"Why do medical students fail in studies?" A case study

Revealing reasons as to why medical students struggle in their studies would help to develop corresponding student support for students. As early remedial actions could prevent further attrition and dropouts, the purpose of this study is to investigate possible reasons for medical students failing their Year 1 studies

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Occupational burnout among obstetrics and gynaecology healthcare professionals in a public hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan

Objective: To assess burnout by the extent of exhaustion and disengagement, and to compare the two elements among obstetrics and gynaecology healthcare professionals. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, in July and August, 2020 during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, and comprised healthcare professionals from the obstetrics and gynaecology department. Data was collected online using the 25-item Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Results: Of the 142 individuals approached, 102(71.83%) responded; 55(53.92%) doctors, 43(42.15%) nurses and 4(3.92%) operation theatre technicians. Overall, there were 98(96.1%) females, and 67(65.7%) married subjects.  Mean exhaustion score was 2.53+0.54 and disengagement score was 2.14+0.57. Burnout was found in 40(39.2%) participants, 83(81.4%) were exhausted, 44(43.1%) were disengaged, and 4(3.1%) were disengaged but not exhausted. Participants aged >50 years were significantly more exhausted and disengaged than the younger ones (p60 per week were significantly more exhausted and disengaged than the rest (p<0.05). Conclusion: Healthcare professionals in obstetrics and gynaecology teams showed considerably high burnout levels during the coronavirus disease-2019pandemic in Pakistan. Key Words: Burnout, Caregiver exhaustion, Healthcare, Professional, Psychological

Investigating the reliability and usefulness of self- and peer assessments of a capstone design project

There is increasing use of self- and peer assessments to assess behaviours of students working on group projects. This study aimed to explore the reliability and usefulness of self- and peer assessments during a capstone design project. A sample of 61 final-year undergraduate students aged 23 to 25 years old who were enrolled in Bachelor Degree of Chemical Process Engineering participated in the study. Students worked in groups of 5 to 6 members for 28 weeks to complete the project. Training was provided, and progress was monitored. Self- and peer assessments were conducted during the 6th, 14th and 22nd weeks. In each assessment, students rated their own behaviours and those of their peers using identical Likert scale questionnaires, and they also wrote feedback to themselves and their peers. Quantitative findings reported that, in the 6th week, students ranked themselves (mean = 3.98) significantly lower than how they ranked their peers (mean = 4.16). In the 14th week, students still ranked themselves (mean = 4.14) lower than how they ranked their peers (mean = 4.20). Last, in the 22nd week, students ranked themselves (mean = 4.24) equivalent to how they ranked their peers (mean = 4.24). For qualitative findings, feedback written to peers in the 22nd weeks was compared to self-assessment feedback from that week. Self- and peer observations on one’s strengths and areas for improvement seem to converge both quantitatively and qualitatively towards the end of the project. It is also noted that both self- and peer assessment scores increased between the first and third assessments. The findings imply that students’ behaviours improved while working on the capstone project. In conclusion, self- and peer assessments could be reliable and useful for chemical engineering students, and training students in how to conduct these assessments is essential to ensure successful implementation. Future qualitative research could identify how and why students gradually change their behaviours in long-term, team-based projects

The relationships between academic motivation and academic performance of first-year chemical engineering students

Academic motivation is linked to benefits in terms of learning effectiveness. This study investigated motivation of pursuing an engineering degree among first year chemical process engineering students. Forty-six students (n=46) who were in their first week of study completed a self-administered online questionnaire, that is the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). The results showed that students had higher intrinsic motivation, higher extrinsic motivation and lower amotivation upon enrolling into the degree. Next, students' academic performance in the first semester was collected. Correlations between motivation and academic performance were studied. The results indicate that extrinsic motivation is correlated significantly with academic performance. Recommendations were made to improve teaching and learning effectiveness, using the Self-Determination Theory perspective

A phenomenological study on East and Southeast Asian dental educators: perceived importance, challenges, and strategies in teaching dental materials science

Abstract Background Effective teaching of dental materials science is crucial for dental students to develop a comprehensive understanding of materials used in clinical practice. However, literature on educators’ views on teaching this subject is still scarce. This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of dental educators in teaching dental materials science subjects, thereby addressing potential gaps and enhancing teaching practices. Methods Thirteen dental educators from East and Southeast Asian countries (Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan) participated in the present study. The present study adopted a transcendental phenomenological approach. One-to-one semi-structured online interviews were conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns in the educators’ experiences. Results Three themes emerged from the present study. First, perceptions of the importance of dental materials science, highlighting its relevance in clinical practice, patient care, and lifelong learning. Second, the challenges faced in teaching dental materials science include limited instructional time, complex content, and insufficient resources. Third, specific strategies, such as applying interactive teaching methods, integrating clinical scenarios, and promoting critical thinking skills have been suggested to enhance teaching and learning. Conclusion Understanding dental educators’ experiences can improve dental materials science education, curriculum development, teaching methods, and faculty training programmes, ultimately enhancing the knowledge and skills of dental students in this field

Perception of stakeholders on current perfusion education in Malaysia

Perfusionist is known as a certified medical technician liable for extracorporeal oxygenation of the blood during open-heart surgery. Current curriculum is believed to be at par and is aligned with the National Occupational Skills Standard, however, the scope of perfusion practice keeps changing with the advancement of technology and procedures, and there is a demand for specialty area such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Therefore, current curriculum should be re-evaluated by taking consideration from multiple stakeholders’ perception on current needs, content, educational strategies, teaching methods, assessment methods, and curriculum management. Hence, this study aimed to explore perception of stakeholders in evaluating current perfusion education in Malaysia. In the context of the present study, stakeholders of perfusion education in Malaysia were referred to the private providers, manager, educators, advance diploma holders, perfusionist, and pensioners. This was a qualitative study which involved in-depth interview approach. A total 10 stakeholders participated in this study, chosen though purposive sampling. The interview was guided by semi-structured questions to explore participant’s perception. The participants were approached by the list obtained from the Malaysian Perfusionist Society (MAPS). The interviews were conducted face-to-face or virtually.&nbsp

Using document phenomenology to investigate academic failure among year 1 undergraduate Malaysian medical students

Abstract Background Academic failure is common among medical schools worldwide. However, the process behind this failure itself is underexplored. A deeper understanding of this phenomenon may avert the vicious cycle of academic failure. Hence, this study investigated the process of academic failure among medical students in Year 1. Methods This study employed a document phenomenological approach, which is a systematic process to examine documents, interpret them to attain understanding, and develop empirical knowledge of the phenomenon studied. Using document analysis, interview transcripts and reflective essays of 16 Year 1 medical students who experienced academic failure were analysed. Based on this analysis, codes were developed and further reduced into categories and themes. Thirty categories in eight themes were linked to make sense of the series of events leading to academic failure. Results One or more critical incidents commenced during the academic year, which led to possible resulting events. The students had poor attitudes, ineffective learning methods, health problems or stress. Students progressed to mid-year assessments and reacted differently to their results in the assessments. Afterwards, the students tried different types of attempts, and they still failed the end-of-year assessments. The general process of academic failure is illustrated in a diagram describing chronological events. Conclusion Academic failure may be explained by a series of events (and consequences) of what students experience and do and how they respond to their experiences. Preventing a preceding event may prevent students from suffering these consequences