Years Of Clinical Studies Research Articles

Assessing the attitudes and knowledge of medical students towards Patient-Centred Care across different study years: A cross-sectional study.

To determine how medical students viewed the importance of patient-doctor communication, to assess their knowledge about patient-centred care, and to compare the attitudes of medical students in their pre-clinical and clinical years of study towards patient-centred care. The cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2023 at Federal Medical and Dental College, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and comprised medical students of either gender from 2nd to 5th academic year. Data was collected using the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 27. Of the 322 students, 178(55.3%) were males and 144(44.7%) were females. The mean score was 3.60±0.47, while the sharing and caring sub-scores were 3.23±0.66 and 3.99±0.52, respectively. The attitude of students overall was slightly patient-centred. Different study years showed variance in patient-centred scores which were also affected by cultural, demographic and gender parameters (p<0.05). The attitude of the students leaned slightly towards patient-oriented behaviour.

Well-being of undergraduate dental students: Questionnaire design, findings and future directions.

The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of addressing well-being in the overall health of students. There is a need for support systems within dental schools to help students demonstrate resilience, adapt to learning environments and thrive in their professional careers. The main aim of the study was to evaluate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students' understanding and experience of well-being. The objectives were to create a suitable survey to assess students' well-being, investigate the factors affecting dental students' well-being and develop a student well-being action plan based on the analysis of the survey. A literature review was conducted to identify and critically assess existing measures of well-being in dental students. Four domains of well-being (emotional, physical, social, intellectual) relevant to dental students were identified. Through a comprehensive iterative process, a two-part survey was developed and tested, which measured individual experiences of well-being across the four domains and collected feedback on proposed initiatives to support student well-being. The survey was disseminated to all 452 dental students from Years 1 through 6, of which 71% (321) responded. The survey revealed low levels of overall well-being among the dental student population, which worsened with increasing years of clinical study. Fear of failing exams presented the biggest challenge with regard to emotional well-being, while sleep deprivation and occupational health hazards most affected the physical well-being domain. Intellectual well-being was compromised by insufficient free time to pursue extracurricular interests and concerns about achieving the required skills. Despite a majority experiencing positive relationships with their peers and tutors, less than a fifth agreed that the Faculty of Dentistry 'supported my well-being as a dental student'. As the first investigation of the well-being of dental students in Hong Kong, the key stressors identified were examinations, long schedules and the physical burden of dental work, which are consistent with international literature. The findings reveal students' needs and preferences for well-being initiatives which will be optimized in the implementation of student-centred curricular activities.

Arthroscopic surgery for scaphoid nonunion: a 10-year systematic literature review.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether arthroscopic treatment of carpal scaphoid nonunions by osteosynthesis with bone grafting represents a successful surgical technique. This systematic literature review, conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, explores the past 10years of clinical studies concerning the arthroscopic treatment of scaphoid nonunions. The most relevant keywords were used to search the databases, and the Downs and Black 27-item checklist has been used as quality assessment tool. Twelve papers that meet the premised eligibility criteria have been identified. These studies demonstrate the efficacy of this surgical solution, achieving a postoperative union rate of 96% in the average time of 13.5weeks. Regardless of the method of synthesis and the origin of the graft used, excellent results were obtained. Patients who underwent this procedure reported a pain reduction of almost 80% compared to the preoperative level, improvement in grip strength close to 40%, and recovery in wrist function during daily activities. Arthroscopy has numerous advantages compared to the open approach. These are technically recognized by the surgeon and by the patient. Some disadvantages include a longer intraoperative time and considerable significant technical difficulty. Arthroscopic treatment of scaphoid nonunion by osteosynthesis with bone graft achieves a 96% union rate of the treated scaphoid with satisfying clinical results.

