Medical faculty development: perceptions about teachers' characteristics

Objectives: This study explored the attributes of an effective medical teacher as determined by faculty members. The faculty's perspectives about whether teaching qualities correspond to faculty members' years of experience were also studied

Methods: A quantitative survey was performed by using a pretested online self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to the medical faculty of the College of Medicine Qassim University. The questionnaire probed the faculty members' opinions about the qualities and attributes of good medical teachers

Results: Seventy-five per cent of faculty members responded. The most important attributes according to the faculty were good communication skills, honesty, and organized presentations. In contrast, telling jokes, sharing personal narratives, and being non-judgemental were the least-valued attributes. Experienced teachers with more than 10 years of experience attached more value to a greater array of qualities than their junior colleagues

Conclusion: Faculty development programmes at medical schools should focus on improving the attributes of effective teachers identified by teachers themselves and their students. Future studies could identify more significant attributes in greater depth and detail

Perceptions of Saudi medical students on the qualities of effective teachers. A cross sectional study

To identify the attributes of an effective medical teacher that students value the most. A quantitative survey was performed in the College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between April and May 2012, using a pretested self-administered questionnaire distributed to all students. It captured their opinions on the qualities and attributes of good teachers. Each item was measured on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were entered and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 17. Three hundred and fifty-six students from all years responded. The most important attributes from the students' perspectives were "respectful to students", "expert on the subject", "organizes good lectures", "understands/relates to students", and "good communication skills". On the other hand, "good sense of humor", "explains and shares personal experiences", "self-sacrificing", "gives good marks to all students", and "dresses up appropriately" were least valued by students. Attributes related to performance were valued more by students compared to personality attributes. Medical teachers and administrators should focus on improving the attributes identified most important to the students. Future studies could define the important attributes more explicitly

Breaking bad news issues: a survey among physicians

The aim of this study was to explore the physicians perspectives and practices in relation to breaking bad news [BBN] to patients. A quantitative survey was performed in the Qassim Region from January to July 2011. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire administered to all practicing physicians working in both hospitals and Primary Healthcare centers in the Qassim Region Anonymity was maintained throughout. The target groups received a self-administered questionnaire with a covering letter introducing the study and explaining their rights. A total of 458 physicians participated in the study Physicians with higher qualifications had lower total scores of the mean in BBN skills. The majority [70%] preferred to discuss information with close relatives rather than the patients. In case of serious diseases, only 32% said that they would inform the patients family without the patient's consent. More than 90% of our study sample did not avoid telling their patients the bad news; however, physicians working in Primary Healthcare centers were less reserved. Although most of the participating physicians were keen to help their patients, they lacked the essential knowledge and skills for breaking bad news. Thus, they are in need of specific training in this regard

Lifestyle related risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia

To assess the impact of diet and physical activity on the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA] after adjusting for family history of diabetes. We conducted a case-control study in Al Qassim, KSA to test the hypothesis that dietary practices and physical activity modify the risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of family history. Male and female Saudi citizens 30-70 years of age were eligible to participate. The sample included 283 cases [T2DM patients] and 215 non-diabetic controls randomly selected from patients visiting the primary health care centers from September to November 2009. We collected information on demographic variables, family history, dietary habits, and physical activity. Using logistic regression, we estimated adjusted odds ratios [AOR] for dietary habits and physical activity after controlling for the effects of gender, age, education, and family history of diabetes. There is strong association between diabetes and maternal history of diabetes, education, lack of exercise, and dietary habits. The AOR for regular eating of Kabsa was 5.5 [95% confidence limits [CL]: 2.3-13.5]; for vegetables an AOR of 0.4 [95% CL: 0.2-0.7]; for dates an AOR of 1.8 [95% CL: 1.0-3.3] ;and the AOR for sedentary lifestyle was 2.5 [95% CL: 1.2-5.0]. Healthy diet and active lifestyle may significantly decrease the risk of T2DM in spite of having a family history of diabetes. Effective health education programs promoting healthy diet and regular exercise are needed to reduce the burden of diabetes in Saudi Arabia