Comparative analyses of three radiographic dental age estimation methods amongst Nigerians

Background: Age estimation is a critical step in constructing biological  profiles from human skeletal remains. This study aimed to compare three radiographic methods of age estimation with tested validity in different populations for accuracy and applicability in forensic investigations amongst Nigerians.Methods: This was a retrospective study of panoramic radiographs  (Planmeca Romexis®) captured from 46 young Nigerian patients between ages 6 to 21 years in a Federal Tertiary Health Institution in Southwest Nigeria between July and December, 2017. Parameters on the panoramic radiographs were measured and scored based on Demirjian, Cameriere and Kvaal radiographic dental age estimation methods. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20 at p<0.05.Result and Conclusion: There was no significant difference between  chronological ages and estimated ages of subjects considering Demirjian and Cameriere methods, but there was a significant age difference when Kvaal method was used (p>0.5). Demirjian method was found to be strongly correlated with chronological age (rs = 0.763); Cameriere method moderately correlated (rs = 0.684) and Kvaal method weakly correlated (rs = 0.476). Demirjian method showed the strongest direct relationship (R² = 0.56) followed by Cameriere (R² = 0.44) and Kvaal method (R² = 0.22). Demirjian system was the only significant predictor of the chronological age of Nigerian subjects using multiple linear regression.Keyword: Age estimation, Demirjian, Kvaal, Cameriere, Nigeri

Views of early career doctors on residency training and clinical practice in Nigeria: A qualitative report from charting study

In Nigeria, Early Career Doctors (ECDs) constitute a significant number of the doctor's health workforce and play a crucial role in health service delivery. However, there is a paucity of data concerning attitude, perception, and challenges in training and skill acquisition faced by ECDs undergoing residency training in Nigeria. This study is a component of Challenges of Residency training and early career doctors in Nigeria (CHARTING study) a multicentre and multidisciplinary study that explored the views of ECDs on residency training and clinical practice in Nigeria. Methods: Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted among fourteen respondents, to address specific aspects of the residency training program and encourage respondents to express themselves about issues relevant to their personal experiences as regards the assessment of practice and proffer recommendations. Discussions were digitally recorded with an audio recorder. Audio-recordings was transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed, and coding was done using NVivo 12 program. Results: All the study participants expressed various degrees of dissatisfaction and challenges such as lack of up to date knowledge, poor&contingent rewards, workload distribution, lack of mentorship, and unequipped facility during the residency training program. Majority of the study participants considered the program is currently skewed towards service delivery at the detriment of training and research. Conclusion: The study provided robust information on the knowledge of the trainees' perception of the residency training program in Nigeria as well as the challenges of residency training among ECDs as regards their experience and practice; it also proffered recommendations to mitigate the challenges. Keywords: Career, Internship, Postgraduate, Registrar, Trainee, Residency, Doctors, Dentist, Early Career Doctors, Nigeria, Education, Graduate Medical, Residenc

Trainees collaboratively investigating early career doctors' themes: a nard initiative in Nigeria

Early career doctors (ECDs) are faced with many unique challenges; this is even more pronounced in low resources setting like country Nigeria. To unravel and improve understanding of these challenges the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) initiated a trainee driven research initiative. NARD initiated the Research and Statistics Committee (RSC), a six member team derived from her membership. In an attempt to carry out her responsibility efficiently the committee created the Research Collaboration network (RCN), a 43 member team comprising ECDs from across Nigeria. The key themes to be explored under this initiative include demographic, work and psychosocial issues as it affect ECDs in Nigeria. This article is set out to describe in detail the NARD initiative in term of the structure, operational modalities and agenda for the year 2018/19.Keywords: Research, Early career doctors, Residents Doctors, Nigeria, Junior Doctor

Challenges of residency training and early career doctors in Nigeria study (charting study): a protocol paper

Introduction: Early career doctors (ECDs) make up a significant proportion of the workforce of medical/dental practitioners in Nigeria. ECDs play pivotal roles in the Nigerian healthcare system. However, several factors affect ECDs in their career endeavours, ranging from poor remuneration to psychosocial problems (such as burn out, job dissatisfaction, etc.). While other countries have tried to investigate these factors and their impact, no national inquiry has been done yet in Nigeria. This demonstrates the critical need to conduct a nationally representativestudy exploring these factors, such as demographic, workplace and psychosocial factors, among ECDs in Nigeria. This article is a protocol paper for the challenges of residency training and early career doctors in Nigeria study; charting study to be conducted under the auspices of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria(NARD).Methods: The Charting Study would be a mixed study design, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative study designs and access data from structured questionnaire, focus group interview and secondary data available to the association.Conclusion: The outcome of this study will provide great insight into various issues affecting ECDs in Nigeria and make necessary recommendations.Keywords: Nigeria, early career doctors, junior doctors, physicians, dentists, workplace, psychosocial issue

Challenges of Residency Training and Early Career Doctors in Nigeria Phase II: Update on Objectives, Design, and Rationale of Study

Background: Early career doctors (ECDs) are a dynamic and highly mobile group of medical and dental practitioners who form a significant proportion of the health workforce in Nigeria. The challenges of residency training and ECDs in Nigeria CHARTING Phase I study explored limited challenges affecting ECDs under the broad themes of demography, workplace issues, and psychosocial issues. The CHARTING II was expanded to provide wider insight into the challenges of ECDs in Nigeria. Objective: This protocol aims to provide clear objectives including description of objectives, design, and rationale for the conduct of the proposed CHARTING II study which seeks to explore other components under the various themes of demographic, workplace, psychosocial issues affecting the ECDs in Nigeria, and which were not explored under CHARTING I.   Methodology: This shall be a mixed study design that will combine qualitative and quantitative methods, to investigate 27 subthemes among 2000 ECDs spread across 31 centers, accredited by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors. Participants shall be selected using the multistage sampling method. The primary data will be generated using structured proforma and validated questionnaires,while administrative sources would serve as a source of secondary data. Data will be entered and analyzed using appropriate statisticalsoftware. Conclusion: CHARTING II study would provide more robust data and insight into the problems encountered by ECDs in Nigeria. This would in turn build a platform for institutional engagement and advocacy in order to drive relevant policies to mitigate these challenges. Keywords: Early career doctors, Nigeria, residency, resident doctors, trainin

Letter to the Editor: The burden of burnout and effect on cardiovascular diseases and risk predisposition: a call for action

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Massive sublingual bronchogenic cyst with airway compromise

Bronchogenic cysts are primary cysts of the mediastinum. In rare situations, it can present in the oral cavity as a swelling of the tongue and the floor of the mouth. Usually, it is not a life-threatening clinical entity. In this report, we present a massive sublingual bronchogenic cyst with life-threatening clinical characteristics in an adult patient of a Nigerian tertiary-level medical center and the management of the case