Symbolic access: medical students’ awareness of institutional culture and its influence on learning, a phenomenographic study

BackgroundThe discussion of access in medical education has its focus largely on physical and epistemological access, leaving a qualitative gap regarding sociocultural factors which enable access in this context. This study introduces and defines symbolic access, a concept with a specific lens on sociocultural inclusion, and the influence it has on student learning within the South African medical education landscape.MethodsA phenomenographic design was used to explore students’ conceptions of symbolic access and its impact on learning. One-on-one exploratory interviews were conducted with fifteen final year medical students at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Interviews were analysed using Sjöström and Dahlgren‘s seven-step phenomenography model.ResultsFour categories of description were induced, which described students’ understanding of symbolic access, these were rejection, disregard, invalidation, and actualization. Four dimensions of variation were discovered expressing the diversity of events which informed the collectives’ understanding of the phenomenon. These dimensions were; interactions with educators, peer relationships, educational environment, and race. Categories of description and dimensions of variation formed the Outcome Space, a visual representation of the student experience of symbolic access. The outcome space had a double narrative related to symbolic access; exclusion (major) and actualization (minor). Medical student’s chief experience within the medical community was exclusion, however clinical immersion, meaningful participation, peer-relationships, and clinical skills lessons facilitated community enculturation, and impacted learning.ConclusionDespite deeply exclusionary experiences throughout their programme, medical students articulated a paradox of both awareness and no awareness of symbolic access. The awareness of symbolic access was predominantly influenced by clinical experiences and clinical immersion during the pre-clinical and clinical years of study. Further, descriptions of valuable learning experiences were connected to clinical events and the involvement with patient care. This study suggests that the actualization of symbolic access and description of meaningful learning experiences are linked. Medical educationalists should design undergraduate curricula with early clinical immersion at the fore and explore symbolic concepts pertaining to access, as they are linked to transformative learning experiences for the medical student.

Latest Evidence on Orthognathic Surgery Techniques and Potential Changes in Oral Microbiota related to Intermaxillary Fixation in Orthodontic Patients: A Systematic Review

Background: Orthognathic surgery is often applied for the correction of facial dysmorphia, and different findings were highlighted regarding the techniques applied. After surgical treatment, intermaxillary fixation is placed, which compromises oral hygiene and, consequently, can lead to increased plaque accumulation and microbiological changes, promoting the proliferation of periodontopathogenic bacteria. Therefore, the aims of the present review are to describe the main evidence from the last 20 years of clinical studies concerning surgical techniques applied to orthognathic surgery and, finally, to analyze potential changes in the oral microbiota. Materials and Methods: An electronic search was conducted in the PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus databases; the MeSH (Medical Subject Heading) terms are bacteria, dental plaque, evidence-based practice, maxillomandibular fixation, microbiota, operative procedures, and orthognathic surgery. Results: At the end of the search process, 31 relevant articles were finally included and analyzed in this systematic review, which has a low risk of bias. Clinical studies on humans have been considered in this review. Based on the studies included it would be preferable to use piezoelectric technology in osteotomies because of its many advantages, “surgery-first” technique allows for results comparable to the standard technique in Class III malocclusions while improving quality of life more rapidly, the “mandible-first” technique seems to have more advantages than the “maxilla-first” technique, Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) could provide more accurate and precise results, and finally, Laser can be applied with different advantages. Regarding intermaxillary fixation, no long-term increase in the concentration of periodontal bacteria was recorded. Conclusion: Several findings still need to be confirmed with reference to the best suturing technique to reconstitute the nasal wing base, the real effectiveness of “surgery-first,” “maxilla-first,” and “mandible-first” approaches in patients with Class III malocclusion, the use of CAD/CAM and Laser, more studies should be conducted to evaluate quantitative and qualitative changes in other microorganisms following intermaxillary fixation.

