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.