A comprehensive study of modified three-month pediatrics training curriculum at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and its impact on student satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES: Continuous curriculum improvements reveal the dedication of policy-makers to raising the quality of education and student learning. This study aims to report the impact of curriculum changes to the three-month pediatric course curriculum at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU) on the satisfaction levels of medical students. METHODS: One hundred eighteen 4th-5th years medical students, who had completed their pediatric clinical rotation in SBMU-affiliated teaching hospitals including Mofid Children Hospital, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shohada-e-Tajrish Hospital, and Imam Hossein Hospital from January to December 2022 were included in this cross-sectional study. After obtaining informed consent, a questionnaire was sent out to all participants, that included 27 statements about the impact of the modified curriculum on their satisfaction with their learning and performance. SPSS version 22 was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The level of satisfaction of trainees from attending clinics was 82-56%, prior introduction to the course was about 82%, and attending general hospitals (all hospitals except Mofid Children hospital, which is the only children hospital affiliated to SBMU) was 82-97%. The quality of patients-based learning was reported in terms of attendance at morning report sessions which was 92.3%, attendance at ward rounds, which was 71.8%, and attendance at clinics, which was 62.4%. The satisfaction rate from the senior attending mentor was 96.5%. The satisfaction rate of the pathology course was 67.2%, and the radiology was 82.4%. The satisfaction level of medical students from the infectious disease department was 70% and the gastroenterology department was 83.8%. The level of satisfaction with the implementation of the twelve-week program was 68.7%, with the expressiveness and usability of the presentation of materials was 53.9%, with the compatibility of the exams with the presented materials was 92%, and withholding weekly exams was 86.8%. The satisfaction rate of using the materials presented in the final exam in the digestive department and the infectious department was 85% and 68%, respectively. The overall satisfaction rate of the training course was 76.66%. CONCLUSION: The results provide vital insights for improving medical education. According to this study, medical student satisfaction with the pediatric curriculum after its recent revisions was in a satisfactory range. Attendance at clinics, information sharing, patient-based learning, practical training, attending mentorship, curriculum clarity, and alignment with student expectations all contributed to participants' high levels of satisfaction.

Clinical trial of vigabatrin as adjunctive therapy in children with refractory epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: Approximately one-third of all children with epilepsy do not achieve complete seizure improvement. This study evaluated the efficacy of Vigabatrin in children with intractable epilepsy. METHODS: From November 2011 to October 2012, 73 children with refractory epilepsy (failure of seizure control with the use of two or more anticonvulsant drugs) who were referred to the Children's Medical Center and Mofid Children's Hospital were included in the study. The patients were treated with Vigabatrin in addition to their previous medication, and followed-up after three to four weeks to determine the daily frequency, severity, and duration of seizures in addition to any reported side effects. FINDINGS: Of the 67 children, 41 (61.2%) were males and 26 (38.8%) females, their age ranging from three months to 13 years with an average of 3.1 [standard deviation (SD), 2.6] years. The mean daily frequency of seizures at baseline was 6.61 (SD, 5.9) seizures per day. Vigabatrin reduced the seizure frequency ≤2.9 (SD, 5.2) (56% decline) and 3.0 (SD, 5.3) (54.5% decline) per day after three and six months of treatment, respectively. A significant difference was observed between seizure frequencies at three (P<0.001) and six months (P<0.001) after Vigabatrin initiation compared with the baseline. Somnolence [3 (4.5%)], horse laugh [1 (1.5%)], urinary stones [1 (1.5%)], increased appetite [1 (1.5%)], and abnormal electroretinographic pattern [3 (4.5%)] were the most common side effects in our patients. CONCLUSION: This study confirms the short-term efficacy and safety of Vigabatrin in children with refractory epilepsies.