Factors Influencing Interns’ Satisfaction with the Internship Training Programme Offered at Saudi Medical Schools

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the perceptions of medical interns with regards to the internship training programme offered at Saudi medical schools and to explore factors influencing their overall satisfaction with this progamme. Methods: This exploratory study was conducted at four medical schools in Saudi Arabia between July 2017 and June 2018. All medical interns undergoing internship training at the selected medical schools during the 2017–2018 academic year were invited to participate in the survey. A questionnaire covering 10 internship dimensions and including a total of 76 items and one global item was designed to assess the medical interns’ satisfaction with the training programme. Results: A total of 295 interns returned completed questionnaires (response rate: 92%). Overall, the interns’ satisfaction with all 10 internship dimensions was high (mean score: ≥3.6). A multiple regression analysis indicated that various factors were significant predictors of medical interns’ overall satisfaction with the internship training programme, including orientation, training site services, supervision, relationships with their superiors and hospital activities (P <0.050 each). Conclusion: Medical interns were highly satisfied with the internship training programme offered at Saudi medical schools, with various factors found to significantly influence overall satisfaction. The findings of this study may help policymakers in Saudi Arabia to improve the internship training programme so as to ensure medical interns’ overall satisfaction and potentially improve their learning outcomes and clinical training.Keywords: Undergraduate Medical Education; Internship and Residency; Attitudes; Clinical Competence; Saudi Arabia

Relationships among head posture, pain intensity, disability and deep cervical flexor muscle performance in subjects with postural neck pain

Objectives: Information Technology (IT) professionals working with computers gradually develop forward head posture and, as a result, these professionals are susceptible to several neck disorders. This study intended to reveal the relationships between pain intensity, disability, head posture and deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscle performance in patients with postural neck pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 IT professionals who were diagnosed with postural neck pain. The participants were recruited with a random sampling approach. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), the Modified Head Posture Spinal Curvature Instrument (MHPSCI), and the Stabilizer Pressure Biofeedback Unit were used to measure neck pain intensity, neck disability, head posture, and DCF muscle performance, respectively. Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient revealed a significantly strong positive relationship between the VAS and the NPQ (r = 0.734). The cranio-vertebral (CV) angle was found to have a significantly negative correlation with the VAS (r = â0.536) and a weak negative correlation with the NPQ (r = â0.389). Conclusion: This study concluded that a smaller CV angle corresponded to greater neck pain intensity and disability. Furthermore, there is no significant relationship between CV angle and DCF muscle performance, indicating that head posture re-education through postural correction exercises would not completely correct the motor control deficits in DCF muscles. In addition, a suitable exercise regimen that exclusively targets the deep cervical flexor muscle to improve its endurance is warranted. Keywords: Craniovertebral angle, Disability deep cervical flexors muscle performance, Head posture, Postural neck pai