Expected Qualities of a Lecturer: Perceptions of Medical Students in a Remote Setting.

Studies on medical student perceptions of their lecturers, in a resource poor setting is scarce. Lack of basic infrastructure hampers learning. Quality lecturers can compensate this handicap to some extent. In 2009, as a new medical school located in rural Sri Lanka 220 km away from Colombo, the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences at Rajarata University had scarce human resources and lacked sufficient lecture halls, labs, and clinical space. In order to understand qualities students sought in a lecturer, 55 medical students were given a single, self-administered open-ended question, and responses were subjected to direct thematic analysis. Themes of ―Lecturer Qualities,‖ ―Lecture Preparation Procedure,‖ and ―Lecture Delivery Procedure‖ were identified, and then further divided into sub-themes, the most common of which being ―Speaking Style,‖ ―Content Design,‖ and ―Content Organization.‖ While the findings in this study closely mirrored those of similar studies, identified qualities were underpinned by implicit meaning that accurately reflects the emotional stressors among students coping with limited educational resources. Students emphasized the importance of clear communication due to language barriers and a strong desire for lecturer loyalty to their faculty and country. The examination of these real-life perceptions will not only help us better identify how to improve medical education in this medical faculty and may be useful to similar resource poor rural medical colleges around the world.

Viper bites complicate chronic agrochemical nephropathy in rural Sri Lanka

Snakebite is a common occupational health hazard among Sri Lankan agricultural workers, particularly in the North Central Province. Viperine snakes, mainly Russell’s viper envenomation, frequently lead to acute renal failure. During the last two decades, an agrochemical nephropathy, a chronic tubulointerstitial disease has rapidly spread over this area leading to high morbidity and mortality. Most of the epidemiological characteristics of these two conditions overlap, increasing the chances of co-occurrence. Herein, we describe four representative cases of viperine snakebites leading to variable clinical presentations, in patients with chronic agrochemical nephropathy, including two patients presented with acute and delayed anuria. These cases suggest the possibility of unusual manifestations of snakebite in patients with Sri Lankan agrochemical nephropathy, of which the clinicians should be aware. It could be postulated that the existing scenario in the Central America could also lead to similar clinical presentations.

Viper bites complicate chronic agrochemical nephropathy in rural Sri Lanka

Snakebite is a common occupational health hazard among Sri Lankan agricultural workers, particularly in the North Central Province. Viperine snakes, mainly Russell’s viper envenomation, frequently lead to acute renal failure. During the last two decades, an agrochemical nephropathy, a chronic tubulointerstitial disease has rapidly spread over this area leading to high morbidity and mortality. Most of the epidemiological characteristics of these two conditions overlap, increasing the chances of co-occurrence. Herein, we describe four representative cases of viperine snakebites leading to variable clinical presentations, in patients with chronic agrochemical nephropathy, including two patients presented with acute and delayed anuria. These cases suggest the possibility of unusual manifestations of snakebite in patients with Sri Lankan agrochemical nephropathy, of which the clinicians should be aware. It could be postulated that the existing scenario in the Central America could also lead to similar clinical presentations.

Clinical trials in Sri Lanka: new Act at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry.

Clinical trials are defined as studies involving human participants, with the intervention being selected by the investigator. The intervention can be related to a new drug or device, or a new indication for an already approved drug or device. The intervention can also relate to different healthcare options, eg the trial may be aimed at comparing the management of a particular illness in the hospital to its management in the community.

Private medical education in Sri Lanka.

The migration of doctors from developing to developed countries is an ongoing phenomenon. There is scant information on the attitudes of medical students to the ethical aspects of this trend. This paper reports on a study of 50 first-year medical students and 52 interns in a college in Vellore city, Tamil Nadu. Only 13 of 102 respondents thought that migrant doctors contributed significantly to the health system in India. 17% thought that doctor migration was not an ethical issue, and 40% thought that individual altruism had no role in solving public problems. The responses to case scenarios suggest that first-year medical students are more likely to have an altruistic and communitarian attitude whereas interns tended to emphasise individual liberty and autonomy.