Doctoral Work Research Articles

Hematologic mask of infective endocarditis as a cause of fever of unknown origin: a case report

Fever of unknown origin (FUO), despite the wide diagnostic potential of modern medicine, remains a difficult problem for clinicians. Often, making a correct diagnosis requires a comprehensive examination of the patient, as well as the joint work of doctors from different specialties.A 57-year-old male patient was hospitalized due to an episode of loss of consciousness, unmotivated weight loss and daily evening temperature rises to 38-39о C, accompanied by chills and increased sweating. Previously, he was examined by a general practitioner, a cardiologist, and repeatedly by a hematologist. There was no evidence of an infectious disease, arrhythmias, multiple myeloma, lymphoproliferative disorders. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) was diagnosed. Blood tests revealed neutrophilia (9800 cells/ μl) and moderate anemia. The patient was hospitalized to determine the FUO cause. Heart auscultation revealed a systolic murmur in the mitral valve, which was previously absent. Echocardiography revealed a mobile masses on the mitral valve, severe mitral regurgitation, and therefore infective endocarditis was diagnosed. Empirical antibiotic therapy with ceftriaxone and levofloxacin was administered. Further blood culture revealed growth of a HACEK representative Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, sensitive to both drugs. Examination established the odontogenic nature of endocarditis. During treatment, stable normothermia and significant blood count improvement were achieved. However, fluoroquinolone therapy led to tendinopathy. Due to persistent grade 3 mitral regurgitation, the patient underwent routine mitral valve replacement. Further follow-up revealed satisfactory condition of the patient.A feature of this case is the atypical course of infective endocarditis, occurring under a hematological mask, which made its diagnosis difficult. When examining a FUO patient, infective endocarditis should be included in the range of possible causes, taking into account not only the typical clinical picture, but also the numerous masks of this disease.

Traditional Chinese medicine for sjögren’s syndrome: a national survey of attitudes and perceptions among Chinese patients and rheumatologists

BackgroundThis study explored similarities and differences among Chinese patients and rheumatologists in their attitudes towards and perceptions of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), including analyzing factors that influenced their decision making.MethodsAn anonymous questionnaire was used to conduct a multicenter survey among patients with SS at three tertiary care medical centers in Beijing and among rheumatology clinicians at several hospitals across China. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.ResultsThere were 942 valid questionnaires from patients from 31 provinces and cities in China, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 1:14, a mean age of 48.81 years, and a median disease duration of 7 (4, 10) years. There were 320 valid questionnaires from rheumatologists, covering 30 provinces and cities in China, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 0.87:1, a mean age of 48 years, and a median work duration of 10.5 (6, 15) years. The rheumatologists treated a median of 15 (11, 50) SS cases per month, and the median proportion of SS to all rheumatic diseases was 6.66% (6–10%). Many patients believed TCM could cure the root of the disease, and the most expected TCM therapies were TCM patent prescriptions and medicinal teas. Conversely, rheumatologists placed high value on the efficacy of TCM, and most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal decoctions. Most doctor-patient groups were positive about TCM treatment, citing the low side effects as the major advantage. Regression analysis showed that for patients over 40 years old with a course of disease > 4 years, the probability of using TCM has increased by 1–6 times; the probability of recommending TCM in clinical work of doctors who have worked for more than 15 years, TCM and integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine has increased 1–2 times.ConclusionsTCM has become widely accepted and earned attention from doctor-patient groups, especially among older patients and experienced rheumatologists. However, negative prejudices and absence of accurate information about TCM treatments and SS itself require improvement. The contradiction between TCM dosage form and efficacy is a major problem, and patient demand for convenient and efficient TCM patent preparations suggests future work should focus on developing TCM patent preparations with clear compositions and mechanisms.

The labyrinth of marginality: a critique of theorising literary representation of marginality in indian english literature

In his work After Amnesia, G.N. Devy rightly points out a gap, a void created by our collective “cultural amnesia” in literary theory and criticism. Foregrounding this insight, the research on “Marginal Literature” has crucial ontological and epistemological questions ahead of itself. The question: “What is Marginal Literature?” becomes more pertinent and complex when assessed in the context of the plurality of Indian society and culture. The exercise of creating a structured and organised theoretical point of view that is comprehensive enough to address and acknowledge the diverse and multifaceted marginal experience as expressed by contemporary writers is a challenge for all scholars working to define, hypothesise, analyse the phenomenon of marginality in the form of a question, a vista, an enigma or a mere tributary in the canon of Indian Literature written and translated in English. As a doctoral candidate working in this area, in this paper, I intend to discuss the various theorists, thinkers, and perspectives that have informed and the lacunas that have restrained the discussion of marginality in my thesis.

