Introduction: Instant Messaging Applications (IMAs) like Whatsapp has changed our lives including medical education in many ways. Aim: To explore and compare the effectiveness and acceptability of ...Whatsapp as a Teaching Learning (TL) tool for Small Group Learning (SGL) sessions when compared with traditional classroom based learning SGL sessions, for a specific topic (pharmacokinetics) in Pharmacology in Problem Based Learning (PBL) sessions. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in a tertiary care government medical college in Eastern India on second phase Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students in the year 2021 over a period of five weeks (from March to April 2021). After Didactic Lecture (DL) on the topic, the willing students were randomly divided into two groups, group A (n=46) and group B (n=45). Then group A and group B students attended classroom based and Whatsapp based SGL sessions, respectively, for a period of five consecutive days on "Pharmacokinetics" using PBL method. Students appeared for a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) based examination (predecided and prevalidated) of 30 marks before and after the SGL sessions. Next, group A students attended Whatsapp based PBL session on the same topic in the same manner as group B and vice-versa. Finally the students filled in a feedback form using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: The post-test scores for both the groups were significantly better compared to the pretest scores; however, there were no significant differences in the post-test scores of both the groups. Regarding students’ feedback on the type of SGL, except for enjoyment (p-value=0.0345) and interactiveness (p-value=0.022), there were no significant differences between the two group scores. The students significantly preferred combination of both types of SGL to either of them (p-value=0.001). Conclusion: In this study, Whatsapp based SGL showed comparable effectiveness as classroom based SGL as measured in terms of MCQ based examination scores. Except for interactiveness and interest, classroom based SGL was equally acceptable to the students as Whatsapp based SGL. Interestingly, the students preferred a combination of both the type of SGL to either of them on the particular topic of Pharmacology.
Background: Replacement of missing tooth plays an important role in patient’s comfort and self-esteem.
Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the most commonly used ...impression materials and techniques practiced for crowns and bridgework by prosthodontists and general dental practitioners compared to the theoretical methods suggested in the literature and to determine the clinical factors that might influence the decision-making process for the selection of impression materials and techniques.
Materials and Methods: Pre-tested and pre-validated structured and closed-ended anonymous questionnaire was shared with general dental practitioners and prosthodontists.
Results: Most of the prosthodontists use diagnostic impression compared to general dental practitioners (P<0.01). Full-arch tray was used by general dental practitioners significantly more frequently compared to prosthodontists (P<0.01) for single anterior, single posterior, anterior, and posterior bridge preparations. Alginate hydrocolloid was used by general dental practitioners significantly more than prosthodontists (P<0.05); however, addition silicone and condensation silicone were used by prosthodontists significantly more than general dental practitioners (P<0.05). For the impression technique followed in case of using elastomeric impression materials, the prosthodontists used the two-step putty reline technique with spacer more commonly, while general dental practitioners used the multiple mix technique (P<0.01). For the use of provisional restoration for single tooth crowns and for all the bridges, prosthodontists used provisional restoration in significantly higher proportion as compared to general dental practitioners (P<0.01).
Conclusion: According to our study compared to general dental practitioners, practices of the prosthodontists regarding use of fixed partial denture is more in line with the current global trend.
Introduction: Classroom lecture absenteeism is a challenging issue among medical educators. The benefit of attending lecture classes on academic performance has already been documented. Very few ...studies have explored the attitude of undergraduate medical students towards classroom lecture absenteeism and its association with the students’ academic performance. Aim: To explore undergraduate medical students’ attitude towards classroom lecture absenteeism, its association (if any) with academic performance (measured by total marks obtained in semester marks) and also to evaluate the attitude of the students towards attending classroom lectures on pre and paraclinical subjects. Materials and Methods: This anonymous structured questionnaire based observational study was conducted in the Departments of Biochemistry and Pharmacology in the month of September 2021, of a tertiary care government medical college. Phase 1 (n=98) (batch 2021-22) and phase 2 (n=97) (batch 2020-2021) MBBS students of the government medical college were included. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests were used to analyse the data. The p≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Out of 195 students, (male: female ratio being 2:1) 94.87% stayed at hostel. Most of them (51.28%) agreed to attend the classroom lectures for pre and paraclinical subjects for getting attendance. It significantly affected the academic performance of the students (p=0.005). A 61.02% students wanted the lecture classes for pre and paraclinical subjects to be optional. Again 76.92% of them thought attending lecture classes have positive impact on their academic performance. The choice of opinion significantly (p<0.001) affected their academic performances. A 56.41% of the students agreed to skip lecture classes 2-3 times per week and cited the most common reason being “not liking the teaching of a particular teacher.” The choice of the students significantly affected the academic performance (p<0.001). A 67.69% of them opined that by reducing the duration of the class, classroom lecture classes on pre and paraclinical subjects can be improved, and there was significant association between the choice and the academic performance of the students (p<0.001). Conclusion: Although majority of the students understood the positive impact of lecture classes on academic performances and they do not want the lecture classes to become optional, they wanted certain modifications like making the traditional didactic lecture classes more interactive, exam oriented, and concept based. Also some of their attitudes (if not all) affected their academic performances significantly.
