RESUMO
Background and Objective: Nowadays early clinical experience [ECE] in Medical education has been developed with the aim of establishing efficient relationship between basic sciences courses and clinical education. This study was done to evaluate the effect of early clinical experience on the attitudes of students in Sari School of Medicine toward basic sciences courses
Methods: This interventional study [before and after] was done on all Sari Medical students in the 4 th semester of basic sciences program. An ECE program in 8 sessions was designed and developed during the 4th academic semester. Attitudes of the students toward clinical importance of basic sciences courses were asked before and after the program by a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon, Chi-square and McNemar tests and through SPSS 13 software package
Results: From 47 students, 42 ones were participated in the study [response rate= 89%] of whom, 25 ones were female [60%]. Early clinical experience could only affect the attitude of students in neuroanatomy course [P<0.01] Although this program was efficient in increasing students' motivation in some aspects such as voluntary attendance in hospitals during vacations, various methods of integration and using more clinical-based teaching pathways are required for enhancing students' attitudes toward basic sciences courses
Conclusion: ECE program, by itself, can not improve attitude of students toward basic sciences courses, but can enhance students' academic motivation during the basic sciences program of Medicine
RESUMO
To assess the neutrophil function in thalassemia major [TM] patients and compare it with the control group, and to recognize its relevant factors. This was a retrospective cohort study, which was carried out from October 2007 to February 2008 in the Thalassemia Research Center in Boo Ali Sina Hospital in Sari, Mazandaran, north of Iran. The study population consisted of TM patients in Boo Ali Sina Teaching Hospital. The method of sampling in the case group was systematic, and it was target based in the control group. The sample size determined was based on previous studies. Thalassemia major was diagnosed based on hemoglobin electrophoresis [case group]. The control group was their brothers and sisters, who had +/- 5 years of age difference, and were of the same gender as the patients. Data collection was based on interview, investigating demographic characteristics, and also obtaining medical information from the medical records of the patients. The neutrophil function was assessed by performing nitroblue tetrazolium [NBT] reduction test. The test was carried out on both groups, and the data were analyzed by software using SPSS version13.0. In this study, 39 patients and 39 healthy controls were compared. The average age of the patients was 21.6 +/- 5.3 years, and it was 22.4 +/- 5.1 years in healthy controls [p=0.7]. There was a significant correlation between the tests' results, and the patients' age [p=0.008]. The rate of impaired NBT results in the patients was 36%, while it was 10% in controls, which were significantly different. The neutrophil activity based on NBT test was 89.9 +/- 11.6% in the case group, and 93.7 +/- 2.51% in the control group, [p=0.025]. This study indicates that neutrophil activity in thalassemic patients was significantly lower, compared to the normal control group, especially in young patients. Based on the results, evaluation of neutrophil function, and pyogenic infections in TM patients seems necessary