Evaluation of continuing professional development program for family physicians

Objectives: To evaluate the King Saud University Continuing Professional Development [CPD] Program for Family Physicians in relation to the Convenience, Relevance, Individualization, Self-Assessment, Interest, Speculation and Systematic [CRISIS] criteria

Methodology: A descriptive study was conducted at King Saud University [KSU] in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The authors used the six strategies of Convenience, Relevance, Individualization, Self-Assessment, Interest, Speculation and Systematic [CRISIS] for evaluation. The program was independently analyzed by the three authors using CRISIS framework. The results were synthesized. The suggestions were discussed and agreed upon and documented

Results: The results indicate that KSU-CPD program meets the CRISIS criteria for effective continuing professional development and offers a useful approach to learning. The course content covers specific areas of practice, but some shortcomings were found that need to be improved like self assessment area and individual learning needs analysis

Conclusion: This program is suitable for Family Physicians, as it is well planned and utilizes most of the principles of CRISIS, but there is still room for improvement. Designing a program for general practitioners using hybrid model that offers a blend of e-learning as well as face-to-face learning opportunities would be an ideal solution

Emergence of dengue in Bangladesh

A total of 370 patients [male 242 and female 128] of dengue syndrome admitted in the medical units of Khulna medical college hospital from July to Dec. 2000 were studied. Age of the patients ranged from 2-70 yrs. Highest number of patients 230[62.16%] were from 1[st] to 3[rd] decade. Students [194], Housewives [55], businessmen [43] and preschool children [36] were the commonly affected group. Fever was the commonest presentation [100%], other symptoms were headache in 115 [31.08%], rash in 105 [28.37%], bodyache in 98 [26.48%], abdominal pain in 66 [17.83%], vomiting in 88 [23.78%] and retroorbital pain in 45 [12.16%] cases. Among the bleeding manifestations, commonest was haematemesis and melaena in 206 [55.67%] cases, gum bleeding in 61 [16.48%], conjunctival haemorrhage in 40 [10.81%]. Haematocrit was high and platelet count was low in majority of the cases. The patients were diagnosed as Dengue Fever [DF] 169 [45.67 %], Dengue haemorrhage fever [DHF] 185 [50%], and Dengue shock syndrome [DSS] 16 [43.2% cases. Out of 370 patients treated 350 [94.59%] recovered completely; 15 [4.05%] expired due to DHF and DSS