7 research outputs found
The preparedness of medical students from the Middle East for the modern curriculum: a cross-sectional study
No full text[EN] Aim
This study aims to examine whether there were any differences in self-directed learning readiness
(SDLR) between students who entered medicine with a local Bahraini schools certificate and those
students who entered with an international schools certificate.
Results
We analysed how self-management, desire for learning, self-control and total SDLR scores varied in
relation to the student’s previous exit award: ‘A’ levels (or equivalent) or Bahrain Secondary School
(BSS) certificate. BSS certificate students had a significantly lower mean standardised desire for
learning score (63.5) compared to those ‘A’ levels or equivalent (73.6; p=0.003). BSS certificate
students also had a significantly lower mean total self-directed learning readiness score (192.3)
compared to those with the ‘A’ levels and equivalent (214.5; p=0.015). When we controlled for all the
other factors, secondary school award certificate was the only independent predictor of self-control
(standardised beta 0.4; p=0.02) and SDLR (standardised beta 0.36; p=0.043).
Conclusion
Self-directed learning is a key skill in the modern curriculum. Students who exit with a local Middle
Eastern secondary school certificate are finding it difficult to prepare themselves for independent
learning in medical school. This poses a challenge for institutions bringing a more active-learning type
of curriculum to the Middle East.Rashid-Doubell, F.; Doubell, T.; O'sullivan, R.; Elmusharaf, K. (2015). The preparedness of medical students from the Middle East for the modern curriculum: a cross-sectional study. En 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION ADVANCES (HEAD' 15). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 258-266. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd15.2015.299OCS25826
To click or not to click:Introducing audience response system during undergraduate teaching to improve academic performance
No full textObjective: To determine if the use of audience response system (ARS) during large group teaching to undergraduate medical students promotes active learning, improves retention of information and leads to an improvement in academic performance.Method: ARS was used during a 12-week teaching period in the first semester of the first year of the medical program from October 2012 to December 2012. Lecturers integrated Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) into their PowerPoint presentations together with ARS during Anatomy and Physiology lectures. Students were asked to discuss and respond to the MCQs during the lectures.Design: A Prospective Interventional Study.Setting: RCSI Bahrain.Result: Using ARS did not improve academic performance in Anatomy and Physiology, but students reported that using clickers during lectures provided a more interactive learning environment increasing student engagement, promoted active-learning and helped students identify gaps in knowledge.Conclusion: Using ARS in large group teaching had no impact on academic performance in the Anatomy and Physiology rich modules. However, students overwhelmingly enjoyed using clickers during lectures as they promoted active learning and helped them identify gaps in their knowledge.</p
Inflammatory pain hypersensitivity mediated by phenotypic switch in myelinated primary sensory neurons
No full textCollateral Sprouting of Uninjured Primary Afferent A-Fibers into the Superficial Dorsal Horn of the Adult Rat Spinal Cord after Topical Capsaicin Treatment to the Sciatic Nerve
No full textThat terminals of uninjured primary sensory neurons terminating in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord can collaterally sprout was first suggested by Liu and Chambers (1958), but this has since been disputed. Recently, horseradish peroxidase conjugated to the B subunit of cholera toxin (B-HRP) and intracellular HRP injections have shown that sciatic nerve section or crush produces a long-lasting rearrangement in the organization of primary afferent central terminals, with A-fibers sprouting into lamina II, a region that normally receives only C-fiber input (Woolf et al., 1992). The mechanism of this A-fiber sprouting has been thought to involve injury-induced C-fiber transganglionic degeneration combined with myelinated A-fibers being conditioned into a regenerative growth state.In this study, we ask whether C-fiber degeneration and A-fiber conditioning are both necessary for the sprouting of A-fibers into lamina II. Local application of the C-fiber-specific neurotoxin capsaicin to the sciatic nerve has previously been shown to result in C-fiber damage and degenerative atrophy in lamina II. We have used B-HRP to transganglionically label A-fiber central terminals and have shown that 2 weeks after topical capsaicin treatment to the sciatic nerve, the pattern of B-HRP staining in the dorsal horn is indistinguishable from that seen after axotomy, with lamina II displaying novel staining in the identical region containing capsaicin-treated C-fiber central terminals.These results suggest that after C-fiber injury,uninjuredA-fiber central terminals can collaterally sprout into lamina II of the dorsal horn. This phenomenon may help to explain the pain associated with C-fiber neuropathy.</jats:p
Utility of novel diagnostic tests for tuberculosis using human urine
No full textIncludes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.Two thirds of new TB cases in sub-Saharan Africa are HIV coinfected. HIV-TB co-infection increases the incidence of extra-pulmonary, sputum smear-negative and sputum-scarce TB. In these vulnerable patientgroups with high mortality rates, sputum-based diagnostic tools are unhelpful. Urine-based diagnostics offer an attractive, easily available alternative for rapid diagnosis. We evaluated the point-of-care urine LAM strip test (Determine TB LAM Ag test, Alere) and urine-based Xpert MTB/RIF for TB diagnosis in two patient cohorts with high HIV prevalence. A spot urine sample was collected from two cohorts of persons with suspected TB. The first cohort consisted of ambulatory primary care clinic patients suspected of having TB (group 1) whilst the second comprised hospitalised patients with suspected HIV co-infection (group 2). The urine LAM ELISA, LAM strip test and Xpert MTB/RIF were performed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, the effects of using an alternative ‘rulein’ cut-point for the urine LAM strip test and a pelleted (2-10ml) urine sample for Xpert MTB/RIF testing on diagnostic accuracy and inter-reader reliability was assessed. The diagnostic reference standard was M. tuberculosis culture positivity
A comparison of medical and physical therapies in the management of facial arthromyalgia (temporomandibular joint dysfunction).
No full textThis thesis reports on a randomised controlled trial of medical and physical therapy in the management of chronic temporomandibular joint pain and dysfunction. The literature review first explores the meaning and measurement of chronic pain. The anatomy and dynamic function of the temporomandibular joint and associated musculature is then introduced before describing the pain and dysfunction which affects this specific region. The development of terminology, classification and epidemiology is addressed to provide a basis for understanding the condition. A discussion of the presumed multifactorial aetiology and current management follows, with focus on the two areas of specific interest in this study the physical and medical therapies The study methods, results and discussion are presented in accordance with the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) guidelines. A referral cohort of 1,038 subjects were screened and assessed. 250 subjects met inclusion criteria and agreed to participate with informed consent. Subjects were randomised into four groups: medical therapy, placebo, occlusal bite guard, medical therapy and occlusal bite guard. A three month treatment phase and a six month follow-up phase were then conducted. The first section of the results examines the referral cohort. Demographic, clinical diagnostic, and psychosocial profile are reported with treatment uptake for the trial. The second section examines the three month trial phase, treatment efficacy and outcome. The analysis of subgroups is explored, including the characteristics of responders and non-responders to therapy in addition to outcome measures in subjects with initially high pain scores and high levels of depression. The final section analyses reasons for patient withdrawal and non compliance before examining the follow up phase post therapy for maintenance of improvement. Both primary and secondary outcome measures revealed significant improvement in pain amongst all four groups which was maintained during the follow-up phase
