.98, P<0.001. Students' post-course responses to several key Likert-scale questions showed significant shifts toward more positive attitudes about caring for patients with pain. For example, students acknowledged greater comfort in providing opioids for chronic pain (P<0.001) where appropriate, and enhanced interest in handling complex pain cases (P<0.001). Results showed that a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary pain course could greatly enhance first-year medical students' attitudes toward pain management, chronic pain patients, and the complex issues surrounding opioids.

Decreasing Stigma Toward People Who Inject Drugs: Harm Reduction Training for First-Year Medical Students.

Stigma in health care toward people who inject drugs (PWID) is a well described, significant barrier to quality care, resulting in poor health outcomes. Harm reduction offers a person-centered counter-framework for minimizing harm for people who use drugs. Despite the evidence in support of harm reduction, medical students typically receive minimal training on harm reduction and the care of PWID. To fill this gap, medical students at University of California, Los Angeles organized around the principles of harm reduction to improve the medical school curriculum related to PWID. Students screened lectures for stigmatizing language and collaborated with faculty to improve lecture materials. They partnered with a community organizer and hosted a mandatory 1-hour lecture and 30-minute discussion introducing the principles of harm reduction within an overdose prevention, recognition, and response training for first-year medical students during medical school orientation in August 2022. An anonymous online pre- and posttest survey, assessing student attitudes toward PWID, was used to evaluate the effects of the training. A total of 156 students completed the pretest survey, and 107 students completed the pre- and posttest survey (68.5% response rate). The overall posttest mean stigma score was 1.8 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.5) and was significantly lower than the pretest mean of 2.1 (SD = 0.7; P < .0001), indicating a reduction in stigma among medical student attitudes after the course. There was statistically significant improvement in attitudes for 7 of 13 component measures. This analysis demonstrated that the mandatory class has the capacity to improve medical student attitudes toward PWID. The authors plan to further evaluate the program's effectiveness through measuring and reporting outcomes for future student cohorts. The authors are working with curriculum directors to further incorporate harm reduction principles into other lectures and problem-based learning exercises.

Attitudes toward learning communication skills among Iranian medical students

BackgroundAttitudes determine behavior, and alterations in attitude may result in behavioral changes. Medical students would benefit from learning communication skills. This study aimed to determine the attitude of medical students toward the importance of learning communication skills and the training courses and their role in contributing.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 442 medical students from three different levels of medical training were enrolled. Students in the first 4 years of the medical program were classified as basic sciences and physiopathology students, those in the fifth and sixth years were classified as clerkship students, and those in the last three terms of medical training were classified as interns. The attitude among these three groups was assessed by the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) questionnaire, and the contributing factors were determined.ResultsThe mean total points for attitude in positive and negative aspects were 50.7 and 30.9, respectively showing a positive attitude toward communication skills among medical students. The median scores of the scales Important in Medical Content, Excuse, Learning, and Overconfidence varied significantly from highest to lowest, respectively. Gender, educational level, ethnic origin, language, family burden, paternal literacy, history of presence in communication skills courses, self-report from communication skills, and need to further learning in this era showed significant association with attitude (P < 0.05).ConclusionsIt may be concluded that generally, medical students have a positive attitude toward communication skills, and this perspective is a multi-factorial entity that programming according to the various related factors would help to attainment of additional communication capabilities among medical students.

The impact of badmouthing of medical specialties to medical students.

This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of Irish medical students exposed to 'badmouthing' of different specialities and to ascertain: the degree of criticism of specialities based on the seniority of clinical or academic members of staff; if 'badmouthing' influenced student career choice in psychiatry; and attitudes of medical students towards psychiatry as a speciality and career choice. Medical students in three Irish universities were invited to complete an online survey to determine the frequency and effect of non-constructive criticism on choice of medical specialty. The online questionnaire was distributed to Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), University of Galway (UoG) and University College Dublin (UCD) in the academic year 2020-2021. General practice (69%), surgery (65%) and psychiatry (50%) were the most criticised specialties. Criticism was most likely to be heard from medical students. 46% of students reported reconsidering a career in psychiatry due to criticism from junior doctors. There was a positive perception of psychiatry with 27% of respondents considering psychiatry as a first-choice specialty. Criticism of psychiatry by doctors, academics and student peers negatively influences students' career choice, which could be contributing to recruitment difficulties in psychiatry.

Grasping knowledge, attitude, and perception towards monkeypox among healthcare workers and medical students: an Egyptian cross-sectional study.

