Knowledge, attitude, and practice of virtual consultation among outpatients at a teaching hospital in Malaysia.

Introduction: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the use of virtual consultations has accelerated to ensure continued access to healthcare despite lockdowns and physical distancing measures. We aimed to determine the knowledge (awareness) of, attitude (acceptability) to, and practice (exposure) [KAP] of virtual consultations (VC), the demographic factors associated with poor KAP, and the correlation between the three KAP domains.

Methods: A cross-sectional study, using a convenience sampling technique, was conducted from 13 September, 2021 to 28 November, 2021.

"Tell me what is 'better'!" How medical students experience feedback, through the lens of self-regulatory learning.

Introduction: While feedback aims to support learning, students frequently struggle to use it. In studying feedback responses there is a gap in explaining them in relation to learning theory. This study explores how feedback experiences influence medical students' self-regulation of learning.

Microlearning and online simulation-based virtual consultation training module for the undergraduate medical curriculum - a preliminary evaluation.

Background: Virtual consultation is a synchronous mode of telemedicine provided remotely via information and communication technology. The projected growth of digitalization in healthcare delivery, however, necessitates medical student training in virtual consultation (VC) to ensure safe and effective patient care. This study describes the implementation and preliminary evaluation of a competency-based VC training module for undergraduate medical students.

In someone else's shoes, are all wearers the same? Empathy in multi-ethnic Asian medical students.

Objectives: Considerable research interest has been observed in ascertaining the actual pattern of empathy skill acquisition, but this aspect remains largely unexplored in Asian medical students. This study explored the empathy trait in Asian medical students from different levels of seniority and investigated the association between students' empathy traits and their socio-demographic and socio-economic backgrounds.

Methods: To explore the empathy trait, the Year 1 to Year 5 medical students completed the students' socio-demographic/economic and validated Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) questionnaires.

Anonymous Audience Response Technology in Image-Based Quiz (IBQ) Neuropathology Lecture for Undergraduate Pre-clinical Medical Students: a Comparison with Traditional Lectures.

Pathology teaching, an intensively image loaded discipline, poses a significant challenge in its delivery. A lot of effort has been placed into sourcing teaching methods that could effectively enhance students' understanding and knowledge retention in this discipline. We describe for the first time in the literature the use of an image-based quiz (IBQ) to deliver a neuropathology lecture.

Sleep deprivation and its association with diseases- a review.

Sleep deprivation, a consequence of multiple health problems or a cause of many major health risks, is a significant public health concern in this era. In the recent years, numerous reports have been added to the literature to provide explanation and to answer previously unanswered questions on this important topic but comprehensive updates and reviews in this aspect remain scarce. The present study identified 135 papers that investigated the association between sleep deprivation and health risks, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, gastrointestinal, immunology, dermatology, endocrine, and reproductive health.

Folic acid and diseases - supplement it or not?

Introduction: folic acid is a water soluble vitamin, which is synthetically-produced and found in fortified foods and supplements. Folate is found naturally in plants, such as the dark green leafy vegetables. Folate is not synthesized de novo by humans, therefore the daily requirements are met from the dietary intake of folic acid supplements or food rich in this vitamin.

The near-peer tutoring programme: embracing the 'doctors-to-teach' philosophy--a comparison of the effects of participation between the senior and junior near-peer tutors.

Background: While there is an increasing pool of literature documenting the benefits of near-peer tutoring programme, little is known about the benefits for junior and senior peer tutors. Knowledge of the peer tutors' perceived benefits at different levels of seniority will aid in the development of a near-peer tutoring programme that will better fulfil both curricula and personal aspirations of near-peer tutors. We, therefore, investigated the perceived benefits of participation in a near-peer tutoring programme for junior as well as senior near-peer tutors.

The relationship between learning preferences (styles and approaches) and learning outcomes among pre-clinical undergraduate medical students.

Background: Learning styles and approaches of individual undergraduate medical students vary considerably and as a consequence, their learning needs also differ from one student to another. This study was conducted to identify different learning styles and approaches of pre-clinical, undergraduate medical students and also to determine the relationships of learning preferences with performances in the summative examinations.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 419 pre-clinical, undergraduate medical students of the International Medical University (IMU) in Kuala Lumpur.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism: epidemiology, metabolism and the associated diseases.

The Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism is associated with various diseases (vascular, cancers, neurology, diabetes, psoriasis, etc) with the epidemiology of the polymorphism of the C677T that varies dependent on the geography and ethnicity. The 5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) locus is mapped on chromosome 1 at the end of the short arm (1p36.6).

Assessors for communication skills: SPs or healthcare professionals?

Introduction: The complexity of modern medicine creates more challenges for teaching and assessment of communication skills in undergraduate medical programme. This research was conducted to study the level of communication skills among undergraduate medical students and to determine the difference between simulated patients and clinical instructors' assessment of communication skills.

Methods: This comparative study was conducted for three months at the Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre of the International Medical University in Malaysia.

Differential expression of the angiogenesis growth factors in psoriasis vulgaris.

Background: Angiogenesis has been reported to be one of the contributory factors to the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. This study aims to compare the expression of different angiogenesis growth factors namely (1) the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) subfamily: A, B, C, D and placenta growth factor (PlGF); (2) nerve growth factor (NGF) and (3) von Willebrand factor (vWFr) in the skins of patients with psoriasis vulgaris and non-psoriatic volunteers.

Results: Comparative immunohistochemistry study was performed on the paraffin-sectioned psoriatic and healthy skins with the abovementioned markers.