A Review of Clinical Studies for Chinese Medicine Treatment of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Using the CNKI Database

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database.Methods: We searched the last 6 years of clinical studies discussing Oriental medicine-based treatments for ITP in the CNKI database. A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs was performed by synthesizing the outcomes, including the measured platelet count and total effective rate. The quality of the studies was assessed using Cochrane’s risk of bias (RoB) tool. RevMan 5.4.1 software was used for data analysis.Results: Of the 15 selected studies, 1 was a non-randomized controlled trial (nRCT), 2 were case series, and 12 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Treatments in all studies included oral herbal medicine. The most frequently used herbal decoction was the Liangxue Jiedu prescription (凉血解毒方), and the most commonly used herb was Agrimonia pilosa (仙鶴草), Astragali Radix (黃芪), Fossilia Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (甘草), and Rehmannia glutinosa Liboschitz ex Steudel (地黃). The meta-analysis showed significantly better improvement in platelet counts and total effective rate for ITP in the treatment group than in the control group.Conclusion: Treatment with herbal medicine was effective in treating ITP. However, the significance of this conclusion is somewhat limited due to the low quality of the available studies. Multifaceted and scientifically designed clinical studies are required to develop treatments for ITP based on Korean medicine. The results of this study could be used as basic data for further ITP studies.

Clinical students’ reflections on the preclinical anatomy learning experience

ObjectivesAnatomy is a fundamental pillar of medical knowledge that bridges basic medical science knowledge and clinical practice. However, integrated modern medical curricula have reduced the anatomy teaching content, and cadaveric dissection is no longer conducted. Medical graduates who lack anatomy knowledge are anticipated to be inadequately equipped for safe clinical practice. This study was aimed at exploring clinical year students' experiences regarding their anatomy learning during the preclinical phase in Malaysian medical schools. The findings reflect how the students’ preclinical anatomy training prepared them for their clinical years of study. MethodsA qualitative phenomenology study using the focus group discussion method was conducted on 30 final-year students from four public universities. Four focus group discussion sessions were conducted, and students’ responses were transcribed and converted to electronic formats. The transcripts were analyzed thematically with ATLAS.ti software. ResultsThe first-cycle coding of the text analysis generated 157 open codes based on the phrases used by the participants. The subsequent coding cycle produced 16 axial codes—groups of open codes with similar features. During the final coding cycle, the content and interrelations between the axial codes were categorized into six codes: (1) preclinical anatomy learning experience, (2) anatomy content and teaching, (3) anatomy-related competency, (4) the importance of anatomy knowledge in clinical practice, (5) the importance of early exposure to applied clinical anatomy, and (6) suggestions for future anatomy education. ConclusionsThe six identified themes reflected students’ perceptions of their anatomy learning experience, the challenges that they faced during their preclinical years, and their opinions regarding the anatomy knowledge and skills that are functionally relevant during the clinical years. Their responses also echoed the need to improve anatomy teaching and learning, thereby emphasizing the importance of early clinical integration and application.

Work Base Assessment in Anesthesia for Postgraduate Residents

Workplace-based assessment (WBA) is a collection of evaluation methods that evaluate trainee performance in clinical settings. The aspect of scrutiny of the learner's act in a real-world setting, coupled with an appropriate response, is a hallmark of WPBA, promoting reflective practice. WBA consists of peer, coworker, and patient feedback on clinical performance (mini-clinical assessment implementation, direct opinion of technical assistance), the conversation of clinical circumstances (case-based assessment), &amp; observation of procedural skills (multi-source feedback). Medical schooling commenced transitioning from a method to an outcomes-primarily targeting what graduates can do while being concerned for sick patients and their families. This fashion is especially sizeable in postgraduate education programs, in which the number one approach of mastering is through hands-on with patients and their families. After then, postgraduate education effects are categorized as competencies. Competence is simply an observable ability of healthcare specialists, which integrates a couple of additives which includes knowledge, capabilities, values, and attitudes. Competence gives a framework for publications and tests to make certain that healthcare specialists can carry out key requirements of their discipline. In the United States, expert postgraduate education known as residency generally takes place after 4 years of undergraduate study, accompanied via way of means 4 years of clinical study. It is turning into an increasing number of facts that conventional evaluation techniques that target knowledge, know-how, and visualization degrees aren't enough to evaluate those new key abilities and meet affected person needs. Additionally, many years of failure to examine and completely examine the outcomes of fundamental scientific capabilities, which includes clinical interviews, clinical examinations, knowledgeable decision-making, and scientific reasoning, has had a vast poor effect on the great of care.