Monkeypox (Mpox) is a re-emerging infectious disease representing a new global challenge. It poses a substantial threat to countries, particularly those with a low number of cases. Due to its popularity as a tourist destination and its proximity to many African refugees, Egypt is potentially at risk of Mpox importation. Therefore, effective disease management necessitates healthcare workers (HCWs) to possess adept knowledge, along with a positive attitude and behavior. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception of Egyptian HCWs and medical students towards human Mpox. The present cross-sectional study data was collected from participants between October and December 2022 via a questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised 31 questions in the knowledge section, 11 questions in the attitude section, and 14 in the perception section. The present study involved a total of 1,034 HCWs and medical students. It was found that 55.3% of the participants demonstrated adequate knowledge about Mpox, whereas 44.5% and 39.8% of the respondents exhibited favorable attitudes and perceptions towards the disease, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that adequate knowledge was significantly observed in ages older than 40 years (p < 0.001), married participants (p < 0.001), and doctors (p < 0.001). The positive attitude was significantly observed among the male sex (p = 0.045), urban residents (p = 0.002), and nurses (p = 0.002). Conversely, married participants (p = 0.013), doctors (p < 0.001), and individuals employed in pharmacy and laboratory departments (p < 0.001) experienced an increase in positive perception. Knowledge, attitude, and perception towards Mpox among Egyptian HCWs and medical students exhibit suboptimal levels. Addressing these gaps is crucial to controlling and effectively preventing disease transmission.

An Evaluation of Medical Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes About People With Disability After Attending the Learning Session on Disability Competency: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective The Medical Council of India [now replaced by the National Medical Commission (NMC)] has implemented a new competency-based curriculum for medical education. Eight competencies in the curriculum are related to the principles of disability-inclusive compassionate care. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudesamong undergraduate medical students about people withdisability after attending learning sessions on disability competency. Materials and methods After they attended the learning session during the foundation course, participants were evaluated by using a questionnaire involving 26 questions, of which 17 were based on the Likert scale to assess general perceptions towards the person with a disability, while three questions aimed to assess attitudes, and six closed-ended questions tried to assess knowledge about disability. Results In the present study, 79.7% (n=157) of the students thought that people with disabilities faced problems getting involved in society, and 81.2% (n=160) felt that it was harder for them to make friends than others. The majority of the students disagreed with the idea that people with disabilities are a burden on society (n=149, 75.6%) or their families (n=119, 60.4%); 65% (n=128) of the students thought that people with disabilities are more determined than others to reach their goals and achieve more owing to their disability (n=104, 52.85%). A total of 161 (81.7%) students disagreed with the statement that people with disabilities should not be optimistic about their future. A comparison of the pre- and post-test data revealed that students' knowledge regarding disability increased and they gained a more positive attitude towards people with a disability after attending teaching and learning sessions (p<0.0001). Conclusion Our findings showed a significant improvement in the undergraduate medical students' understanding and empathy toward individuals with disabilities followingsessions on disability competency. Teaching and learning sessions on disability competencies for newly admitted students in medical school can sensitize, orient, increase knowledge, and develop positive attitudes toward people with disabilities. Further studies on the topic are needed involvingdifferent phases of clinical teaching.

Investigating medical student's attitudes about road accident risks: A cross-sectional study.

Given that unsafe human actions are the main cause of accidents, it is essential to comprehend the attitudes of medical students toward the risks of road accidents, particularly given their potential influence as future healthcare professionals. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate the attitudes of medical students towards road accidents. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences students in 2021 as available sampling. The required information was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire with a content validity ratio of 0.9, a content validity index of 0.9-0.8, and a reliability (α) of 0.79, which was presented online in the university systems. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 23 software, data description was done as frequency and percentage, and analytical analysis was done with the χ 2 test. The average age of the participants was 21.7 (4.2) years; 45.7% of the participants were male and 11.3% were married; 79.7% had less than 300 km of driving experience; 76% had less than 3 years since receiving their license; 14% stated that they drive faster than others; 18.3% reported a history of fines; and 28.3% reported an accident history. The most incorrect attitudes of students regarding low-risk using mobile phones (86%), text sending (84.3%), eating and drinking while driving (74.6%), driving after consuming alcohol or drugs (73%), and driving when tired and sleepy (85.4%) were reported. Based on the results, it is suggested to plan to correct wrong attitudes, especially among young and educated drivers, through education and culture, so that we can move in the direction of reducing accidents.

The attitude of medical students concerning herbal medicinal products/phytopharmaceuticals/phytotherapy in different regions of Europe

BackgroundA survey was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs)/phytopharmaceuticals/phytotherapy. MethodsIn total, 150 students were interviewed in three regions: Germany (n = 50; 64 % female, 36 % male), Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary (n = 50; 64 % female, 36 % male) as well as Italy and Spain (n = 50; 68 % female, 28 % male, 4 % divers). ResultsApproximately 70 % of participants in all three regions reported having at least some knowledge in this field. While half of the German students held a favorable view of HMPs/phytopharmaceuticals, only 30 % in Italy and Spain and 22 % in the three Eastern countries shared this perspective. Most interviewed students expressed an interest in learning more about the topic, with their primary sources of information being university courses and seminars with practising physicians. Scientific organisations, scientific publications, university professors and lecturers were identified as strongest, most credible influence on the opinion. ConclusionThe results suggest a potential for national or international associations to offer relevant education in this field, with a focus on therapeutic effects and evidence regarding benefits and risks.

