Comparing students' performance in self-directed and directed self-learning in College of Medicine, University of Bisha.

Background: Student-centered learning strategy increases the likelihood of graduation of competent, self-dependent, and problem-solving physicians. The University of Bisha, College of Medicine (UBCOM) adopted self-directed learning (SDL) represented by problem-based learning (PBL), and directed self-learning (DSL) represented by team-based learning (TBL). Aim: To compare the students' performance in SDL and DSL among UBCOM students. Methodology: A total of 502 multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the mid-course and final exams were collected by the relevant subject experts from nine courses during the period from September 2020 till June 2023 that adopted PBL and TBL; 247 MCQs related to PBL and 255 related to TBL. Psychometric analysis was used to determine difficult, easy, and optimum questions (≤25%, ≥90%, and 26-89%, respectively). Point biserial as <0.19, 0.20-0.29, 0.30-0.39, and >0.40 which indicate poor, marginal, good, and excellent point biserial, respectively. Finally, the number of functional distractors was attempted by >5% of the candidates. Results: No significant differences were noted for the students' performance in MCQs related to PBL (representing self-directed, small group learning tool), and TBL (representing directed-self, large group learning tool) regarding difficulty index (DI), point biserial, and distractors functionality. Conclusion: It has been observed that there is no difference in students' performance whether PBL or TBL is used for learning Basic Medical Science courses. Small group learning such as PBL needs more resources in comparison to large group learning as in TBL, therefore any institute can decide on the adopted learning strategy depending on its resources and the number of students.

Gradenigo Syndrome in a 6-Year-Old Boy with Acute Otitis Media: A Case Report.

Gradenigo Syndrome (GS) is not a common intracranial complication of acute otitis media infections that needs proper diagnosis and management. This case report presents a 6-year-old child diagnosed with unilateral headache, right eye diplopia, and right abducens nerve palsy. MRI and cranial nerve examination facilitate the confirmation of GS. The patient was treated with proper antibiotics and showed good outcomes. This case report highlights the importance of early detection and understanding of the clinical picture associated with GS, which have a crucial role in achieving desired outcomes and avoiding serious complications.

Climate of Online e-Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic in a Saudi Medical School: Students' Perspective.

INTRODUCTION: The circumstances of the COVID-19 lockdown offered an opportunity to develop remote educational strategies in medical education. OBJECTIVES: To assess medical students' experiences with online e-learning (OeL) satisfaction, intellectual environment, and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire (21 items) was used to evaluate OeL in three domains of satisfaction (nine items), intellectual environment (seven items), and communication (five items). Students from years one to six were invited to fill out the questionnaire form with five-point Likert scale responses. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and independent t-test were used to evaluate the association between variables. RESULTS: Out of 237 participants, 96.6% (158 male and 71 female) responded to the questionnaire. Most students (86.5%) preferred the blackboard for their e-learning. The mean total scores were 30.18 ± 6.9 out of 45 for satisfaction, 19.67 ± 5.4 out of 25 for communication 25.43 ± 5.1 out of 35 for the intellectual environment. Over 50% of the students rated moderate scores on satisfaction and intellectual environment domains. About 85% of the students rated moderate scores in the communication domain. Male students rated higher significant scores than female students for satisfaction (31.3 ± 6.3 vs 27.6 ± 7; P < .001) and intellectual environment (26.3 ± 4.32 vs 3.5 ± 6.1; P < .001). There were no significant differences in students' responses to the tested domains related to GPA level. Significantly higher levels of scores for satisfaction (33.3 ± 5.6 vs 28.8 ± 6.9; P < .001) and communication (21.2 ± 4.5 vs 18.9 ± 5.7; P = .019) were obtained by clerkship students than pre-clerkship. CONCLUSIONS: Medical students' experiences with e-learning are encouraging, which might be more effective with continuous training programs for students and tutors. Although OeL is an acceptable methodology, further studies are needed to analyze its impact on the target learning outcomes and students' academic achievement.

The psychological impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on health-care workers in primary health-care centers in resource-poor settings.

Background: Health-care workers' psychological status is essential to Preventive control measures in a weak and unstable health system with poor infrastructural constraints. This study examines the psychological impact of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the health-care providers working in primary health-care settings in Sudan. Materials and Methods: This is a health facility-based cross-sectional study conducted in primary health-care units in White Nile State, Sudan. The psychological impact of stress and anxiety was determined using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). A self-administered questionnaire measured depression, anxiety, and stress. The population of this study included health professionals working in health centers, including physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, and other support staff. Results: A total of 167 health professionals were systematically recruited. The mean anxiety score in the study population was 8.26 & 9.0 (corresponding to mild anxiety). Participants without anxiety constituted 26.35% (n = 44) of the participants. Women were significantly more likely to be affected than men (P = 0.0). Age (21-40 years), female nurses, and other health-care workers (anesthesiology, public health, health education, occupational health, psychiatry, etc.) could be strong predictors of psychological disorders (P-value of 0.0). Conclusion: This study provided evidence for primary health care at its preparatory levels, as they are the first line of protection against the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the high-risk population is a high priority in the preliminary phase.

Congenital brucellosis associated with subsequent Klebsiella pneumoniae co-infection in a premature neonate: A rare case report.

We report a case of congenital brucellosis subsequently associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in a Saudi preterm neonate. A girl born with severe respiratory distress was admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. Laboratory examinations revealed thrombocytopenia and slight leukocytosis. Her mother was a confirmed case of brucellosis. Initial blood culture confirmed the diagnosis of infection, and the baby was treated empirically with rifampicin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin. Follow-up revealed that her general condition was gradually improved. On day 27, the baby deteriorated, showing abdominal distension and signs of sepsis and requiring intubation. Rifampicin was replaced by amikacin. A septic workup showed a normal total leukocyte count, with 68.3% neutrophils, decreased platelet count, and increased C-reactive protein level. Blood culture and sensitivity testing reported multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae susceptible to amikacin and resistance to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and beta-lactam antibiotics. The baby remains critically ill, showing a poor treatment response with rapid deterioration, and arrested on day 33. Concomitant bacterial infections might explain signs of sepsis and respiratory distress among neonates with congenital brucellosis. Accurate and early diagnosis, parental history, and adequate treatment are associated with the prognosis of congenital brucellosis and other related bacterial infections.