A Review of Clinical Studies for Chinese Medicine Treatment of Idiopathic Edema Using the CNKI Database

Objectives: This study investigated the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of idiopathic edema in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI).Methods: We searched the last 9 years of clinical studies discussing Oriental medicine-based treatments for idiopathic edema in the CNKI database. The search focused on the authors, publication year, type of study, purposes of study, method and duration of treatment, evaluation criteria, and results of the selected articles.Results: The search identified 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 9 others. All studies used oral herbal medicine for treatment. The most commonly used herbs were Poria Sclerotium (茯苓), Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba (白朮), and Alismatis Rhizoma (澤瀉), which are the constituent herbs of Oryeong-san (五苓散). All 16 studies confirmed the efficacy of Oriental medicine treatments.Conclusion: More varied and scientifically designed clinical studies are required to develop treatments for idiopathic edema. The results of this study could be used as basic data for further studies on idiopathic edema.

Beyond the Tool

After more than a decade in development, including several years of clinical study, hemodialysis arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) can now be safely created using percutaneous methods. With their technique, Hull et al (1) have gone further and shown that most of their percutaneous arteriovenous fistulae (pAVFs) remained useful for hemodialysis at 5 years. With no need for surgery, angiographic imaging equipment, or iodinated contrast medium, pAVFs can be created using ultrasound guidance in an office, ambulatory surgery center, or hospital.

Developing professional identity among undergraduate medical students in a competency-based curriculum: Educators' perspective.

Professional identity formation (PIF) refers to the possession and exhibition of the conduct of a medical professional. It's an external representation of a medical personnel's feelings, beliefs, experiences, and values that influence the provision of holistic patient care. Apart from training medical students to be competent and skilled physicians, one of the goals of today's medical education must be to encourage them to achieve professional identity formation. Many medical schools across the globe have made this explicit during the clinical years of study, but we believe that professional identity formation starts as early as day one of medical school. So, for educators, apart from delivering basic science subject content during early years of study, the creation of learning opportunities and pedagogic space in the curriculum to enhance competencies of PIF becomes mandatory. This competency-based educational approach will help medical students transform and reconsider their own values and beliefs by relating to the behaviors that are expected by the profession, colleagues, and patients when they graduate as medical doctors. In this paper, we discuss how a competency-based curriculum should provide opportunities for students to interact and communicate effectively with patients and colleagues, to self-reflect on their own personal identity before creating a professional identity that is unique to the profession, to make the right judgment and confidently practice medicine in a business-based healthcare system.

A Review of Clinical Studies for Chinese Medicine Treatment of Post-concussion Syndrome Using the CNKI Database

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of post-concussion syndrome (PCS) in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI).Methods: We searched the last 10 years of clinical studies discussing Oriental medicine-based treatments for PCS in the CNKI database. The search focused on the authors, publication year, type of study, purpose of the study, method and duration of treatment, evaluation criteria, and results of each article.Results: Of the 22 selected studies, 1 was a non-randomized controlled trial (nRCT), 2 were case series, and 19 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Treatments included oral herbal medicine in 16 studies, oriental medicine through external use in 2 studies, acupuncture in 3 studies, and traditional Chinese medicine injection in 2 studies. The most frequently used herb was Cnidii Rhizoma (川芎). All 22 studies confirmed the efficacy of Oriental medicine treatments.Conclusion: More varied and scientifically designed clinical studies are required to develop treatments for PCS. The results of this study could be used as basic data for further PCS studies.

