Do Saudi medical schools consider the core topics in undergraduate medical curricula?

BACKGROUND: Most of the medical schools in Saudi Arabia are currently evolving their curricula in accordance with the most recognized medical education trends worldwide. Undergraduate medical school's curriculum should be compatible with community health needs. Therefore, the study aims to explore the current contents of Saudi undergraduate medical curricula and to check if the core topics that were internationally recognized were implemented in their curriculum. METHODOLOGY: An online questionnaire was designed and sent to 37 deans of medical schools in Saudi Arabia. The deans or the vice-deans in charge of the curriculum were asked to complete the pre-designed questionnaire, which assessed the status of inclusion of the core topics in the curriculum of their affiliated schools. Each listed core topic was evaluated according to five options for each subject: not included, separate required course, part of the required course, separate elective course, and part of an elective course. RESULTS: Twenty four out of 37 (65%) Saudi medical schools completed the survey questionnaire. Almost all core topics, such as communication skills, evidence-based medicine, patient safety, professionalism were included in the curricula of Saudi medical schools as separate required courses or as part of required courses or elective courses. Complementary and alternative medicine and the history of medicine were the topics least taught in Saudi medical colleges, as 25% of the schools did not include them in their curricula. CONCLUSION: The majority (65%) of the internationally recognized core topics were included in the Saudi undergraduate medical curricula. Evidence-based medicine, complementary medicine, the Saudi healthcare system, patient safety, and professionalism/medical ethics should be part of compulsory credited courses in all Saudi undergraduate medical curricula.

Do various personal hygiene habits protect us against influenza-like illness?

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported an association between improvements in hand hygiene and the reductions in rates of intestinal parasitic diseases. However, only a some have addressed its link to the frequency of influenza-like illness. The current study aimed to find the correlation between personal hygiene habits and the frequency of influenza-like illness. METHODS: A cross-sectional study targeting 3000 participants conducted in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A systematic random sampling methodology was applied for participant from different part of Riyadh city using a computer generating system. The researcher first started by calling each participant. A full explanation was given to each participant in details (from the purpose of the research, consent to answer the questionnaire, to the explanation of the outcome definition). Each point of the questionnaire was explained to them to make sure they had excellent comprehension, and therefore, respond accurately. Descriptive statistics and Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence intervals were used to determine the association between frequency of influenza-like illness and the studied variables. RESULTS: Two thousand eighty-two (69.4%) completed the questionnaire. The participants who spent 5-10 s in handwashing with soap and rubbing were at increased risk of more frequent influenza-like illness (odds ratio = 1.37, 1.08-1.75). Handwashing with soap and rubbing after handshaking is an independent protective habit against frequent influenza-like illness (adjusted OR = 0.59, 0.37-0.94). CONCLUSION: The decrease of the frequency of influenza-like illness could be done through the following: getting the influenza vaccine annually, washing hands with soap and hand rubbing not less than 15 s after getting out of the bathroom, before and after handshaking and before eating. Soap companies should invent soaps that take less rubbing time to kill bacteria, and subsequently may maximize compliance in the community.

Response of Saudi Population to Strict Preventive Measures against COVID-19.

The Saudi ministry of health (MOH) started the preventive measures very early on before having a single case of COVID-19. There were very few studies regarding the awareness and adherence to the preventive measures against COVID-19 among the Saudi population in the literature. Objectives: The study aims to examine the awareness and commitment to the strict Saudi government preventive measures against COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey targeted Saudi and non-Saudi populations aged 18+ in March-April 2020. The online questionnaire was designed to explore the participant's sociodemographic data, washing hygiene habits, the general level of awareness regarding COVID-19, and the extent to which they adhere to the government's strict instructions. Results: Out of the 2958 participants in the survey, 23% washed their hands for between 20 and 30 s, 59.6% washed their hands after shaking hands with other people, 67.9% washed their hands after use of other's utilities, 65.9% had appropriately followed the MOH recommended guidelines for home quarantine and social distancing. People in different age groups differed significantly on their practiced hygienic practices score p < 0.001. Respondents' educational level had converged considerably and positively on their clean proper prevention practices score, f(2838.3) = 15.70. Conclusion: The majority of the participants adhere to the strict government instructions regarding COVID-19 as they have to obey the law. Health sector employees measured significantly greater hygienic preventive measures and precautions in comparison to other sectors. More public health efforts should increase hygienic best practice scores to achieve the best outcome.

