The undergraduate medical student's perception of professional mentorship: Results from a developing nation's medical school.

INTRODUCTION: There are no documented formal mentoring programs for medical students in Nigeria. This study aims to determine the perception of undergraduate medical students at the University of Jos on professional mentorship, with a view to informing University authorities on creating and developing a mentoring program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted in December 2017 in which self-administered questionnaires were distributed among the sixth-year medical students in a University in North-Central Nigeria, eliciting information regarding biodemographic data, knowledge of and experiences with mentoring, desired benefits of mentoring, and the willingness to participate in a mentoring relationship. Data collected was analyzed with EPI Info statistical software® version 7.2.1 (EPI Info, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, 2017). RESULTS: In a class of 166, the response rate was 83.5%. Mean age = 27.4 years; standard deviation = ±2.6 with a male: female ratio of 1.9:1. Moderate knowledge of mentoring was reported by 47 (44.3%). Attitude toward mentoring was very positive in 23.6%. One hundred and four (98.1%) students agreed mentoring are effective in developing potential. Nearly 95.3% agreed a mentorship program would benefit medical students with 70.8% expressing high willingness to participate. A weak positive statistical correlation between the age of students and those who expressed willingness to participate was recorded (r = 0.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.6-1.16; and P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sixth-year medical students of the University of Jos have a moderate knowledge of and a good attitude toward mentorship. The implementation of a formal mentoring program for medical students at the University of Jos is strongly recommended.

Pediatric otorhinolaryngology emergencies at the Jos University Teaching Hospital: Study of frequency, management, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Studies from Nigeria on pediatric otorhinolaryngology (ORL) emergencies are rare in literature with most focusing on emergencies involving individual systems. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of all ORL emergencies among children in our region to provide a baseline data for future health planning. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a 1-year retrospective cross-sectional study of patients aged 16 years and below presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria. RESULTS: A total of 203 otolaryngology emergencies were attended of which 129 (63.5%) were pediatric emergencies. Records of 87 patients were retrievable with age range 2 months to 15 years (mean 3.44 years; standard deviation ± 3.35). There were 55 males and 32 females with a male to female ratio of 1.7:1. The majority of cases were aged under 5 years (64; 73.6%). Acute tonsillitis accounted for 32 (36.7%) cases with 6 (6.9%) having peritonsillar abscesses. Acute pharyngitis accounted for 11 (12.6%) presentations followed closely by foreign bodies (FBs) in the ear with 10 (11.5%) presentations. FB in the throat occurred in 4 (4.6%) patients who had removal under general anesthesia. Three (3.4%) cases of maxillofacial injuries occurred as a result of insurgent terror attacks and 3.4% presented following corrosive substance ingestion. Conservative management was commenced in 76 (87.4%) patients, 23 (26.4%) had surgery with 68 (78.2%) admitted and discharged, 18 (20.7%) treated as outpatients, and 1 (1.1%) died on admission. Otolaryngologists attended most (95.4%) patients. CONCLUSION: Pediatric ORL emergencies are common in our region involving a wide range of pathologies. Expansion is required in the ORL training of the emergency room physician to enhance emergency services.

Otorhinolaryngological manifestations in head trauma: A prospective study of the epidemiology, clinical presentations, management, and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Otorhinolaryngological injuries following head trauma may be missed, overlooked, or forgotten in the acute phase resulting in worsened management outcomes. This study aims to report the epidemiology, clinical presentations, management, and outcomes of otorhinolaryngological injuries in head trauma with a view to creating awareness for early recognition and prompt treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Head injured patients consecutively presenting over a 5-year period were prospectively studied for age, gender, otorhinolaryngological presentations, interventions, and outcome of interventions. Data obtained were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: There were 91 (1.3%) otorhinolaryngological presentations among 7109 head injured patients. Mean age of 34 years, standard deviation = ±15.6 with a male:female ratio of 2.4:1. Severe head injury (Glasgow coma scale <9) occurred in 46 (50.5%) patients. Patients aged 30-39 years were mostly affected (n = 30; 32.9%). Most injuries were from motor vehicular accidents (n = 61; 67%) and assaults (n = 23; 25.3%). The most common otorhinolaryngological presentations were cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea (n = 26; 28.6%) and CSF otorrhea (n = 25; 27.5%). Conservative management was achieved in 59.3% of patients. Mean time of hospital presentation was 13.8 h. There was no statistical correlation between outcomes and each of etiology and time of presentation (P values 0.18 and 0.9, respectively). Seventy-five (82.4%) were discharged without neurological deficits. A case fatality rate of 6.6% was recorded. CONCLUSION: Frontal skull base and temporal bone fractures with CSF rhinorrhea and otorrhea are the most common injuries occurring mostly in young active males with favorable outcomes following conservative management.