Differences in empathy levels of medical students based on gender, year of medical school and career choice

Objective: To measure mean empathy scores of Pakistani medical students and to explore any association of empathy scores with gender, medical school year and future career choice. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, during the academic year 2015-2016

Methodology: The student version of Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy [JSPE] was distributed to the students electronically via the student portal. Response that were completed in full were included in the study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse student demographic data. The student score on the JSPE was reported as the mean [out of 7] of each item. Independent samples t-test was employed to check the significant differences between genders. Empathy score with advancing year of study was investigated using ANOVA. ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's test was used to study the relationship between career choice and empathy score

Results: The response rate was 70.94%. The mean score was 4.51 +/-0.69. Females obtained greater, but statistically insignificant [p=0.08] empathy score [4.58] as compared to the male students [4.45]. No statistically significant difference was seen between scores on the survey across the five academic years [F=0.88, p=0.47]. Students who selected medicine and allied as career choice showed a significantly higher empathy score than those who opted for surgery. The internal consistency reliability [Cronbach's alpha] was 0.78

Conclusion: There were low levels of empathy in Pakistani medical students. Students with interest in medicine and allied showed higher empathy scores compared to surgical or technical specialties. No association of empathy scores with gender and medical school year was observed

Streamlining learning process through introduction of learner's log for medical students of pre-clerkship years

To follow students' daily learning activities, ensure active participation in learning process and provide immediate feedback to students, facilitators and course directors on daily performance. This study was conducted at Shifa College of Medicine in an ongoing module of first year medical students for a period of two weeks. Learner's log was developed and piloted in three study groups [n = 35] of first year medical students and facilitators [n = 9] of multidisciplinary modular team of Shifa College of Medicine [SCM], Pakistan. The learner's log focused on developing the learner as a Scholar, Communicator, Collaborator, Manager, Health Advocate and Professional [Adapted from Can MEDS Physic-ians Competency Framework]. Students' and faciIitators' questionnaires, comprising of a series of statements and an option for open comments/suggestions, were designed and distributed at the end of study. Analysis showed an appreciating attitude of students and mixed response of facilitators towards learner's log. Sixty percent students and eighty five percent facilitators agreed that this type of learning strategy could be a good tool for self assessment and to keep track of their progress. Fifty seven percent facilitators and fifty three percent students considered it helpful to maintain fair attendance record. A total of 70% students found it helpful in maintaining the log of daily activities whereas 57% facilitators considered it cumbersome and disagreed with its effectiveness as a timely feedback instrument for students. The results support that effective utilization of learner's log could reflect students' performance on daily basis and provide a motivational drive to do better by reviewing their progress and giving them appropriate feedback on their performance. The apprehensions of the facilitators and students about learner's log could be minimized by training of facilitators and sensitization of students to learner's log in pre-clerkship years

Efficacy of levonorgestrel intrauterine system [LNG-IUS] for abnormal uterine bleeding and contraception

To find out clinical response, side effects and patients' acceptability of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system [LNG-IUS]. Observational study. Gynaecology Department of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, from June 2005 to May 2008. Adult women were enrolled in the study. In group-A, 57 married women were enrolled presented with abnormal uterine bleeding while in group-B, 16 married women attended for contraception. All women in group-A had thyroid stimulating hormone, pelvic ultrasound and outpatient endometrial biopsy. Detailed counselling was done before insertion. Outcome variables were improvement in bleeding pattern, safety profile, spontaneous expulsion rate and continuation at the end of one year. In group-A [abnormal bleeding] menstrual cycle became normal in 40.4% women in the first 3 months. At the end of one year, 50.9% women experienced normal cycle, 8.8% were oligomenorrhic and 12.3% were amenorrhic. In group-B [contraceptive group] all women started with normal cycles. At the end of 3 months 42% complained of vaginal spotting which reduced to 10% at the end of one year. Menstrual pattern at the end of one year showed normal cycles in 52%, oligomenorrhea in 19% and amenorrhea in 10% women. Vaginal spotting was experienced by 42% women at 3 months as main complaint which reduced to 10% at the end of one year, however, 7% women requested for removal of device at one year. LNG-IUS is an effective and acceptable treatment for abnormal uterine bleeding as well as for contraception. Vaginal spotting was the most frequent side effect experienced by both groups

Knowledge of type 2 diabetic patients about their illness: pilot project

To evaluate the baseline level of knowledge and awareness of diabetic patients about their disease and it's complications. It was a Cross Sectional Survey conducted at Foundation Clinic, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad, in April 2004. A structured questionnaire was used. Forty diabetic patients were interviewed to know their knowledge attitude and practices about diabetes. All data was entered into SPSS version 10.0. The data was re-validated and analyzed. Mean age of study participants was 45.35 +/- 13.05 years, 11[27.5%] were male and 29 [72.5%] were female. The mean BMI of the study participants was 27.06 +/- 6.29 kg/m2. Majority of the patients 27 [67.5%] had type 2 diabetes. The mean fasting blood sugar was 159 +/- 73.89 mg/dl and random blood sugar was 200 +/- 91.2 mg/dl, 50% of the patients were using antidiabetic drugs regularly and only 15% of the patients were regularly monitoring their blood glucose at home using a glucometer. Awareness level of the study participants was low. The awareness about the disease in majority of diabetic patients was not adequate in this study. Routine individual teaching and counseling represents an effective educational model [JPMA 55:221;2005]