Perceptions of clinical teachers acting as examiners regarding the value of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

Objectives: The OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) is a common method of assessing clinical skills used at many universities. An important and simultaneously difficult aspect of good examination preparation is obtaining a properly trained and well-motivated group of assessors. To effectively recruit and maintain cooperation with assessors, it is worth knowing their opinion. The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of teacher-examiners about the OSCE and to identify the factors that could shape this opinion and influence on motivation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire on teachers who participated as OSCE examiners. This questionnaire consisted of 21 questions about their perceptions. Answers were rated in a five-point Likert-type scale. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 49 (out of 52) teachers participated in this study. Nearly 90% of examiners believed that it is fair, and more than 90% that it is transparent. Despite the fact that 67% of examiners believe that the examination is difficult to organize and 71% believe it is stressful for students; according to 72% of respondents the OSCE has a positive effect on learning. More than 91% of examiners believed that the OSCE is an appropriate test to assess students’ skills. Opinions about the examination were independent of specialty, seniority, gender or having taken the OSCE as students. Conclusion: Teacher-examiners viewed the OSCE as a fair and transparent examination, adequate for the assessment of skills and, despite it being difficult to organize, worth doing as it is appropriate to assess practical skills and positively influences students’ motivation to learn tested skills

Przeciwbólowe efekty morfiny, nefopamu, indometacyny i imipraminy u szczurów z lezją ośrodkowego układu serotoninergicznego

The aim of the present study was to examine the eff ect of the central serotoninergic lesion on the antinociceptive eff ects of morphine (5.0 mg/kg sc), nefopam (20 mg/kg ip), indomethacin (5.0 mg/kg ip) and imipramine (10 mg/kg ip) in the model of exteroceptive sensation - formalin test (chemical stimulus), and interoceptive sensation - writhing test (model of visceral pain). Furthermore monoamine synthesis rate after examined analgetics in the frontal cortex, thalamus, brain stem and spinal cord was assayed. MATERIAL AND METHODS On the 3 rd day of postnatal life male rats were administered with 5.7- DHT (70 μg/10 μl in 0.1% ascorbic acid solution ICV; 35 μg/5 μl per side); control animals received vehicle (70 μg/10 μl of 0.1% ascorbic acid solution ICV). Rats continued to be housed until 8-10 weeks, for further experimentation. RESULTS It was shown that the central serotoninergic lesion slightly modifi ed analgesia evoked by nefopam and indomethacin in formalin test but much more profound reduction in analgesia produced by morphine and indomethacin injection was observed in visceral model of nociception. In biochemical study it was shown that analgetics employed in this study (with exception of indomethacin) altered synthesis rate of serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) in the examined parts of the rats brain. The above indicates that besides serotoninergic pathway other monoaminergic systems (noradrenergic and dopaminergic) participate in the central mechanism of action of these drugs. CONCLUSION It is likely that similar nociception abnormalities may occur in patients with serotoninergic system dysfunction, so that it points out on the requirement of analgetics dosage adjustment.WSTĘP Celem pracy była ocena wpływu lezji (zniszczenia) ośrodkowego układu serotoninergicznego na przeciwbólowe działanie morfi ny (5.0 mg/kg sc), nefopamu (20 mg/kg ip), indometacyny (5.0 mg/kg ip) i imipraminy (10 mg/kg ip) w testach czucia bólu eksteroceptywnego, tj formalinowym (bodziec chemiczny) a ponadto czucia interoceptywnego, tj. bólu trzewnego w teście wicia. Ponadto zbadano wpływ stosowanych analgetyków na procesy syntezy monoamin w wybranych częściach mózgu (kora przedczołowa, wzgórze, most, rdzeń kręgowy) u szczurów kontrolnych oraz z lezją. MATERIAŁ I METODY Zniszczenie ośrodkowego układu serotoninergicznego wykonano u 3 dniowych noworodków szczurzych stosując dokomorowo 5.7-DHT w dawce 70 μg/10 μl w 0.1% roztworze kwasu askorbinowego. Właściwe testy behawioralne i biochemiczne wykonano po osiągnięciu przez zwierzęta 8 tygodnia życia. WYNIKI Wykazano, że chemiczna lezja ośrodkowego układu serotoninergicznego tylko w niewielkim stopniu modyfi kuje przeciwbólowe działanie nefopamu i indometacyny w modelu bólu zapalnego natomiast wyraźnie osłabia przeciwbólowe działanie morfi ny i indometacyny w modelu bólu trzewnego u szczurów. W badaniach biochemicznych wykazano, że stosowane leki (za wyjątkiem indometacyny) zmieniają szybkość syntezy serotoniny (5-HT) oraz dopaminy (DA) w badanych strukturach mózgu. Powyższe wskazuje, że w ośrodkowych mechanizmach analgetycznego działania stosowanych leków poza układem serotoninergicznym uczestniczą w różnym stopniu inne układy monoaminergiczne, tj. noradrenergiczny i dopaminergiczny. WNIOSKI Uzyskane wyniki przemawiają za tym, że trwała dysfunkcja ośrodkowego układu serotoninergicznego może prowadzić do zmienionej reakcji biologicznej na leki przeciwbólowe

