Interplay between personality traits and learning strategies: the missing link.

Students with varying personality traits are likely to employ diverse learning and study strategies. However, this relationship has never been explored in the medical education context. This study's aim was to explore the relationship between learning strategies and personality traits among medical students. This study was a cross-sectional study, and a quantitative approach was employed using two self-administered questionnaires: one to assess the personality traits from the Five-Factor Model (Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, and Agreeableness), and the other to assess 10 learning strategies (Anxiety, Attitude, Concentration, Information Processing, Motivation, Selecting Main Ideas, Self-Testing, Test Strategies, Time Management, and Using Academic Resources). A stratified random sampling technique was used to recruit medical students at Alfaisal University in the preclinical and clinical years (N = 309). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship between variables, and linear regression was used to evaluate how personality traits predicted learning strategy selection. Personality traits predicted the selection of learning strategies, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. Conscientiousness showed a positive correlation with seven learning strategies and was the most important predictor of learning strategies students employ. Neuroticism correlations and predictions were negative. The other three traits showed weaker correlations. These correlations were between Extraversion and Using Academic Resources (r = 0.27), Information Processing (r = 0.23), and Attitude (r = 0.19); Openness and Information Processing (r = 0.29); and Agreeableness and Attitude (r = 0.29). All personality domains influence at least one learning strategy, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism. This study helps build a foundation for individualized coaching and mentorship in medical education.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study aspires to build a foundation for individualized coaching and mentorship in medical education through utilizing personality traits to empower academic success. We demonstrate that all personality domains influence students' selection of at least one learning strategy, especially Conscientiousness and Neuroticism.

Acquired Hemophilia A Post-COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Report and Review.

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is an inhibitory coagulopathy that represents a rare variant of hemorrhagic syndromes. We present a case of idiopathic AHA in a 75-year-old male patient with a cutaneous hematoma that could be attributed to a recent COVID-19 vaccination. The aim of this report is to raise awareness of a possible association between AHA and COVID-19 vaccination and to review similar reported cases and management plans to prevent the development of possible morbidity and debilitating complications. This case illustrates an exceptionally rare side effect of the COVID-19 vaccination. The advantages of obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks.

Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia and Its Rapid Progression Toward Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A Call for Clear Patient Management and Awareness.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is known to cause gastric adenocarcinoma in a stepwise fashion. Gastric intestinal metaplasia is a known premalignant stage. We report a case of a 70-year-old male patient with active chronic H. pylori-associated gastritis and focal intestinal metaplasia on the initial presentation, who rapidly developed diffuse, poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma 20 months after the loss to follow-up. Our case highlights the premalignant nature of gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) and the extreme importance of early eradication of H. pylori. We also address the lack of definitive GIM surveillance guidelines.

Iatrogenic Withdrawal Syndrome in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcome.

OBJECTIVES: Critically ill children and neonates routinely receive opioids and benzodiazepines for analgesia and sedation in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Prolonged opioid therapy often leads to tolerance and is associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) when opioids and benzodiazepines are weaned or discontinued. Our aim is to study the incidence, risk factors and outcome of IWS following use of a withdrawal protocol on pediatric patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS: We prospectively included all postoperative pediatric patients who developed IWS after being assessed by the Withdrawal Assessment Tool (WAT-1) score (WAT-1 ≥3) over 9 months. Unit-based withdrawal management protocol was used. Patients' outcome was assessed by duration to be completely off opioids & benzodiazepines, duration of ICU and hospital stay. RESULTS: 432 patients were admitted during study period. Twenty-five patients (5.8%) developed IWS. The mean age and weight was 15.2 ± 31.4 months and 6.9 ± 7.7 kg respectively. 60% of the patients who developed withdrawal had previous ICU admissions with exposure to sedatives. In the IWS group the mean duration for use of fentanyl and midazolam infusions was 8.6 ± 5.1 & 9.6 ± 6 days respectively. The mean duration for completely stopping opioids and benzodiazepines was 17.2 ± 6.8 days with a mean duration of ventilation of 8.2 ± 6.8 days. The mean ICU and hospital stay for IWS patients was 26.5 ± 21.9 and 31.5 ± 21.1 days respectively. There was statistically significant difference in the mean age, and duration of use of sedatives between the patients who developed IWS and those who did not with P-value of 0.003 and < 0.0001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Withdrawal syndrome after pediatric cardiac surgery prolongs ICU and hospital stay. Our data shows that younger age and longer duration for use of sedatives seem to be risk factors for developing withdrawal syndrome.