Research Oriented curricula

The idea of this paper is to look into the curricular philosophies and strategies which target the training on research while students and staff are involved in their professional courses, and suggest course packages that may help institutions in the Muslim countries to generate a production line of future researchers. A review of the literature of research departments attached to health science colleges, and find out their objectives and achievements in the area of undergraduate education with the purpose of qualifying potential researchers. The result show that in the last 30 years of the 20[th] century, many practicing health professionals and educationists have questioned the ability of the so called traditional university curricula to prepare students to meet the needs of the profession in solving real-life problems, or to integrate the goals of professional teaching with other societal goals. Over the last four decades, educational innovations in medicine have established themselves as an equal curricular choice. The number of new community oriented, problem-based curricula doubled or tripled every year, and many claimed proofs for improving technical proficiency. The best support for this innovation has always been a research program or department that involves both academic staff and students. Most research was on the efficiency and acceptability of the innovation and related issues. Much was aimed at moral support for the innovation or in the application of the new domains of educational theories and practices in health professionals training. These included areas such as [a] evaluation of innovations in the improvement of medical education, [b] policy-orientation and leadership training, [c] using research as a tool in advancing health care education, [d] grants support of faculty research, [e] measurement of community participation in health promotion programs, and [f] classroom activities based on the use of World Wide Web, [g]community-response to institutional initiatives in providing care, and many more. Fewer programs, than expected, have considered the aspect of training students to do research in their future career. Biomedical scientists were better off than clinicians and other professionals because the attempts made were scanty and interrupted. The moves were part of a bigger environment of recall and didactic evaluation. It was conclude that research is teachable and better done early in regular courses included in the final grade of students. Special elective blocks may be added for those who have the talent or interest

Regression of liver fibrosis in Schistosoma mansoni infected Sudanese subjects after praziquantel treatment

1-To evaluate the effect of Praziquantel [PZQ] therapy on the regression of liver fibrosis in an endemic population. 2-To determine the factors controlling the regression of hepatic fibrosis [e.g. gender, age and grade of fibrosis]. An association study of a cohort of one hundred seventy seven Sudanese patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni [82 males 46%, 95 females 54%] was conducted to evaluate the factors controlling the regression of liver fibrosis 39 months after treatment with PZQ using ultrasound evaluation. SPSS [Statistical Package for Social Science] software was used for statistical analysis. Chi- Square was used to compare the two phenotypes [regression and progression] in the study subjects. PPF was regressed in 63 patients [36%] from higher grades of fibrosis to lower ones. While in 24 patients [13%] the disease progressed to higher grades. In addition, the grade of PPF did not change in 90 patients [51%]. The mean values of portal vein diameter [PVD], splenic vein diameter [SVD], and index liver size [ILS] in subjects in whom PPF regressed after treatment were significantly lower than in subjects in whom the disease was progressed [P <.0001, P =.031, and P =.003 respectively].The progression of hepatic fibrosis in males [n = 15.18%] was greater than that of females [n = 9.9%]. Patients who showed regression of PPF or progression of the disease tend to cluster in certain families. Our study indicated that regression and stabilization of PPF after PZQ therapy is controlled by gender, age, grade of fibrosis, and possibly inherited factors