The prevalence of alcohol use among medical students in Poland

Introduction. Alcohol is the most widely used drug worldwide. Medical students should be aware of its possible harmful properties although they are known to consume large amounts of alcohol. Therefore analysis of their drinking patterns is important for public health. Aim of the study. Analysis of alcohol consumption patterns among Polish medical universities students. Material and methods. Students of different Polish medical universities were asked to fill a self-prepared survey on alcohol consumption. 852 fulfilled questionnaires were gathered. The statistical analysis was performed with Statistica 13 (Statsoft, USA). Results. 99.19% of students (N=860) have declared trying alcohol. 35,35% (N=304) of respondents declared the age of first alcohol consumption as between 15 and 18 years. 31,28% (N=269) of respondents admitted drinking once a week, (27,33%, N=235) twice a week. Beer was pointed as the most frequently consumed alcohol – (51,28%, N=441). 241 students (28,02%) admitted participating in classes under the influence of alcohol. Conclusions. Study reveals some risky alcohol drinking behavior, for example attending classes under the influence of alcohol. During classes they often have contact with patients therefore it can be really dangerous tendency

Neonatal N-(-2-Chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-Bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) Treatment Modifies the Vulnerability to Phenobarbital-and Ethanol-Evoked Sedative-Hypnotic Effects in Adult Rats

To study the influence of the central noradrenergic system on sensitivity to sedative-hypnotic effects mediated by the aminobutyric acid (GABA) system, intact rats were contrasted with rats in which noradrenergic nerves were largely destroyed shortly after birth with the neurotoxin DSP-4 [N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine; 50 mg/kg sc x2, P1 and P3]. At 10 weeks, loss of the righting reflex (LORR) was used as an index to study the acute sedative-hypnotic effects of phenobarbital (100 mg/kg ip) and ethanol (4 g/kg ip, 25% v/v). Additionally, GABA concentration in the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, cerebellum and brainstem was estimated by an HPLC/ED method. Neonatal DSP-4 treatment diminished the sedative-hypnotic effects of both phenobarbital and ethanol in adult rats. While the endogenous GABA content in the PFC, hippocampus, brainstem and cerebellum of DSP-4-treated rats was not altered, phenobarbital significantly decreased GABA content of both intact and DSP-4-lesioned rats by ∼40% in the hippocampus and by ∼20% in other brain regions at 1 h. Ethanol reduced GABA content by ∼15-30% but only in the hippocampus and brainstem of both intact and lesioned rats. These findings indicate that the noradrenergic system exerts a prominent influence on sedative-hypnotics acting via GABAergic systems in the brain without directly altering GABA levels in the brain