Introduction: Coronaviral disease-19 is the global challenge for medical fraternity and public health sector. Need of social distancing has compelled physicians and surgeons to continue medical ...education through virtual mode like webinar. Objective: To study the perceptions, practice and preferences of medical residents and professionals about webinar-based teaching. Methods: An internet-based google-sheet questionnaire was circulated via email and social media for opining different facts about webinar-based teaching. Responses were analysed further to find the facts and preferences. Results: Our study showed that majority of participants found webinars as a useful and sustainable mode of teaching however some of them felt it as an overdone action resulting in unnecessary stress. Conclusion: Teaching through virtual mode (e.g. webinar) is definitely a valuable tool for medical education especially during the need of social distancing. Its frequency, quantity, and quality should be monitored properly for the optimum outcome.
Assessment of learning environment is essential to assess the acceptability of the curriculum among students. Several tools are available to assess undergraduate medical students' perception of ...learning environment. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire is the most commonly used tool. Here, we have used both the widely used DREEM questionnaire and a relatively new questionnaire Johns Hopkins Learning Environment Scale (JHLES).
Assessment of students' perception of learning environment of two eastern Indian medical schools using DREEM and JHLES questionnaire.
In this cross-sectional questionnaire based study, 200 students from Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College (NRSMC) and 78 students from College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital (CMSDH) of 5
semester batch duly completed the two questionnaires, DREEM scale and JHLES tool. The DREEM questionnaire has 50 questions arranged in five domains. The JHLES questionnaire has 28 questions arranged in seven domains. Comparison of scores between the two colleges was done by unpaired t-test.
There were altogether 100 female and 178 male participants with mean age of 20.46±0.67. There were no significant difference between the overall DREEM score (p=0.81) and the JHLES scores (p=0.10) obtained from NRSMC and that obtained from CMSDH. Analysis of individual domain scores on DREEM scale revealed that there were no significant differences in domain scores for the two medical schools except for Students' Perception of Atmosphere (SPA) score (p=0.0086). JHLES revealed significant differences in terms of engagement, inclusion and safety, and physical space (p<0.001). The DREEM and JHLES results revealed positive correlation (r=0.59).
Both DREEM and JHLES scores revealed comparable results from two schools with positive correlation between DREEM and JHLES tools, however some areas with low scores require modification especially the domain assessing Students' Academic Self-Perception (SASP) and Students' Social Self Perceptions (SSSP).
World Health Organization (WHO) defines what is drug and what is not. Second year MBBS students learn the principles of Pharmacology that they use in their later clinical practice life. The aim of ...the survey was to determine how medical students classify a range of preparations they might encounter in their professional lives and whether a brand name or a commercial preparation of a drug would influence their decision in the categorization of the preparation as a 'drug' or 'not a drug'.
To assess the knowledge of medical students, if a substance or product is a drug.
We surveyed 2 concurrent years of medical students to classify 60 candidate medicinal preparations into "drug" and "not-drug" from a validated questionnaire. The candidate preparations were named either in generic or in their commercially available forms and they were all essential drugs as per WHO definition.
The two groups of students, A and B, included 192 and 215 students respectively. Demographically there was little difference in the two groups. Agents like Aspirin, Paracetamol, Amphetamine, Salbutamol, Atropine, Dextromethorphan, Codeine, Diazepam, Ciprofloxacin ear drops, Levonorgestrol, Neosporin eye ointment, Furosemide, Metronidazole, Penicillin, Sorbitrate, Lignocaine, Methotrexate, Penicillin, Zolpidem and Thalidomide received almost unanimous votes as drugs. Arsenic trioxide, Fentanyl and petroleum jelly were considered to be "non-drugs" by most participants. The two groups did not differ significantly in their responses.