The role of difficulties in emotion regulation in predicting empathy and patient-centeredness in pre-clinical medical students: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT While empathy and patient-centeredness (PC) are considered core variables in high-quality healthcare education and care, research suggests that empathy and PC decrease during the clinical years of study and that impairments in empathy and PC may be related to difficulties in emotion regulation. There is a growing interest in identifying the psycho-social variables that sustain and foster empathy and PC in medical students throughout their education. This study explored whether and to what extent emotion dysregulation predicted empathy and PC in medical students controlling for gender. Three hundred ninety-eight pre-clinical medical students enrolled at a university in northern Italy completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale – 8 Items – Italian version (PPOS-8-IT). All statistically significant correlation coefficients between DERS, IRI and PPOS-8-IT scores were negative (rs from −.130 to −.336, ps ≤ 01), except for IRI Personal Distress and IRI Fantasy Scale that were mainly positively related to DERS scores (rs from .130 to .305, ps ≤ .01). Hierarchical multiple-regression analyses showed that DERS scores accounted for a significant amount of additional variance in both IRI and PPOS-8-IT components above and beyond gender. Emotion dysregulation was positively associated with Personal Distress (βs from .135 to .250, ps ≤ .007), whereas Empathic Concern, Perspective Taking, and the PC components were negatively predicted by emotion regulation difficulties (βs from −.131 to −.309, ps ≤ .005). Female students showed higher levels of all empathy and PC measures than males (ts from −3.49 to −5.54, ps ≤ 001) except for Perspective Taking. Tailored educational approaches that provide medical students with emotion regulation strategies implemented along the pre-clinical curriculum may sustain empathy and PC and equip students to appropriately and functionally face the emotional and interpersonal aspects of the clinical internship experience.

The Effects and Mechanisms of Exercise on the Treatment of Depression.

Background: It is necessary to seek alternative therapies for depression, because side effects of medications lead to poor adherence and some patients do not achieve a clinical treatment effect. Recently the role of exercise as a low-cost and easy-to-use treatment for depression has gained attention with a number of studies showing that exercise is effective at reducing depressive symptoms and improving body functions such as cardiorespiratory system and cognitive function. Because of the heterogeneity of exercise therapy programs, there is no standardized and unified program. Few studies have summarized the specific properties of exercise programs (type, intensity, duration, and frequency) and clinical prescriptions for exercise are not mentioned in most articles.Aims: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of exercise therapy for patients with depression, in order to appraise the evidence and outline accepted guidelines to direct individualized treatment plans for patients with depression based on their individual situations.Methods: A systematic review of English language literature including papers published from 2010 to present in PubMed was performed. Given the feasibility of prescribing exercise therapy for patients with depression, nearly 3 years of clinical studies on the treatments of depressive symptoms with exercise were first reviewed, comparing the exercise programs utilized.Conclusions: Exercise has therapeutic effects on depression in all age groups (mostly 18–65 years old), as a single therapy, an adjuvant therapy, or a combination therapy, and the benefits of exercise therapy are comparable to traditional treatments for depression. Moderate intensity exercise is enough to reduce depressive symptoms, but higher-dose exercise is better for overall functioning. Exercise therapy has become more widely used because of its benefits to the cardiovascular system, emotional state, and systemic functions.Recommendations: Aerobic exercise/mind-body exercise (3–5 sessions per week with moderate intensity lasting for 4–16 weeks) is recommended. Individualized protocols in the form of group exercise with supervision are effective at increasing adherence to treatment.

Effect of a suite of aggression management modules on health professions student knowledge, skills and confidence: an investigator-blinded, parallel-group randomised controlled trial protocol

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Incidents of aggression are increasing in healthcare. Students are at higher risk of being on the receiving end of client aggression due to their lack of experience. Students also do not feel prepared to manage these situations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Students of health professions in the School of Primary and Allied Health Care will be eligible and contacted within lectures/via the learning management system Moodle. A randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate a suite of online aggression management modules for health professions students prior to entering their clinical years of study. If students are able to undertake face to face simulations they will be assessed by academic staff members using the English modified de-escalating aggressive behaviour scale (EMDABS). Mock clients will assess the students using the consultation and relational empathy (CARE) measure. Students will complete a self-assessment using the confidence with coping with patient aggression instrument and a knowledge questionnaire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conlusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This RCT will provide novel information on the effectiveness of delivering a suite of online aggression management modules to health professions students. There are three separate modules each of approximately 30 minutes duration such that the attention of students is maintained. The three modules are: 1. Recognising and preventing aggression-the basics, 2. Responding to aggression-the basics, 3. Aggression in healthcare-the basics (Case study).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Trial registration number: &lt;/strong&gt;This trial has been registered with the Australian and New Zealand clinical trials registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12621000382875.&lt;/p&gt;