Formation of conceptual representations of reality on the basis of reflective practice (research experience)

Introduction. The transition from ordinary perceptions of reality to conceptualized ones is a significant problem of philosophical education. The aim of this article is to identify the ways of this transition in the course of doctoral students' work with modern philosophical literature, to substantiate ontological and epistemological principles of understanding reality, and to summarize modern approaches to solving this problem. Materials and Methods. On the basis of teaching practice, which goes back to Socrates' Maieutic method, the principle of “pro et contra”, and substantially determined by the discussions of realists and anti-realists about the nature of reality, the ways of strengthening the discipline of judgment, improving the reflexive culture, clarifying the bases of one's own ideas about the world and formalizing them in a thoughtful system of judgments are revealed. The method of research into the formation of conceptual representations of reality involves analyzing the ways of transition from unconsidered opinions through the recognition of their insufficiency and unsatisfactoriness to such knowledge, which Plato called ‘theory’ (θεωρία), i.e. rationally constructed principles of analytics. In this methodological approach (communicative-competence - in the modern formulation), the very sequence of cognitive acts is important: from ordinary ‘naïve’ perceptions - to a clear understanding of the complexity of the problem - then to the formation of questions in the audience that lead beyond a surface view of reality - and to the possible conceptual coherence and validity of perceptions of reality. Results. In the course of History and Philosophy of Science for doctoral students, the author proposed and justified the use of a three-level construct of moving from everyday representations of reality to conceptually meaningful ones. At the first level it was proposed to give an intuitive definition of the concept of ‘reality’; at the second level to analyze it, relying on sources from among those recommended by the lecturer or chosen independently, then briefly formulate the essence of realistic and anti-realistic approaches and identify the logic of one of them, and at the third level to move to the opposite position and present the relevant arguments. The author summarized the results of this procedure, which includes critical overcoming of ordinary statements about the nature of reality and dialogue between opposite conceptual solutions to the problem, and substantiated that such practice gives the effect of “awakened consciousness” and becomes the basis for readiness to conduct an internal dialogue on complex philosophical problems. Conclusions. The skills of reality analysis presented in the article develop and improve the reflexive practice of young researchers, clarify the basis of their own perceptions of the world, formalize them in a reasoned and critically elaborated system of judgments, and form their readiness to solve complex problems in science and philosophy.

Some Local Survival Strategies to Cope with Flood: Examples from Bhakat Chapori, Majuli, Assam

The understanding of local coping and survival strategies are very important to know about how a community deals with hazardous condition. Each community builds own local survival strategies to overcome the vulnerability of familiar disastrous events. Histories have shown that ‘Majuli the largest riverine Island of the world has been experiencing the effects of flood since past. The mainland of Majuli Island is surrounded by several small islets or chapories and the studied area “Bhakat Chapori” is one of them. Local people of this chapori have been living with flood since long and now flood became a part of their life and culture. The present study includes how local or indigenous knowledge system of the villages of Bhakat chapori can help them to manage mild effects of flood as per their own survival strategies. The paper is an outcome of ongoing doctoral research work, purely based on ethnographic fieldwork. Here an attempt has made to document and understand the local survival or coping strategies of a small island during flood events. Some strategies are so effective that those can be applied other parts of the country or world for the better survival of the people.

Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect Indications: Insights From Medical Students.

Child abuse is a severe issue that impacts medical professionals and patients globally. It can lead to discomfort, risk, or even the demise of a child. One of the most significant facets of a doctor's work involves providing aid to those in need; since children are more dependent on others for care and safety, they should receive attention that is even more special in quality. Hence, this study aims to assess the views, professional experiences, and comprehension of Saudi Arabian medical students regarding child abuse and neglect (CAN). This study was carried out at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital. It involved 65 students who were either victims of child abuse or the relatives/family members of child abuse victims. The participants' awareness of several critical components ofCANwas considerable. However, their understanding regarding the reporting of CAN cases was rather meager. Furthermore, their views of and professional experience with CAN were not excellent in terms of quality. Saudi Arabia should implement an extensive plan to prevent the abuse of children at any level, given the nation's clinical experience and expertise in this field. The nation's pediatricians should direct as well as assist in this process, thereby playing a major role in preventing and addressing CAN cases.

