Employing students' evaluations and tutors' perceptions to evaluate a faculty development program on problem-based learning at the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University.

BACKGROUND: Faculty development programs are crucial for promoting continuous learning, enhancing teaching effectiveness, and encouraging professional growth among medical educators. Problem-based learning was introduced as a teaching strategy in our Faculty of Medicine in 2007. Thereafter, several rounds of a faculty development program were conducted to help teachers recognize their role as facilitators and assess areas for improvement. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study with a sample of 284 third-year medical students answering a questionnaire and 21 faculty members participating in focus groups. A validated 13-item questionnaire was used to investigate the students' evaluation of their tutors' performance in problem-based learning. Three sessions were then conducted with faculty members involved in problem-based learning to gain in-depth insights into their experiences and perspectives. RESULTS: The mean performance ranking for tutors awarded by the students was above halfway. There was a significant positive correlation between tutors' performance ranking and all five of the learning approaches examined herein: constructive/active learning, self-directed learning, contextual learning, collaborative learning, and intra-personal behavior (p < 0.05). The data from the focus groups were analyzed under five broad themes: tutors' insights into their strengths and weaknesses, challenges in conducting problem-based learning, tutors' ways of preparing for problem-based learning, feedback, and suggestions for improving problem-based learning workshops. CONCLUSIONS: This study recommends improvements and future directions for advanced program evaluation. Faculty development programs can be tailored to effectively address students and faculty members' goals and needs, which can benefit the teaching and learning process and foster a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.

Influence of Date Ripeness on Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Glycemic Response in Various Saudi Arabian Date Varieties.

Background Dates have a special position in Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia, and are essential to Arabic and Muslim diets. They are eaten in different forms according to their stage of maturation. In this study, we aimed to estimate the glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL), and glycemic response of different stages of date fruit maturation. Materials and methods This prospective clinical trial was conducted at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Thirteen healthy participants, seven males and six females, received 50 g of glucose as reference food and 50 g of equivalent carbohydrates from three samples of Khalas dates and three samples of Barhi dates at different maturation stages (Khalal, Rutab, and Tamer). The GI, GL, and glycemic response for each type was calculated. Results The calculated means±SD of GI of the different stages of date maturation were 60.57±25.93, which raged from 53±16.49 to 71.06±32.97. The Khalal stage had the highest GI value, while the Tamer stage had a low GI value of 69.14 and 53.09, respectively. The GL ranged from 7.81 to 18.81. The Rutab stage had the highest GL, whereas the Khalal stage had the lowest GL values of 17.66±6.94 and 9.64±4.72, respectively. There was no significant difference in GI between different date maturation stages (p = 0.48). However, the GL presented a significant difference (p = 0.001) between different maturation stages. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that the stage of date maturation can affect the GI, GL, and glycemic response results. Therefore, healthcare providers and dietitians should address the lower GI and GL stages of date maturation in choosing a suitable carbohydrate source for healthy and diabetic individuals.

Persistent Symptoms Post-COVID-19: An Observational Study at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Background As the prevalence of COVID-19 recovery cases increased, patients started to notice new symptoms after being cured of the acute infection. We aimed to study the type of persistent symptoms post-COVID-19 infection, their prevalence, and factors that play a role in developing the post-COVID-19 symptoms among COVID-19 patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from the period of September 2021 to December 2021. Participants were contacted via a phone interview. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics, and p-values of ≤0.05 were considered significant. Results A total of 327 participants completed the study, of which 169 (51.7%) were male. Nearly half of the patients, 161 (49.09%), had persistent symptoms. The most common symptoms were loss of smell, loss of taste, cough, and fatigue (22.6%, 19.2%, 11.6%, and 9.1% respectively). They were followed by an equal percentage of shortness of breath, headache, and hair loss (7.3%). Gender was found to be significant in loss of smell, loss of taste, and hair loss, with p-values of 0.016, 0.018, and <0.001, respectively. Conclusion A large proportion of patients with COVID-19 developed persistent symptoms. The most common symptoms were loss of smell and taste, cough, and fatigue. Some factors played a role in acquiring post-COVID-19 symptoms, including gender and place of treatment. Gender was significantly associated with hair loss. Follow-up after recovery is required to maintain individual well-being.