A Review of Recent Korean Medicine Treatment for Chronic Subdural Hematoma Using the CNKI Database

Objectives: This study investigates the latest clinical studies on Korean medicine treatment of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) in China.Methods: A CNKI search investigated the last 10 years of clinical studies of Korean medicine treatments in Chinese medical journals for CSDH. The search focused on authors, publication years, types of studies, purposes of studies, methods and duration of treatment, evaluation criteria, and results of treatment.Results: In 19 studies, there were 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 4 case series, and 1 case-control study. In all 19 studies, Korean medical treatment and Western treatment were combined. Herbal medicine was used in 19 studies and acupuncture treatment in 2 studies. The most frequently used prescription was Hyeolbuchukeo-tang-gagambang, and the most frequently used acupoint was PC6. In all 19 studies, the effectiveness of Korean medicine treatment performed in parallel with Western treatment was confirmed.Conclusions: In this study, Korean medicine combined with Western treatment for CSDH was effective. More clinical studies and case reports are required to develop a guided treatment for CSDH.

Quality of sleep and burnout among undergraduate medical students at the university of Nairobi, Kenya

AimsThe main objective was to determine whether quality of sleep is associated with burnout among undergraduate medical students at the University of Nairobi.The null hypothesis in our study population was; 'There is no significant association between poor sleep quality and burnout'.BackgroundIn a pressure prevailing environment, medical students find themselves in a vicious cycle of cutting down on sleep in attempts to cope and adjust to increasing workloads. Students with poor sleep quality have been found to perform worse in their board exam and have strained social engagements. Ultimately, this chronic sleep deprivation may lead to burnout which may cause diminished sense of accomplishment and impaired professional conduct, that may be carried on to the career as a physician. High levels of burnout have been associated with suicides.MethodThe sample size obtained was 384 and participants were selected by a mixed sampling method. Data collection was through self-administered questionnaires. Scales used for this study were the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory(OLBI).Ethical considerations were adhered to and approval obtained from the Kenyatta National Hospital-University of Nairobi(KNH-UON) Ethics Board. Data entry and analysis was by SPSS v23. Data from 336 questionnaires were deemed fit for analysis.ResultWith a response rate of 87.5%, the prevalence of poor sleep quality and burnout were 69.9% and 74.7% respectively. There was a significant positive association between poor sleep quality and female gender, clinical years of study, living with family, poorly perceived socio-economic state and poor subjective academic performance. In addition, being female, younger, pre-clinical years, living independently off-campus and poor subjective academic performance were significantly associated with higher levels of burnout.Burnout had a significant correlation with poor sleep quality. Daytime functioning, a component of sleep quality had the highest correlation with components of burnout, disengagement and exhaustion. Overall, 57% of the respondents had both poor sleep quality &amp;burnout, while only 12% were good sleepers with no burnout. Furthermore, having poor sleep increased the risk of having burnout by 2.8times. It is crucial that students adopt better sleeping habits to reduce the risk of burnout.ConclusionWith the high prevalence of poor sleep quality and burnout, peer-support groups and peer-led mentorship programs are recommended within this population to help deal with expectations, challenges and difficulties encountered within the course of medical education, in addition to preparing for the early future careers.