Out of Breath: Toward a New Origin Story of Public Health.

Problems caused by overcrowding and the simple need to breathe represent one of the major consequences of medical racism. With few exceptions, histories of epidemics, disease prevention, and sanitation often focus on municipal reform efforts to clean up gritty urban centers from London to Paris to New York. This article traces how concerns about ventilation emerged during the transatlantic slave trade and continued to be a problem for Black people throughout the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The article emphasizes that Black people were not just the victims of medical racism but initiated many crusades in the United States to promote better ventilation throughout the twentieth century. This article highlights the work of Black reformers, doctors, and thinkers who fought to create healthy living conditions for Black people.

MODELLING OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS BY MEANS OF LABOUR FUNCTION EXPERT ANALYSIS

To substantiate the modern model of professional competences of healthcare workers based on expert modelling of labour functions in a professional standard as a basic element of the system of assessment of their qualifications and continuing professional development. In the system of healthcare professionals' training, a prognostic approach to designing a structural and functional model of a specialist remains the main one. Using the analysis of modern data on the relations between the labour market and the system of doctors' professional training, the pragmatic (actualisation) model of professional competences is substantiated. The latter is based on the analysis of experts who observe the actual work of doctors in real conditions, build their expert opinion on the basis of self-reflection and analysis of their own professional experience. In contrast to the prognostic model, this model can be used as a basis for the formation and assessment of professional competences of healthcare professionals, in particular those acquired through non-formal and informal education based on constructivist learning principles. The features of the pragmatic (actualisation) model of doctors' professional competences are as follows: methodological reliance on constructivism; expert method of forming the content of labour actions and competences; results of professional self-reflection of healthcare professionals; fixation of professional competences in professional standards by medical specialities; evaluation of the results of non-formal and informal learning; analysis of current labour market information, up-to-date descriptions of activities in the workplace and relevant job functions; realism and pragmatism. In order to develop the National Qualifications System in the field of healthcare, it is necessary to implement the following: implementation as regulated by the current legislation of the procedures for assessment of formal, non-formal and informal results of professional training in the system of continuing professional development; development of professional standards for all specialities of healthcare professionals — doctors, nurses, pharmacists and managers of healthcare facilities; development of a system of independent qualification centres in the healthcare sector.

Pharmacological and legal aspects of the drugs in modern animal husbandry

In modern conditions, the responsibility of the farmer and veterinarian to ensure the proper quality of livestock products by observing the deadlines for the withdrawal of medicinal products is increasing, especially in cases of unauthorized use of medical therapeutic agents. The purpose of the study was to get acquainted with the pharmacological and legal aspects of the use of medicinal products in modern animal husbandry and to determine the role and tasks of the veterinarian in ensuring the quality and safety of products of animal origin. An analysis of legal acts of various countries regulating the use of medicinal products outside of the instructions in modern animal husbandry was carried out. The analysis of the results of the study allows us to state that in view of the intensifcation of animal husbandry and the prospects for the development of trade in products of animal origin within the framework of the WTO and with EU countries, the issue outside the instructions for the use of medicinal products for farm animals in Ukraine requires attention. The attitude to the use of medicinal products should be reflected in the relevant legal acts regulating the work of veterinary medicine doctors. In Ukraine, the main document for veterinary medicine regarding the rules for the use of veterinary drugs is the Law "On Veterinary Medicine". According to it, it is allowed to use for farm animals only medicines entered in the state register. An important task of the pharmacological support of the animal husbandry industry should be the study of the pharmacokinetics of drugs in cases of their use in animals outside of the instructions. We believe that the further study of the experience of European countries in solving the issue of pharmacological support for the production of livestock products and the development of regulatory documents in Ukraine is a promising direction of research. Key words: animal husbandry, product safety, medicinal products, instructions, application.

Impact of Islamophobic myths on Indian healthcare

This paper explores how anti-Muslim myths, particularly the related neo-eugenic ideas of ‘population jihad,’ ‘love jihad,’ and ‘corona jihad’, work to stigmatise Muslims in India. I discuss how these ideas,...

