Medical students' perception of OSCE at the department of internal medicine, college of medicine, king Khalid university, Abha, KSA

The aim of this study was to explore the students' acceptance of Objective Structured Clinical Examination [OSCE] as a method of assessment of clinical competence in internal medicine. This cross sectional study was conducted from June to August 2013, at King Khalid University, Abha, KSA, through a self-administered questionnaire which was completed by fourth year medical students, immediately after the OSCE. Student feedback confirmed their acceptance of OSCE. This was encouraging to the department to consider implementing OSCE for graduating students

Low recovery rate of helicobacter pylori from positive CLO test patients suffering from dyspepsia

Helicobacter pylori are a well-known cause of gastrointestinal diseases particularly amongst patients suffering from dyspepsia. To evaluate the recovery rate of Helicobacter pylori from suspected peptic ulcer patients with dyspepsia symptom. Gastroenterology Unit, Aseer Central Hospital, Saudi Arabia. A Prospective Study. Gastroscopy and gastric biopsy were performed on 53 patients with dyspepsia from January 2012 to January 2013; all were subjected urease CLO test and culture. The CLO-positive biopsies were cultured using brain-heart infusion agar with added blood [7%], and Skirrow's supplement was used for isolating Helicobacter pylori. Inoculated plates were incubated at 37°C for 7-10 days in a microaerophilic incubation environment and examined for suspected Helicobacter pylori colonies. Helicobacter pylori cultures were confirmed by the positive urease, oxidase and rapid antigen test. Cultures of non-Helicobacter pylori bacteria were identified using few phenotypic tests then confirmed by VITEK 2 automated system. Seventeen [32.08%] Helicobacter pylori were isolated [in pure form or in mixed cultures] using Brain-Heart Infusion agar with blood and Skirrow's supplement. Nineteen [35.85%] samples revealed no growth, 5 [9.43%%] revealed the growth of Acinetobacter spp, 4 [7.55%] revealed Brucella melitensis, 2 [3.77%] revealed Pasteurella spp. and 1 [1.89%] revealed Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The recovery rate of Helicobacter pylori from CLO positive biopsies was low, 17 [32.08%], but growth of other gram negative bacilli was documented