Qualities of a Teacher: A Trainee's Perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the qualities of a good medical teacher from a trainee's perspective, to evaluate the best teaching method, and to explore the association of specialty and level of training with teaching methods and qualities of a medical teacher. METHODS: The questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in two tertiary care teaching hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, from July 2019 to December 2020, and comprised all house officers and postgraduate residents. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire that had three sections: demographics, best method of teaching, and the characteristics of a good medical teacher. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 135 subjects, 56(41.5%) were males; 79(58.5%) were females; 76(56%) were junior trainees; and 77(57%) belonged to surgical specialties. The overall mean age was 27.6±2.4 years. Best teaching method identified by the trainees was 'asking of problem-based questions' 46(33.6%). Good communication skills 61(44.5%), and calm and non-humiliating demeanour 61(44.5%) were the most frequently identified qualities. More surgical trainees considered the generation of competition among learners as the best teaching method than the trainees from other specialties (p=0.001). House officers reported 'unbiased' (p=0.001) and 'moral and ethical' (p=0.001) significantly more frequently as a good trait in their teachers compared to the residents. CONCLUSIONS: The most important qualities in a medial teacher, as identified by the learners, were good communication skills and calm and polite attitude.

Morbidity of colostomy reversal.

OBJECTIVE: To determine morbidity after colostomy reversal at a tertiary care hospital. METHODS: The retrospective case series was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised records of patients aged 15 years or more who underwent colostomy reversal from January 2003 to December 2011. Data was collected regarding demographics, procedure dates, indication, as well as type and location of colostomy. Details of colostomy reversal, including pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative variables were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age of the 96 patients was 40±16 years; 72(75%) of them being males. The most frequent indications for fashioning of colostomy were bowel perforation in 53 (55.2%) and malignancy in 9(9.3%) patients. Intra-operative complications occurred in 5(5.2%) with bowel perforation in 3(3.1%) and bleeding in 2(2%) patients. Overall, 40(41.6%) patients had post-operative local complications; the most common being wound infection in 19(19.8%) followed by incisional hernia 15(15.6%). Patients who experienced post-operative complications had significantly longer hospital stay compared to those without complications (9±2.8 vs. 7±2.4days; p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Colostomy reversal was associated with non-negligible morbidity. The most common complications were wound infection and incisional hernia.