Topological 3D reconstruction of multiple anatomical structures from volumetric medical data

In the medical field, usually, practitioners mainly base their analysis on 2D slices produced from MRI or CT-scans that correspond to restricted views of a pathology. To facilitate the work of doctors, increase diagnostic accuracy and cross-reference multimodal data, a 3D reconstruction is required. However, most of the time, reconstruction methods fail at visualizing complex and noisy data made up of several tissues. Indeed, these methods often build each tissue independently so that the consistency of the global model is not ensured: overlaps may appear between segments whereas some disjointed volumes exhibit empty spaces. This paper presents a complete topologically consistent reconstruction system from 3D medical acquisitions such as MRI or CT-scans. Compared to other methods, our system offers a single volumetric representation of an organ corresponding to a 3D space partition, where a semantic label is associated to each volume to identify the represented tissue and adjacency between volumes is explicitly and precisely defined. This partition is controlled and free from topological and geometric defects usually found in other 3D reconstruction approaches. Experimental studies were conducted on MRI datasets of brains resulting in consistent reconstructions. An application of the model for calculating the distribution of physiological data in brain tissue is also shown.

ПЕРВЫЕ НАЦИОНАЛЬНЫЕ МЕДИЦИНСКИЕ КАДРЫ КАБАРДЫ И БАЛКАРИИ

сurrently, the study of the historical stages of the formation and development of medical personnel and the entire health care systemas a whole is one of the most relevant areas in the course of higher medical education. The significance of the problem makes us turn to the lessons of the past, namely, the history of the appearance of the first doctors, whose names and experience formed the basis for the formation and development of healthcare. The article attempts to restore the names of unfairly "forgotten" people who devoted themselves entirely to the cause of healing, as well as the history of the first national medical personnel in the region and their contribution to the prevention and treatment of the local population of the Nalchik district. The article is based on the biographical data carefully collected in the Archive Service of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic and other sources of the first well - known regional doctors from the indigenous inhabitants of Kabardino-Balkaria, as well as their contribution to the development of medical services in the region, which makes the work unique. The selfless work of the first doctors shows the history of the formation and development of traditional medicine and all health care in the Nalchik district of the Terek region in the pre-revolutionary period. Studying the history of regional healthcare development helps to better understand and evaluate positive experiences, and to anticipate the main directionsof its subsequent development.

Qualitative Data Analysis Retreats: Creating New Spaces for Doctoral Student Analytic Work

Qualitative data analysis is recognized as a threshold concept in research education and can be conceptually challenging for doctoral students. While retreats are common approaches to support dissertation writing, we propose an unconventional approach for doctoral education with the use of retreats for qualitative data analysis. Analytic autoethnography was used to examine what features of an off-campus retreat supported data analysis of dissertation research, With the use of a focused agenda, the retreat space offered opportunities for icebreakers to stimulate synthesis thinking, student-led analytic activities, and reflective writing. Data were collected from documents, analytic artifacts, photographs, and reflective journals. We identified three themes pertaining to retreat features to support qualitative analytic work: Analytic Immersion, Analytic Support, and Analytic Reflection. Findings suggest that retreat spaces can be used to support doctoral students navigating the challenges of knowledge acquisition associated with qualitative data analysis. We recommend four key considerations when designing a qualitative analysis retreat: (1) create a space for analytic immersion; (2) design activities to cultivate student agency; (3) situate faculty for optimal student mentoring and support; and (4) allocate time and space reflective practice. This paper contributes to the ongoing conversation of threshold concepts in doctoral education and offers a new approach for supporting students during data analysis.

DEVELOPMENT OF AN APPLICATION AS AN AUXILIARY TOOL FOR VERIFICATION OF AN ELECTROCARDIOGRAM CONCLUSION

Objective: Electrocardiography (ECG) is a key step in the diagnosis of cardiovascular pathology. Interpretation of the ECG is carried out by the doctor in the first minutes of severe patient admission and often determines further tactics of management. However, such an important diagnostic method is quite subjective, since it is highly dependent on the knowledge, and experience of the doctor and even on his attention to detail. The objective is to develop an application for automatic verification of various ECG criteria (exceptionally as an addition to the subjective interpretation of the doctor). Design and method: The desktop application was developed in Python (v3.10.5) by implementing its object-oriented programming concepts. Tkinter was chosen as a Graphical User Interface framework. The set of standard libraries has been supplemented by OpenCV (v4.6.0.66) for recognizing and digitizing ECG images, Pillow (v9.3.0) for manipulating the image and its metadata, NumPy (v1.23.5) for further analysis, and others. The initial version of the program includes STEMI recognition. Real ECGs printed on graph paper were used for debugging and testing. Results: When launching the application, the user is prompted to select a file containing an ECG image (a). After the required image has opened, the user should indicate the requested ECG-leads in the picture, following the simplest instructions (b). Then processing of the leads automatically starts. This phase is hidden from the user, and only a progress bar is displayed on the screen (c). Meanwhile, a number of manipulations are performed, such as converting the picture to a binary state, recognizing the ECG-line, and storing the coordinates of each pixel in the database. Objects of such classes as Isoline, and Cardiac Cycle with R wave, ST segment, etc. are created for each of the objects of the Lead class (d). Further geometric study of the pixel base and checking for the pathological ECG-signs on the backend form the final conclusion for the user (e). Conclusions: The developed application is relevant for use as an additional tool in the work and training of doctors. It can be expanded to cover a wide range of pathologies.

