Factors affecting the choice of dermatology as a specialty by medical students: Data from 28 KSA medical schools.

Objectives: Choosing a future career path is a very important decision for undergraduate medical students. Determining the factors that affect specialty choices is essential to attaining a balanced distribution. Dermatology is known to be one of the most appealing and highly competitive specialties. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing the choice of dermatology as a future career by medical students. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 28 medical schools throughout Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire was prepared following a literature search of relevant studies and was distributed electronically to medical students and interns. The self-administered questionnaire included sociodemographic data, interest in dermatology as a future career, and factors that may affect specialty choices. Results: The study included 1087 participants. Sixty percent were female, and 39% were male. Approximately half of the participants considered dermatology as their preferred specialty. We found that 53.6% of females were more interested in dermatology. Students who were exposed to dermatology in both pre-clinical and clinical years showed greater interest. Personal interest, lifestyle/flexible work schedule, and private sector opportunities were the most captivating factors. Personal interest and high competition in dermatology residency program matching were the main factors among students who did not consider dermatology as a future career choice. Conclusions: Several factors are influencing medical students when choosing dermatology as their future specialty; the lifestyle/flexible work schedule and personal interest were the most attractive factors. Recognizing these factors could be a useful tool that may lead mentors and residency training program directors to reach a balanced distribution of doctors in the various specialties.

Prevalence of Dry Eye Disease and Its Association With the Frequent Usage of Eye Cosmetics Among Women.

PURPOSE: Dry eye disease (DED) is defined as a disease of the tear film and ocular surface that leads to discomfort and visual disturbance. The diagnosis of DED mainly depends on the presenting clinical features. A delay in treatment may progress into chronic eye disease. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of dry eye symptoms among eye cosmetic users in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved adult Saudi females using eye cosmetics. The Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire was used to assess DED. RESULTS: A total of 207 responses were included in this study. DED symptoms were reported among those who used eye cosmetics suggesting their effect on the tear film and its stability. This study demonstrated that mascara is the most common cosmetic used, with a prevalence of 98.6%. The prevalence of dry eye syndrome (DES) was 71.6%, where 40.5%, 13.5%, and 17.6% had severe, moderate, and mild conditions, respectively. The frequency of using inner eyeliner significantly increased the prevalence of DES, in which those who used it daily accounted for 75%. In contrast, the results showed no correlation between the frequency of using mascara or external eyeliner and the prevalence of DES. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of DED among women who used eye cosmetics was much higher than its prevalence in the general population, which indicates that eye cosmetics are one of the risk factors in the development of DED. Also, the severity of DED was significantly higher in women who did not use a cleanser for removing cosmetics.

Practice of ear candling during lockdown due to COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: Cerumen production is a protective process for the ear canal. Cerumen impaction causes unpleasant symptoms. There are various cerumen removal practices. These include irrigation, application of softeners/solvents, mechanical removal, and micro-suction. However, during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, some patients opted for some procedures, such as ear candling, which are not evidence-based. This study aimed to explore the awareness of ear candling among otolaryngology doctors and record cases with complications of such practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was developed after an extensive literature search, and distributed to otolaryngology residents, fellows, and consultants of different hospitals across the country. A total of 80 respondents agreed to participate in the study. Results: A total of 16 doctors reported seeing cases of ear candling, of which 13 patients had different complications, of which ear pain was the most commonly reported. The majority of participants (42.5%) thought the lack of medical access during lockdown enhanced the practice of alternative medicine for ear-related complaints in society compared to 35% of participants who had a neutral response regarding this idea and 22.5% who disagreed. Conclusions: Although the practice of ear candling is not widely spread in KSA, different types of ear complications were recorded by the otolaryngologist. We would like to encourage the doctors to report such complications, especially after the lockdown period.