Association between giant cell glioblastoma and glioblastoma multiforme in the United States: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The current study aims to find the differences between glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and giant cell glioblastoma (GCG) regarding mortality and prognosis among adults and elderly patients in the U.S. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study is a historical cohort type of study and is conducted on adults and elderly individuals with GBM or GCG from the years 1985-2014 in the U.S. Data were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database. The study exposure was GBM or GCG and the outcome was mortality. The potential confounders were age, sex, race, ethnicity, year of diagnosis, primary site, brain overlap, and surgery. A chi-square test was used for categorical data. A univariate analysis was used for variables having a p-value <.05. Potential confounders were selected and evaluated using multivariate logistic regression models to calculate the odds ratio with stepwise selection. RESULTS: The study sample was 25,117. The incidences of GBM and GCG were not similar in relation to age group. Also, Spanish-Hispanic ethnicity was independently protective of GBM and GCG as compared to Non-Spanish-Hispanic ethnicity patients with GBM have a higher mortality rate than do GCG patients. The mortality rate was higher among patients diagnosed before 2010. CONCLUSION: GCG was not statistically significant in association to reduced mortality. Non-Spanish-Hispanics with GBM or GCG had a higher mortality rate than did Spanish-Hispanics. Factors such as being female, being age 59-65, and having a year of diagnosis before 2010 were independently associated with increased mortality.

Perceptions Of Medical Students Regarding Excellence In Student Engagement: A Multi-Center Saudi Arabian Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Students and faculty members should work together as partners in the present era of modern medical education. Many medical schools across the globe are seeking excellence in medical education, including excellence in student engagement. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to explore Saudi medical students' perceptions regarding the Association for Medical Education in Europe's (AMEE) ASPIRE criteria for excellence in student engagement. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study targeting Saudi medical students from the five main universities in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was designed based on the AMEE's ASPIRE criteria for recognition of excellence in student engagement. Data were collected via SurveyMonkesy and analyzed using SPSS (Version 20). Twenty-three randomly selected medical students from Imam University were interviewed as well. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent (n=759) of students completed the survey. In general, Saudi medical students supported the ASPIRE criteria for student engagement. Students with the highest GPA (4.5-5) constituted 44% of students supporting excellence in student engagement. Students in medical schools using problem-based learning (PBL) agreed more than did those who did not follow a PBL curriculum. Most of the students at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud University (87.8%) agreed that students should be formally and informally involved in peer-assisted teaching. The highest percentage of students who agreed was from Imam University as compared to the other four universities (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Saudi medical students support student engagement criteria as stated in the ASPIRE Awards criteria for excellence in student engagement. A significant proportional relationship was observed between increments in GPA and support of student engagement activities. The current study may encourage all colleagues around the world to implement the concept of "student engagement" in their universities. Additional studies should be conducted worldwide to seek international medical students' perceptions regarding student engagement.

SaudiMEDs and CanMEDs frameworks: similarities and differences.

Background: The SaudiMEDs framework was founded and adopted by the Saudi Deans' Committee in 2011 to ensure that Saudi medical graduates learned core competencies. Meanwhile, CanMEDs was established by the Canadian Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1996 and aimed to establish the abilities and skills of all aspects of medical practice, as well as to ensure the acquisition of basic knowledge related to medical education. The main purpose of this study was to explore the similarities and differences between both frameworks. Methods: In March and April 2017, 15 researchers conducted an extensive review of both the SaudiMEDs and CanMEDs frameworks using a semi-quantitative evaluation with color codes to determine the following: the exact similarities in both frameworks, the close similarities, and the unique differences. Results: According to the coloring system, most of the frameworks were similar. For example, Leadership, Communication and Professionalism were almost identical in both frameworks. There was some degree of similarity between both frameworks in "Collaborator". Furthermore, the SaudiMEDs framework had a unique input which involved the most essential skills that undergraduate medical students must acquire. Conclusion: SaudiMEDs has great potential to improve the quality of Saudi medical graduates in a manner that fits our current and future needs. CanMEDs focuses mainly on outcomes and processes, while SaudiMEDs focuses more on outcomes. SaudiMEDs was not created to provide a copy-and-paste curriculum. The ultimate goal was to create an outcome-based curriculum that ensures the quality of Saudi medical school graduates.

Public Awareness regarding Common Eye Diseases among Saudi Adults in Riyadh City: A Quantitative Study.

AIM: The current study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of eye disease and awareness of eye care among the Saudi adults and to explore existing eye-related misconceptions in the community. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh city during May and June 2016. A self-administered anonymous online questionnaire was used to explore the most common misconceptions related to eye diseases and eye care. RESULTS: Out of 1000 individuals, only 711 (71.1%) participant responses were received. The participants' acceptable knowledge (score ≥50%) was high about the eye problem in diabetes (88.6%), ocular trauma (81.2%), and other general eye diseases (91.3%), whereas low about refractive errors (63%), pediatric eye problems (51.5%), and glaucoma (14.8%). The variation in knowledge about specific ocular morbidities was significant (p < 0.001). The majority of participants reported sources of information about the common eye diseases and eye care encountered from the community, internet-based resources, and social media. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of the participants had awareness about the common eye diseases, whereas low percentage of participant's awareness about specific condition of eye diseases. Public eye health awareness should be more focused on social media and the internet to be able to cover the younger individuals of the community.