Family, partnership, life satisfaction and well-being, emotional burnout and depression of employees of anesthesiology and intensive care departments: a multicenter anonymous observational trial

INTRODUCTION: Currently, emotional burnout and its predictors are insufficiently studied among the staff of the departments of anesthesiology and intensive care. At the same time, burnout is associated with a decrease in the quality of medical care, patient safety, as well as the quality of life of the doctors themselves. An anonymous study was conducted in hospitals and clinics in Russia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of life satisfaction, well-being, emotional burnout and depression of the staff of the departments of anesthesiology — intensive care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Maslach Burnout Inventory, Projective psychological technique “unfinished sentences” (based on Sacks sentence completion test) — tested by G.G. Rumyantsev, Beck Hopelessness Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Satisfaction with Life Scale (E. Diener, R.A. Emmons, R.J. Larsen, S. Griffin). Brief Inventory of Thriving (BIT) (R. Su, L. Tay, E. Diener). RESULTS: The average level of life satisfaction of anesthesiologists was 14.7 points, which corresponds to the level of dissatisfaction, resuscitators and nurses had 19 points and 17.7 points, respectively — below the average level. Average and high levels of burnout in all three subscales had: 32.77 % of anesthesiologists, 52.26 % of resuscitators, 33.7 % of nurses. Depression symptoms varying degrees was detected in 83.62 % of anesthesiologists, 80 % of resuscitators and 51.7 % of nurses. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary today not only to identify the first symptoms of burnout, but also to assess the level of satisfaction with the life and work of doctors, because they can directly affect the quality of medical care provided. It is probably that the even greater interest in the problem of doctor’s burnout and greater number of publications about this problem will become the element that encourages medical workers to seek psychological help.

The importance of collaborative work of paramedical personnel and doctors

The importance of collaborative work of paramedical personnel and doctors

“I Am My Family’s Caregiver and Social Worker”: Experiences of Doctoral Student Moms During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Doctoral student mothers faced unique challenges navigating school, work, and parenting responsibilities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The pressure to keep up with academic benchmarks and productivity standards, alongside social isolation and disruptions to caregiving supports, can impact parenting students’ well-being and progression through a doctoral program. This exploratory study examined doctoral student moms’ (N = 87) perceptions of their roles, challenges, and sources of relational support during the pandemic. An electronic survey was distributed to doctoral students enrolled in U.S. member institutions of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) during November and December 2020. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze open-ended responses about parenting experiences, changes to doctoral work and degree progress, sources of instrumental and emotional support, and peer and mentor relationships. Shame resilience theory was used as a guiding framework through which findings were interpreted. Findings revealed challenges related to role-juggling, feeling emotionally and physically overwhelmed, struggles with professional advancement, social isolation, and disrupted supports. Relational supports were offered primarily by partners and/or household family, friends and extended family, doctoral student peers, and doctoral advisors/mentors. Implications for doctoral programs are discussed. A series of programmatic, structural, and policy recommendations are offered, which are designed to increase maternal visibility in doctoral programs and build a more robust and systematic approach to academic parenting support.

On the effectiveness of regulatory restrictions in conducting telemedicine consultations

