Bridging the gap: a program to enhance medical students' learning experience in the foundation year

To evaluate students' perceptions of the intervention program based on small group teaching, regular continuous assessment, science-based tailored study skills program and recorded attendance on students' enhanced learning experience in the first year of study in an outcome-based medical course. Descriptive study. RCSI Bahrain. A Twenty-seven-item questionnaire was administered to foundation year students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain [RCSI Bahrain] after the completion of the first semester to explore whether these interventions enriched the students' learning experience or not. Comparisons of pass rates in all modules over the four years were also included. Students' perceptions of the academic study skills course were collected through a questionnaire activity [version 2007120102] via the Virtual Learning Environment [VLE]. The results suggest that local adaptations of undergraduate programs may lead to pedagogical expertise that contribute to enhanced learning experience of students and better integration of pre-university and third-level courses. The majority of questionnaire items were rated positively and the comparison of pass rates showed the highest results in the year the intervention was implemented. Making local adaptations to medical programs without changing the core curriculum can mark good academic practice. Considering specific socio-cultural frameworks of students may lead to improvements in the delivery of programs in universities.

Evaluation of the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication among first-year medical students

This study was undertaken to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication among first-year medical students of the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain. This was an anonymous, questionnaire-based, descriptive study. A prevalidated questionnaire, containing open-ended and close-ended questions, was administered to the subjects. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 12 and the results expressed as counts and percentages. Out of the 134 respondents, 43 [32.1%] were males and 91 [67.9%] were females; their mean age in years +/- SD was 18.01 +/- 0.78. The respondents' knowledge about appropriate self-medication was poor, but knowledge of the benefits and risks of self-medication was adequate. The respondents found self-medication to be time-saving, economical, convenient and providing quick relief in common illnesses. Important disadvantages of self-medication mentioned were the risk of making a wrong diagnosis, inappropriate drug use and adverse effects. The majority [76.9%] of the respondents had a positive attitude favoring self-medication. Self-medication was practiced by 44.8% of the subjects. The most common indications for self-medication were to relieve the symptoms of headache [70.9%], cough, cold and sore throat [53.7%], stomachache [32.8%] and fever [29.9%]. Analgesics [81.3%] were the most common drugs used for self-medication. The practice of self-medication was appropriate in only 14.2% of cases. Knowledge about appropriate self-medication was poor, attitude towards self-medication was positive, and the practice of self-medication was common and often inappropriate