Some major lacunae were noted in the knowledge of the participating students despite book teaching on the definition of a drug. Drugs used for prophylaxis and those used in physiological conditions or topically, were often missed. These gaps need to be filled by more emphasis on definition of a drug and its clinical applicability based on example and case based studies.
Objectives:
The present study was undertaken to assess whether performance in the continuous assessment method as determined by internal assessment, correlates to the final summative evaluation in 2
...nd
professional MBBS students in Pharmacology for the last four years (2009-2012).
Materials and Methods:
This study was conducted over a period of three months at Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata (West Bengal, India). It was a retrospective non-interventional record-based study based on the students’ score sheets of 2
nd
MBBS Pharmacology examinations.
Results:
The strength of correlation between internal assessment marks and total summative examination was fond to be highly significant at p < 0.0001, thereby implying that continuous assessment plays a vital role in influencing the overall performance of the undergraduate medical students.
Conclusion:
This study revealed that performance in the internal assessment and final examination have a direct correlation although not completely linear, thereby indicating that other possible variables would have influenced the final result of the 2
nd
MBBS Pharmacology curriculum.
Fluoxetine is a commonly prescribed drug which is used in the psychiatric practice and adenomyosis is a common medical problem in women of the reproductive age group.
To explore the role of ...fluoxetine in the causation of adenomyosis.
Female Wistar rats (n=18) were divided into three groups (group I (the control), group II and group III) and they were treated with normal saline and oral fluoxetine (4mg/kg and 8 mg/kg) respectively for 100 days. Periodic serum prolactin measurements and histopathological examinations of the uterine horns of all the rats were done at the end. Comparison of the mean serum prolactin levels between the patients (n=15) who were diagnosed with adenomyosis, the healthy age sex matched controls and the female patients (n=20) who received fluoxetine for more than 3 months, before and after the fluoxetine administration, was done separately. Appropriate (paired or unpaired) t tests were used for the data analysis.
Out of the 12 test group rats, 10 rats showed the features of adenomyosis histopathologically, along with significantly (p < 0.05) raised serum prolactin levels. The mean serum prolactin levels of the patients of adenomyosis in comparison to those of the controls and of the patients who were treated with fluoxetine (before and after the fluoxetine administration), were significantly high (p=0.001 in both the cases).
Fluoxetine may have some role in the causation of adenomyosis; although for a stronger evidence, the follow-up of the patients who are treated with fluoxetine on a long term basis should be ideal.
ABSTRACT
Neurofibromas (NF) are benign tumors of neural origin, of which roughly 90% appear as solitary lesions. They are classified into cutaneous, subcutaneous, and plexiform subtypes. Plexiform ...neurofibromas are the least common variant and usually are pathognomonic for NF I. Here, we present a very rare case of isolated plexiform neurofibroma with a painless enlarging mass of the tongue of an 11-year-old girl. This rare benign tumor has the potential for malignant transformation, and the diagnosis was difficult owing to the patient's age and to the insidious clinical presentation. The present case is a diffuse isolated plexiform neurofibroma of the tongue that was not associated with neurofibromatosis that was treated with intraoral surgery.
Computer-assisted learning (CAL) tools are often used in medical education as it can complement conventional teaching formats and as an alternative to animal experiments in undergraduate medical ...students. To identify if there is any benefit of integrating CAL tools with conventional teaching format in pharmacology for a specific topic.
Two groups of fourth semester students, Group I (
= 55) and Group II (
= 60), were taught a specific topic in pharmacology using only conventional teaching format (Group I), and both conventional teaching format as well as CAL format (EP Dog version 1.1.0) (Group II). The students were assessed with two different sets of multiple-choice questions, relevant to the topic taught, immediately at the end of the teaching sessions and after 30 days. Acceptability of the two teaching sessions by the students was also assessed using Likert scale.
There was no significant difference in the scores of the students of the two groups immediately after teaching (
= 0.1260), there is definitely better residual knowledge reflected by the significantly (
= 0.001) better test scores of the Group II students after 30 days in comparison to Group I students. However, there was no significant difference with regard to the acceptability of the CAL teaching format alone and along with the conventional teaching format between the two groups (
= 0.6033).
Integrating CAL with conventional teaching format improves students' understanding and performance for a specific topic.
PDF