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination among medical undergraduate students of Maharajgunj Medical Campus in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Background: The rate of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among health professionals is about 2–10 times higher than that of the general population since, they are more prone for exposure to infected blood and body fluid and contaminated needles and syringes. The risk of accidental exposure among the medical students is even higher due to their non-experience, insufficient training and lack of preventive knowledge. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical students towards Hepatitis B. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 206 medical undergraduate students from May 2022 to July 2022. A pretested self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect data. Descriptive analysis was done by calculating frequency and percentages of categorical variables. χ2 test was used to determine the association between categorical independent variables and categorical dependent variables. Results: Among 206 students, 93.7% of them had good knowledge and 98.5% had good attitude. The practice was low with only 35% having safe practices. Similarly, only 46.6% of medical students were completely vaccinated. 23.8% had done Hepatitis B testing. Students who had encountered Hepatitis B patients during their posting were 51.9%. There was significant association of sociodemographic variables with knowledge, attitude and practice towards Hepatitis B vaccination. Conclusion: Although, the knowledge and attitude towards Hepatitis B vaccination is high, the practice levels are very low. This indicates need for immunizing medical students against Hepatitis B and reforming training curriculum more focusing on preventive practices against HBV.

The Knowledge of Students at Bursa Faculty of Medicine towards Artificial Intelligence: A Survey Study

Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is being increasingly widely employed in medicine. Various artificial intelligence software solutions will most certainly be available to medical students when they begin their jobs after completing school. The goal of this study was to assess medical faculty students' knowledge and attitudes about AI in medicine.&#x0D; Methods: In 2020-2021, students at the University of Health Sciences, Bursa Training and Research Hospital participated in an online survey using Google Forms. The survey included sections assessing demographic features and attitudes toward AI in medicine.&#x0D; Results: The questionnaire was completed by 85 students (57 females and 28 males). 50 medical school students and 35 pediatric medical specialty students completed the questionnaire. The mean time spent on the internet per day was 7.5400 ±3.67123 hours in MS and 3.1143 ± 2.0547 hours in MA (p &lt; 0.001). All of the participants had heard AI before (p = 0.500). 62% of MS and 65.7% of MA worried about AI doing many things today; no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (p = 0.453). 56.5% of participants felt “curiosity”, 16.4% felt “excited”, 11.8% felt “look positive”, 15.3% felt “frightened” about the increased use of artificial intelligence in our lives. 24% of the MS and 37.1% of the MA knew AI applications used in medicine; there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.191). The most commonly known applications of AI in medicine were in the fields of robotic surgery (10.5%) and radiology (3.6%). While 8% of the MS participated in the project / study related to AI; none of the MA participated, there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.036). On the contrary, the use of AI in medicine was 5.7% in MA; it was never possible in MS, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.057). 91.8% of the participants would like to use AI in their future careers as physicians. 68% of MS and 94.3% of MA thought AI could not replace doctors in the future; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.004).&#x0D; Conclusion: Medical students, who will be the physicians of the future, regarded AI applications positively, and they wanted to gain education and experience in this subject with deep curiosity. Since the knowledge level of future physicians in this field is not sufficient, it is important to provide more AI training in medicine, to participate in more projects in this field, and to increase the use of AI by medical students in the field of medicine.

Evaluation of the Perceptions and Attitudes towards Dating Violence among Medical Students

Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the perceptions and attitudes of medical students about dating violence. &#x0D; Methods: In the descriptive study, the universe was medical students of 1st-6th grade in a state university in Istanbul. A questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic questions (18 questions), Dating Violence Attitude Scale (DVAS), Dating Violence Perception Scale (DVPS) was sent to the participants by mobilephone via WhatApp. &#x0D; Results: The median age of 339 students who answered the questionnaire was 21.0 (17.0-29.0). Of the students 61.4% (n=208) were women. The rates of students who used nicotine and alcohol were 53.4% (n=181) and 58.4% (n=198), respectively. Of the students 67.3% (n=228) had a dating relationship before, and 30.4% (n=103) had current relationship. Of the students had a dating relationship before, 23.7% (n=54) had experienced dating violence in their past relationship, and 14.6% (n=15) of the students who had a current dating relationship had experienced dating violence in their current relationship. Students who used nicotine and alcohol were exposed to a higher rate of dating violence. While the total scores of DVAS of women were higher than men, the total scores of DVPS were significantly lower (p