Why research productivity of medical faculty declines after attaining professor rank? A multi-center study from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Pakistan.

OBJECTIVES: Research has shown a fall of research productivity of faculty after their promotion to professor rank. This study explores the factors that lead to this decline in research productivity of professors in medical discipline. METHODS: A 20-item questionnaire was distributed online to medical professors of a Saudi, Malaysian and a Pakistani medical school. The participants were instructed to select their responses on a 5-point Likert's scale and the collected data was analyzed for quantitative and qualitative results. RESULTS: Of 161, 110 responded; response rate of 68.3%. About 35% professors spent 1-4 hours and 2% spent 19-25 hours per week for research. As many as 7% did not publish a single article and 29% had published 10 or more articles after attaining professor rank. During the last two years, 44% professors had published 5 or more research articles. Majority pointed out a lack of research support and funds, administrative burden and difficulty in data collection as the main obstacles to their research. CONCLUSIONS: This research has identified time constraints and insufficient support for research as key barriers to medical professors' research productivity. Financial and technical support and lesser administrative work load are some suggested remedies to foster the professors' research output.

Management of foreign bodies in the esophagus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analytical study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Ear, Nose, Throat Department of Mayo Hospital, Lahore, from February 1999 to December 1999. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 103 patients with history of foreign body ingestion were included in this study. X-ray neck and rigid oesophagoscopy was carried out in all patients for diagnosis and removal of foreign bodies. A structured questionnaire was designed to record all information. RESULTS: Dysphagia (92%) and tenderness in neck (60%) were the most common clinical features. Majority (89%) patients had come to the hospital within 24 hours. X-ray of the neck (lateral view) was the most useful investigation with presence of air in the esophagus being a significant finding. Post-cricoid region was the site of impaction of foreign bodies in 84% of the subjects. The procedure of esophagoscopy was successful in 90 patients (97%) and failed in 3 patients (3%). Coins were the most common foreign bodies (60%), followed by meat related foreign bodies (22.5%) and dentures in 5% cases. Complications occurred in 18% patients and were more common in adults (37.1%) compared to children (8.8%). The most serious complication was pneumomediastinum. Maximum complications occurred with dentures (80%) and bone chips (42%). CONCLUSION: Foreign body in the esophagus is a serious condition and early removal by rigid esophagoscopy is recommended which is a safe and effective procedure.