Factors Affecting Specialty Training Preference Among UK Medical Students (FAST): Protocol for a National Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: The UK medical education system faces a complex landscape of specialty training choices and heightened competition. The Factors Affecting Specialty Training Preference Among UK Medical Students (FAST) study addresses the need to understand the factors influencing UK medical students' specialty choices, against a backdrop of increasing challenges in health care workforce planning. OBJECTIVE: The primary objectives of the FAST study are to explore UK medical students' preferred specialties and the factors that influence these choices. Secondary objectives are to evaluate students' confidence in securing their chosen specialty, to understand how demographic and academic backgrounds affect their decisions, and to examine how specialty preferences and confidence levels vary across different UK medical schools. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design will be used to collect data from UK medical students. The survey, comprising 17 questions, uses Likert scales, multiple-choice formats, and free-text entry to capture nuanced insights into specialty choice factors. The methodology, adapted from the Ascertaining the Career Intentions of UK Medical Students (AIMS) study, incorporates adjustments based on literature review, clinical staff feedback, and pilot group insights. This approach ensures comprehensive and nondirective questioning. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics to establish basic patterns, ANOVA for group comparisons, logistic regression for outcome modeling, and discrete choice models for specialty preference analysis. RESULTS: The study was launched nationally on December 4, 2023. Data collection is anticipated to end on March 1, 2024, with data analysis beginning thereafter. The results are expected to be available later in 2024. CONCLUSIONS: The FAST study represents an important step in understanding the factors influencing UK medical students' career pathways. By integrating diverse student perspectives across year groups and medical schools, this study seeks to provide critical insights into the dynamics of specialty, or residency, selection. The findings are anticipated to inform both policy and educational strategies, aiming to align training opportunities with the evolving needs and aspirations of the future medical workforce. Ultimately, the insights gained may guide initiatives to balance specialty distribution, improve career guidance, and improve overall student satisfaction within the National Health Service, contributing to a more stable and effective health care system. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/55155.

A Rare Case of Demodicosis Following Treatment With Oral Fluconazole.

Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis are commensal human ectoparasites that reside within or near hair follicles and have been highly associated with rosacea-like papulopustular skin eruptions. We present an interesting case of recurrent, iatrogenic demodicosis in a 56-year-old man. We suspect this to have been triggered by antifungal therapy given it occurred twice closely following azole treatment. We propose that oral antifungals in the setting of immunosuppression can alter the skin microbiome, facilitating Demodex proliferation.

Correction: A Rare Case of Demodicosis Following Treatment With Oral Fluconazole.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.33309.].

A young man with oligoarthritis: what is his cardiovascular risk?

Gout is the commonest cause of inflammatory arthritis among young men. A case of acute gout in a 39-year-old man is described. As part of his assessment, his cardiovascular risk factors were evaluated. He was found to have elevated body mass index, central obesity, hypertension, a family history of cardiovascular disease, and hypercholesterolemia. This case highlights the association between gout, hyperuricaemia and elevated cardiovascular risk. In young male patients, acute presentation with gout in primary care may provide the first opportunity for assessment of cardiovascular risk factors and primary prevention of ischaemic heart disease.

Practical synthesis of functionalized 1,5-disubstituted 1,2,4-triazole derivatives.

A general approach for the synthesis of 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazole compounds is described. A series of new oxamide-derived amidine reagents can be accessed in excellent yield with minimal purification necessary. Typically, these amidine reagents are stable crystalline solids and in certain cases were found to exist in a cyclic form as determined by NMR spectroscopy. Under optimized conditions, the direct reaction of these prepared reagents with various hydrazine hydrochloride salts efficiently generates the target triazoles. Both aromatic and aliphatic hydrazines react readily with the amidine reagents under very mild reaction conditions, delivering desired 1,5-disubstituted-1,2,4-triazole derivatives in good yields.