Psychometrics of Multiple Choice Questions with Non-Functioning Distracters: Implications to Medical Education.

Objectives: The functionality of distracters in a multiple choice question plays a very important role. We examined the frequency and impact of functioning and non-functioning distracters on psychometric properties of 5-option items in clinical disciplines.

Methods: We analyzed item statistics of 1115 multiple choice questions from 15 summative assessments of undergraduate medical students and classified the items into five groups by their number of non-functioning distracters.

Esophageal lung resection and prosthesis placement in a preterm neonate.

This report describes a successful outcome in a preterm baby with an esophageal atresia and tracheo-esophageal fistula, who initially underwent a primary esophageal repair; but a persistent nonexpanding lung on the side of surgery led to further investigations. A further diagnosis of an esophageal lung resulted in pneumonectomy and prophylactic placement of an intra-thoracic prosthesis to prevent post-pneumonectomy syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a prophylactic placement of an intra-thoracic prosthesis in a neonate with the condition of esophageal atresia and tracheo-esophageal fistula and associated esophageal lung.

Medical students' perception of professionalism: a qualitative study from Saudi Arabia.

Background: Professionalism has emerged as a core competency for the medical professionals globally. However, few studies have been reported from the Gulf region to assess the situation and take steps to promote professionalism.

Aim: To elicit the views of final year medical students, interns, and residents to explore what professionalism meant to them, what problems they encountered, and what can be done to promote professionalism.

Innovative method of needs assessment for faculty development programs in a Gulf medical school.

Background: Faculty development lays the foundation for the quality enhancement in medical education. However, programs are not always based on the needs of the participants, and there is dearth of information on methods to derive faculty's needs. The Medical Education Unit at the University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, carried out an innovative method to identify and prioritize faculty needs in order to plan future activities.

Experience of a workshop on communication skills in health professional education.

Background: The teaching of communication skills is gaining increasing attention. However, the opportunities for faculty development are limited. This study highlights an attempt by the Medical Education Unit, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, to raise the awareness of faculty to this vital area by organizing a one-day workshop.

Medical ethics and tomorrow's physicians: an aspect of coverage in the formal curriculum.

Medical ethics has created contentious issues and requires reforms in medical education such as renewed emphasis on formal instruction. The aim here was to review the current status of bioethics teaching in medical schools, determine Saudi students' perception of its coverage in the formal curriculum and make recommendations. Using a self-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional study, undergraduate students' opinion about medical ethics coverage was obtained.

An audit of assessment tools in a medical school in eastern saudi arabia.

Background: Assessment has a powerful influence on curriculum delivery. Medical instructors must use tools which conform to educational principles, and audit them as part of curriculum review.

Aim: To generate information to support recommendations for improving curriculum delivery.

Cerebral palsy in Saudi children.

Objective: To describe the clinical profile, and identify its risk factors, of cerebral palsy (CP) as seen in a cohort of consecutive Saudi children aged between one and 3 years of age prospectively over a one-year period.

Methods: Saudi children aged 1-3 years with CP (diagnosis based on specified criteria) were selected from children presenting to the Neurology service at the King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with delayed milestones, seizures, mental retardation and difficulty with walking and evaluated at 3-monthly intervals for one year from January to December 2000. Information on gestation duration, labor and delivery, birth weight and the medical history of the mothers was obtained.

Epidemiology and outcome of "early-onset" vs "late-onset" necrotizing enterocolitis.

Objective: We hypothesized that among neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), important epidemiologic and outcome differences exist between those with early-onset vs. those with late-onset NEC.

Methods: We reviewed all records of neonates cared for in the King Fahad University Hospital during the past ten years who had the diagnosis of NEC.

Early dexamethasone treatment in preterm infants treated with surfactant: a double blind controlled trial.

The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that early postnatal dexamethasone administration (days 1-5) in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome would improve acute respiratory status and therefore decrease long-term neonatal morbidity. This was a prospective, blind randomized controlled trial. Eligible neonates were preterm infants with birthweight < or = 1500 g who developed respiratory distress syndrome requiring mechanical ventilation and surfactant.

Predictive factors and incidence of complications in apparently healthy full term infants of diabetic mothers.

Aim: To determine the incidence of different complications of the apparently healthy full-term infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs) and whether these complications could be predicted early.

Methods: A prospective study was performed in the Nursery Unit of King Fahd Hospital of the University in Al-Khobar over an 18-month period. Eligible neonates were those full-term IDMs who were asymptomatic at birth, with birth weight ≥ 2000 g and whose mothers had gestational or pregestational diabetes.

Ultrasonography: can it differentiate between vasoocclusive crisis and acute osteomyelitis in sickle cell disease?

We prospectively evaluated the results of ultrasonography in 53 patients of sickle cell disease suspected to have vasoocclusive crisis/acute hematogenous osteomyelitis. The average age was 8.4 +/- 3.

Cost-effectiveness of surfactant replacement therapy in a developing country.

A comparison study was conducted to evaluate the cost effectiveness of surfactant replacement therapy in the treatment of hyaline membrane disease (HMD). Study population included neonates admitted because of HMD severe enough to require assisted ventilation with FiO2 greater that 0.4 per cent.

A case control study of neonatal sepsis: experience from Saudi Arabia.

Sixty-one cases of neonatal septicaemia (NNS) identified by positive blood cultures during surveillance of infection at King Fahd Hospital of the University in Khobar, Saudi Arabia from September 1983-September 1988 were studied to evaluate the local pattern of pathogens and the risk factors for sepsis using a case control analysis. The incidence of NNS was 4.9 per 1000 live births (LB).

Effects of early indomethacin administration on oxygenation and surfactant requirement in low birth weight infants.

A previous study found that early intravenous indomethacin administration prolonged respiratory support in very low birth weight infants. We have, therefore, designed a randomized, double blind controlled study to evaluate the oxygenation, and surfactant requirements in preterm low birth weight infants receiving early indomethacin administration. Premature neonates who received surfactant therapy and on mechanical ventilation were prospectively randomized to receive either placebo or indomethacin (0.

Congenital anomalies among infants of diabetic mothers: a study of 466 cases at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar.

The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence of congenital anomalies among infants of diabetic mothers and compare this with the normal obstetric population in our hospital. Among 17 463 patients delivered at the King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia between January 1987 and December 1992 there were 466 diabetic mothers who delivered 466 singleton births. The incidence of diabetes was 2.

Career choices among Saudi medical students.

Purpose: To identify the career choices, intended practice locations, and reasons for career choices of final-year Saudi medical students.

Method: A total of 302 final-year students at the four Saudi medical colleges were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire at the end of the 1994 academic year.

Results: A total of 253 students (84%) responded (149 men and 104 women).

Patient satisfaction survey in a teaching hospital in saudi arabia: preliminary results.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a useful indicator of the quality of health care, but there is no one universally acceptable tool for measuring it. In Saudi Arabia, such studies are, few.

Setting: In-patients in a teaching hospital.