Faculty Development Initiatives at the College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman

Faculty development is necessary to improve and update teaching and learning methodologies. As such, a variety of learning activities have been designed to improve teaching competencies of individual teachers. The College of Medicine & Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, recognised the need for teacher training in order to bring faculty up-to-date in teaching and assessment methodologies. A programme of regular and one-time interventions consisting of short courses, workshops and a series of lectures was offered. Feedback from the participants and facilitators led to programme expansion and enhancement. This special contribution discusses the impact of the programme on faculty and the college.Keywords: Teacher Training; Medical Education; Oman

Students’ Perceived Benefits of Integrating a BSc in Health Sciences within a Medical Degree at Sultan Qaboos University

Objectives: After completing the pre-clinical phase of a Doctor of Medicine (MD) curriculum, undergraduate medical students may choose to add a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in health sciences to their MD degree. Limited data exists on the motives behind students’ decisions to undertake such intercalated degrees. Hence, this study aimed to identify the factors that influence students in making this choice. Methods: Undergraduate students who chose the research-based academic track of the intercalated phase of the BSc programme at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, between 2014–2018 were enrolled. A standardised and validated self-explanatory questionnaire examining motivations to join the intercalated phase was administered to all students in the first week of enrolment. Results: Over a five-year period, out of 557 eligible students, 18 (3%) were enrolled in the intercalated phase and all completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 22 ± 1.5 years and the majority (83%) were female. Out of the 18 students, 10 (55%) had taken the university’s foundation programme. A total of 45% of students chose to intercalate out of their own interest, regardless of career ambitions. The main reasons to intercalate were an opportunity to enhance research experience, alignment with long-term career goals and a chance to publish in indexed journals. Conclusion: Despite the benefits of obtaining an additional degree, a relatively small proportion of MD students were attracted to the intercalated phase. A better presentation of the BSc degree is needed to help students make a more informed decision.Keywords: Medical Education; Undergraduate Medical Education; Career Choice; Curriculum; Oman

Re: Evaluation Tools in Postgraduate Medical Education–Do we need “Made in Oman” tools?

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Assessment Methods in Undergraduate Medical Education

Various assessment methods are available to assess clinical competence according to the model proposed by Miller. The choice of assessment method will depend on the purpose of its use: whether it is for summative purposes (promotion and certification), formative purposes (diagnosis, feedback and improvement) or both. Different characteristics of assessment tools are identified: validity, reliability, educational impact, feasibility and cost. Whatever the purpose, one assessment method will not assess all domains of competency, as each has its advantages and disadvantages; therefore a variety of assessment methods is required so that the shortcomings of one can be overcome by the advantages of another

Medical Education Units: History, Functions, and Organisation

Most medical schools have established a medical education unit (MEU) or similar bodies in response to various reforms in medical education. Such units have a variety of titles and operate either independently or under the office of the dean. Their activities include conducting educational research, teaching and providing service and career development of academic staff. The scope of their activities ranges from serving medical faculty only to all other health professionals at either the undergraduate or postgraduate levels. Several factors contribute to the success of MEUs and their establishment is seen to have a positive effect on their medical school

A Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) test to Detect the Common Mutation (35delG) in the Connexin-26 Gene

Objective: To develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based test for the detection of a common frame-shift mutation (35delG) in the connexin-26 (GJB2) gene, and to investigate the status of this mutation in Oman. Method: A PCR test, based on sitedirected mutagenesis, was developed for the 35delG mutation. A mutagenesis primer generated an EcoN I site in a short (87 bp) DNA fragment amplifi ed from the connexin-26 gene. The EcoN I site is generated only if the 35delG mutation is present. Thus, a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the amplifi ed DNA fragment with EcoN I allowed us to detect the 35delG mutation in the connexin 26 gene. Result: After validating the test using quality control DNA samples, which contained the 35delG mutation in either homozygous or heterozygous form, 120 healthy subjects and 35 unrelated Omani patients with nosyndromic autosomal recessive deafness (NARD), were screened for 35delG mutation. The mutation was not present in any individual tested. Conclusion: We have been able to develop a new PCR-RFLP test for detecting the 35delG common mutation in the connexin 26 gene. Our preliminary results from application of this test on a limited number of Omani patients indicate that the 35delG mutation may not be associated with NARD in Oman

COVID-19 and the Clinical Phase of the Medical Doctorate Curriculum in Oman: Challenges and the way forward

COVID-19 has gripped the world with lightning speed. Since the onset of the pandemic, activity throughout the world came to a grinding halt. However, business had to continue and people have to learn to live with the virus while the pandemic continues to rage. Medical education is no exception and may even deserve special mention, as it prepares frontline workers against the endemics of tomorrow. We discuss here the journey of medical education at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, as the pandemic struck the world and Oman. This work suggests a roadmap for changes, discusses challenges and proposes measures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on medical schools. Keywords: COVID-19; Medical Education; Curriculum; Computer Simulation; Artificial Intelligence; Oman

A novel missense mutation in the C2C domain of otoferlin causes profound hearing impairment in an Omani family with auditory neuropathy

Objectives: To identify genetic defects in an Omani family diagnosed with deafness. Methods: A cross-sectional association study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Oman and the Centre of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium between August 2010 and September 2014. Microsatellites markers for nine non-syndromic genes were used to genotype the defective locus using the extracted DNA from family members. Sanger sequencing method was used to identify the disease causative mutation. Eazy linkage 5.05 was used to calculate the logarithm of odds score. Lasergene suite was used to detect the mutation position, and Phyre2, SMART, Rasmol, and GOR IV were used to predict the effects of the defect on protein structure and function. Results: The disease was linked to markers located on chromosome-2 and covering the OTOF (DFNB9) gene. A novel missense mutation that changed nucleotide C to G at position c.1469 and consequently the amino acid Proline to Arginine (P490R) on exon 15 was detected. Protein modeling analysis revealed the impact of the mutation on protein structure and the relevant C2C domain. The mutation seems to create a new protein isoform homologous to the complement component C1q. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the mutation found in C2C domain of the OTOF gene is likely to cause deafness in the studied family reflecting the importance of C2 domains of otoferlin in hearing loss

A novel founder MYO15A frameshift duplication is the major cause of genetic hearing loss in Oman

The increased risk for autosomal recessive disorders is one of the most well-known medical implications of consanguinity. In the Sultanate of Oman, a country characterized by one of the highest rates of consanguineous marriages worldwide, prevalence of genetic hearing loss (GHL) is estimated to be 6/10\u2009000. Families of GHL patients have higher consanguinity rates than the general Omani population, indicating a major role for recessive forms. Mutations in GJB2, the most commonly mutated GHL gene, have been sporadically described. We collected 97 DNA samples of GHL probands, affected/unaffected siblings and parents from 26 Omani consanguineous families. Analyzing a first family by whole-exome sequencing, we identified a novel homozygous frameshift duplication (c.1171_1177dupGCCATCT) in MYO15A, the gene linked to the deafness locus DFNB3. This duplication was then found in a total of 8/26 (28%) families, within a 849\u2009kb founder haplotype. Reconstruction of haplotype structure at MYO15A surrounding genomic regions indicated that the founder haplotype branched out in the past two to three centuries from a haplotype present worldwide. The MYO15A duplication emerges as the major cause of GHL in Oman. These findings have major implications for the design of GHL diagnosis and prevention policies in Oma