Plastic Surgery in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: Role of Telemedicine.

Internationally, telemedicine is finding its way into common day plastic surgery practice as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, no data about its practice in the Gulf region are available to date. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional survey-based study that was sent online to the plastic surgeons practicing in the Gulf region. The study aimed to look into the integration of telemedicine into the practice and the surgeons' attitude and future vision about it. Participation was voluntary, and confidentiality was preserved. Results: A total of 229 plastic surgeons enrolled in this study in mid-2020. There were 192 male participants (83.8%) and 37 female participants (16.2%). Of these, 99 (43.2%) practiced in Saudi Arabia, 85 (37.1%) in the United Arab Emirates, 24 (10.5%) in Oman, 18 (7.9%) in Kuwait, and three (1.3%) in Bahrain. In total, 85 (37.1%) used telemedicine during lockdown, and 144 (62.9%) thought that its usage will remain beneficial in the future. There was no significant difference in practicing telemedicine in different plastic surgery subspecialties, varying level of experience, and country of practice. Among those who used virtual consultations, 62 (72.9%) did not charge for consultation fees. Conclusion: The tendency toward telemedicine integration in plastic surgery practice is growing worldwide, especially after COVID-19. Its limitations are outweighed by its advantages and, with time, many of these will be bypassed. New innovations driven by advancement in technology will further embed telemedicine into the practice.

The Ideal Applicant to the Saudi Plastic Surgery Residency Program.

Securing a plastic surgery position is a demanding task for students. Although many papers have been published internationally discussing the traits and features deemed important from the point of view of plastic surgery program directors, a gap exists in the literature where this aspect is not covered in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to fill this gap. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a survey was developed targeting all current and former Saudi plastic surgery training program directors. SPSS was used to calculate frequencies and present percentages; independent t-test was done to look for mean differences. Ethical approval was obtained from a local institution. RESULTS: All current and former Saudi plastic surgery program directors participated (n = 17), including the 8 (47.1%) current directors. When asked to rank 7 items on a scale of importance, they scored a mean of 6.2, 5.8, 5.4, 4.88, 4.82, 4.6, and 3.7 for good impression on interviews, prior experience, research experience, the grade point average (GPA), oral or poster presentations on events, the Saudi Medical Licensing Examination (SMLE), and attaining a post-graduate degree, respectively. The majority [n = 7 (41%)] considers the mode of communication, such as phone calls, as the most important aspect in recommendations. They prefer candidates who took electives/rotations at their department [n = 12 (71%)] and give more value to high-quality publications [n = 9 (47%)]. Applicant's gender was not important. CONCLUSION: With early planning, this article could serve as a guide for medical students interested in plastic surgery to build their assets toward a successful interview.

Plastic Surgery and COVID-19 in the GCC: Fears, Lessons Learned, and the Plan for the Future.

BACKGROUND: With the labeling of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, national directives were issued instructing to close all cosmetic clinics, suspend all cosmetic procedures, and only operate on an emergency basis. As a result, many plastic surgeons faced challenges sustaining their practice. We aimed to investigate the effect of these national directive instructions on the surgeons and to review their strategies for adapting their practices during this new pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using an online questionnaire. It was constructed to assess the attitudes and practices of plastic surgeons in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries during the COVID-19 lockdown. It also explored their strategies on reopening their practice, as well as their plans on modifications of practice during and after the lockdown. RESULTS: In total, 197 surgeons responded to the survey. The majority were from Saudi Arabia (42.1%), followed by the United Arab Emirates (37.6%), with relatively smaller participation from the remaining countries. Over two-thirds (69.5%) indicated that the pandemic had affected their practice. Surgeons in private practices were significantly affected (P < 0.001) compared with those in the public sector. Only 39% of respondents mentioned COVID-19 testing as part of their post-pandemic surgical protocol. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons' responses to the pandemic varied. Fear and future uncertainty significantly led to a surge in the utilization of different technical means to maintain the patient pool. Surgeons' education about post-pandemic precautions is essential to maintain high standards of care in the region.