Knowledge and Perceptions of COVID-19 Among Health Care Professionals, Medical Students, and Dental Students in the GCC Region: A Cross-Sectional Correlational Study.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to assess the levels of awareness and knowledge regarding COVID-19 among healthcare professionals and students in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.Materials and MethodsAn online cross-sectional survey using a previously validated questionnaire was used to assess the awareness and knowledge levels of COVID-19 in this study, which was distributed via various online platforms to include as many participants as possible. The study targeted medical doctors, dentists, medical students, and dental students from the GCC region. Participants were at least 18 years old, voluntarily consented to complete the questionnaire, and were assured that their responses would remain anonymous. Permission was obtained using a previously validated and applied questionnaire to assess their level of awareness and knowledge regarding COVID-19. To compare the proportional responses between groups in descriptive statistics, a proportion Z-test was used to find any significant differences, with a statistical significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsA total of 1621 participants responded to our questionnaire. Almost two-thirds of the respondents were female (64.4%), and the majority were less than 25 years old (67.2%). Dentists accounted for 12.6% of the total population, and their clinical experience ranged from 0.25 to 52 years (median: 3 years, IQR: 1–10 years). Meanwhile, medical doctors accounted for 24.5% of the responses, and their clinical experience ranged from 0 to 50 years (median: 13 years, IQR: 3–23 years). Among the dental students, 42.3% were in the pre-clinical years, while 57.7% were in the clinical years of study. However, among medical students, 57.5% were in the pre-clinical years, while 42.5% were in the clinical years of study.ConclusionOur results demonstrated that dental students, medical doctors, and medical students exhibited higher odds of having satisfactory COVID-19 perception scores than dentists.

Internal Medicine Clerkship Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Clinical Learning Experience of Undergraduate Medical Students at Makerere University, Uganda.

BackgroundThe coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impose a significant impact on medical education. We aimed to describe the clinical learning experience of undergraduate medical students undertaking internal medicine clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic at Makerere University, Uganda.MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional study among medical students in clinical years of study pursuing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery undergraduate degree program was conducted in November 2020. Only 3rd (junior clerks) and 5th (senior clerks) year medical students whose internal medicine clerkships were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic were studied.ResultsData of 188 (95%) eligible clinical year students; junior (101, 54.0%) and senior (86, 46.0%) were analysed. Median age was 24 (range: 22–42) years. Majority (70.1%) were male and Ugandan nationals (94.1%). Sixty-four (30.3%) students reported inadequate personal protective equipment, 152 (81.7%) felt at risk of contracting COVID-19, and 127 (67.9%) said it was difficult to observe COVID-19 standard operating procedures. Twenty-two students (11.9%) were discouraged from pursuing a career in internal medicine. Overall, most students reported good or excellent clinical experience pre-COVID-19 era compared to during the COVID-19 era (4.0 vs 3.5, p<0.0001). Senior clerks significantly believed that the time allocated for the rotation was adequate (p<0.0001) and they were able to complete their study objectives (p<0.001), compared to the junior clerks. Senior clerks believed that learning was difficult when combined with junior clerks (p=0.013). About half of the students (51.4%, n=95) reported clinical teaching should remain as it was in the pre-COVID-19 era.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significantly negative effect on the clinical learning experience of the students. There is need to review the current teaching and learning methods to suit teaching and learning during pandemics of highly infectious diseases to ensure safe and effective learning experience.

Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Stress among Female Dental Students at King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia

To assess the emotional intelligence and identify the perceived sources of stress among female dental students and interns at King Khalid University College of Dentistry (KKUCOD), to investigate whether specific stressors were related to the year of study and gender, and to evaluate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived stress (PS). Total of 150 female undergraduates from 5th and 6th years and dental interns were invited to complete a questionnaire using face-to-face interview. Data on EI was collected using a scale developed by Schutte et al. while a modified version of the Dental Environment Stress (DES) was applied to assess the stress perceived by dental students. 120 students agreed to join the study with a response rate of 84%. Mean EI score for the sample was 120 (SD = 11.56), and the mean PS score was 70.37 (SD = 16.19). One-way ANOVA revealed a significant difference between different age groups and the educational, environmental score (P < 0.05). Correlational analysis showed that the PS scale and its factors correlated positively with each other (P < 0.01) and directly with the total EI score (P > 0.01); except for the living accommodation factor, negative correlations with overall EI score were significant. The present study showed that female interns and undergraduate students in clinical years of study at College of Dentistry reported higher EI and PS. The educational environmental score was found to be significantly different among different age groups. In contrary to most published literature, a direct association between EI and PS scores was found, except for the living accommodation factor. This might be attributed to the fact that the study was conducted 1 month prior to final exams. Living accommodation, personal factors, educational environment, academic work and clinical factors were identified as significant predictors of PS.