The article examines the introduction of an experimental legal regime in the field of telemedicine in the Russian Federation. The authors investigate the general and experimental legal regulation in the field of telemedicine services. It is noted that the main prohibition leading to the emergence of the services in the field of medicine is a ban on clarifying and directly making a diagnosis within the framework of a remote consultation without prior face-to-face appointment with the attending physician. When establishing an experimental legal regime, this prohibition was relaxed, since it is possible to seek remote consultation from another doctor working in the same medical organization and having at least 7 years of experience in the specialty. It is stated that the information services that appeared to circumvent this prohibition are actually medical. In the course of the research, general scientific methods of cognition of the surrounding reality and legal matter, as well as special legal methods, including formal legal ones, were used to achieve these goals. It is noted that when establishing, within the framework of an experimental legal regime, the possibility of prescribing treatment or correcting it by another doctor working in the same medical organization as the attending physician who conducted the preliminary face-to-face appointment of the patient, medical organizations with an extensive network of branches receive advantages for development. In such a situation, it is possible to form two levels of medical care: within the framework of the first, primary face-to-face reception is carried out by the primary link of medical workers, within the framework of the second, specialized doctors conduct remote consultation to the patient (legal representative). The establishment of a ban on diagnosis and restrictions on the prescription of treatment remotely has led to the spread of shady online counseling services. Due to the motives and goals of the patient when accessing such a service, it is essentially medical.

Consequences of medical negligence and litigations on health care providers - A narrative review.

Medical professionals face high stress due to the type of work they do and the prolonged working hours. Frequent burnout results due to the challenging nature of their work. Added to the stress of work, malpractice lawsuits add to their burden. In India, most doctors work in compromised settings with poor infrastructure and manpower but are expected to follow the best practices. In court, they are judged with the Bolam and Bolitho tests being essential considerations. Several tragic incidents have been reported, including depression, anger issues, and even suicide deaths of healthcare professionals (HCPs) after accusations of negligence and subsequent inquiry. Such incidents demonstrate the multitude of challenges an HCP faces in day-to-day practice. It is crucial to find ways to tackle these problems and enhance the capacity of HCP to handle such demanding circumstances. Malpractice litigation can significantly impact the mental health of HCPs. It is common to experience emotional turmoil when faced with a lawsuit. Second victim syndrome (SVS) is a term used to describe a set of symptoms experienced by HCPs who make an error leading to injury to a patient. However, it also happens if he is traumatized by the consequences of violence during healthcare services or a lawsuit or defamation article in newspaper/social media. Following a litigation crisis in their career, many HCPs go through various stages of grief, including shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. At times, death by suicide of the HCPs is well known. SVS is known to profoundly affect the personal, family, economic, professional (defensive practice), and social life of HCPs. HCPs should accept the allegations of negligence as an occupational hazard and prepare for the eventual litigation at least once in a lifetime by knowing about the medical laws, HCP's rights, becoming aware of the emotional turmoil of the lawsuit, preparing to cope with the lawsuit, and seeking help from colleagues and indemnity insurance. Frequent training of the HCPs is strongly recommended to know about the changing laws and also to undergo periodic professional competence enhancement to reduce the incidents of errors amounting to medical negligence. Medical and hospital administration should debrief after any incident and conduct internal investigations to identify systemic flaws and prevent future recurrence, resolve issues within their control at their level, and manage media (mainstream and social media) appropriately. If established, a reporting system with online and offline services will ease the internal administrative investigation process and take appropriate, timely actions. During the crisis, HCPs should have adequate and appropriate insurance or indemnity coverage and mental health support systems.

Utilization of Digital Technologies in Doctoral Thesis Supervision at the University of Nairobi: Implications for Quality Assurance

The utilization of online digital technologies in higher education teaching and learning has gained impetus in the post-COVID-19 era. A number of higher educational institutions have invested in capacity-building programmes related to the utilization of online digital technologies for teaching and learning. However, the utilization of these technologies in doctoral supervision is hampered by challenges related to access to digital devices, internet connectivity and the general attitude among digital technology users. Furthermore, despite supervisors’ efforts to reinforce mentoring, the lack of in-person engagement between supervisors and students portends a greater challenge. Therefore, the study sought to determine the influence of doctoral students’ gender on their thesis progression, the relationship between the frequency of engaging supervisors and thesis progression, the preferred mode of supervisor engagement and the level of student utilization of digital technologies in their doctoral work. The study sampled 109 students from a population of 150 PhD students of the University of Nairobi. Data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews that were administered to doctoral students and their supervisors respectively. The results showed a weak negative correlation between student and supervisor engagement and their stage in theses writing. The study also established low utilization of digital technologies in doctoral thesis supervision. Nonetheless, the results showed that student-supervisor engagement has an impact on their progression and that a significant number of doctoral students were comfortable with engaging their supervisors through a combination of face-to-face/in-person and virtual/online sessions. The study recommends that universities should adopt a blended doctoral supervision model to leverage the strengths of both in-person and virtual student-supervisor engagement. Further, there is a need to train both students and supervisors in the use of digital tools to enhance their engagement