Postgraduate examination: How to match your presentation skills with examiner's expectations?

Passing the exit Doctor of Medicine/Diplomate of National Board examination is a significant but challenging milestone in the career of any student. A strong knowledge base is the foundation on which a student can build an impactful performance. Knowledge core is tested in the theory part of the examination and its application to patient care during case presentations and viva in the practical examination. Performance during the practicals has one common denominator: convincing the examiner that the patient during anaesthesia would be safe in the student's hands. The way the student answers, the spontaneity and the confidence that the student exudes in answering, the pointed answers to the questions asked, and setting the priorities right when dealing with a multitude of tasks at hand go a long way in ensuring that. This article describes what examiners expect from students and provides tips to postgraduate students preparing for the examination.

Major neurological complications following central neuraxial blockade - A multicentre pilot study in Aurangabad city (MGMA CNB Study).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Incidence of major neurological complications following central neuraxial blockade (CNB) in India is not known. This information is essential for explaining risk preoperatively to patients and for medico-legal purposes. This study was undertaken to assess feasibility (recruitment process, protocol adherence, resources mobilisation, data management and evaluation of scientific outcome) for planning multicentric studies on major neurological complications following CNB at state/national level. METHODS: This was a hospital-based, multicentre pilot study, with cross-sectional and follow-up components. Patients receiving CNB either perioperatively or during acute/chronic pain management were included in the study. Thirty-six randomly selected tertiary and nontertiary care institutes were included. Details of demographic information, CNB procedure and major neurological complications were collected anonymously via online tools. Feedback about study feasibility was collected from participating anaesthesiologists and study team. RESULTS: Selected institutes continued participation throughout study period. About 99.98% of eligible patients were enroled. Complete data collection of 8053 patients and analysis was possible. Regular reminders from study coordinators helped to optimise data collection. Tertiary care institutes contributed to 74.50% of data. About 64.96% patients were females. Spinal anaesthesia was the most frequently used neuraxial block (93.41%). Bupivacaine and adjuvant were used in 95.53% and 16.5% patients, respectively. Two patients developed cardiac arrest and cause-effect relationship with CNB was established. Participants' recruitment, protocol adherence, resources mobilisation, data management and evaluation of scientific outcomes were feasible. CONCLUSION: A multicentre state/nationwide study can be conducted based on this first-of-its-kind pilot study in India.

A multicentre survey of the current acute post-operative pain management practices in tertiary care teaching hospitals in Maharashtra.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Undertreated pain can have negative consequences on patients' health as well as the health-care system. The present study was aimed at identifying the current trends in post-operative pain management and availability of acute pain services (APS). In addition, it is also an attempt to assess the availability of analgesia for non-surgical cases, and the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of clinicians regarding acute pain management in the tertiary hospitals in the state of Maharashtra (India). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, multicentre questionnaire survey involving the anaesthesiologists and surgeons. Percentages, median, interquartile ranges were calculated and compared by employing a Wilcoxon sign rank test. RESULTS: Data from thirty centres revealed that the surgeons played a major role in treating pain, while most of the anaesthesiologists treated pain primarily in the operation theatre and recovery room. An APS was operational in seven hospitals. The most frequently employed techniques to achieve analgesia were the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids and epidural analgesia. The majority of the centres had no written protocol and dedicated staff for pain management, pain assessment was not adequately stressed, and only five out of the thirty centres included in the study provided ongoing pain education to health professionals even when the hospitals claimed to provide APS. The major hurdles in providing optimal analgesia and implementing APS were a lack of pain education, equipment and administrative problems. CONCLUSION: Thus, the tertiary centres in Maharashtra fall short of providing optimal acute post-operative pain management.

Comparison of preanesthetic sedation in pediatric patients with oral and intranasal midazolam.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Preoperative anxiety in children leading to postoperative negative changes and long-term behavioral problems needs better preanesthetic sedation. Across the world, midazolam is the most commonly used premedicant in pediatric patients. The fact that no single route has achieved universal acceptance for its administration suggests that each route has its own merits and demerits. This study compares oral midazolam syrup and intranasal midazolam spray as painless and needleless systems of drug administration for preanesthetic sedation in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With randomization, Group O (30 children): Received oral midazolam syrup 0.5 mg/kg and Group IN (30 children): Received intranasal midazolam spray 0.2 mg/kg. Every child was observed for acceptance of drug, response to drug administration, sedation scale, separation score, acceptance to mask, recovery score and side effects of drug. Data were analyzed using Student's t-test, standard error of the difference between two means and Chi-square test. RESULTS: In Group O and IN, 15/30 children (50%) and 7/30 children (23%) accepted drug easily (P < 0.05); 4/22 children (18%) in Group O and 11/20 children (55%) in Group IN cried after drug administration (P < 0.05). In both the groups, sedation at 20 min after premedication (Group O [80%] 24/30 vs. Group IN [77%] 23/30), parental separation and acceptance to mask were comparable (P > 0.05); 12/30 children (40%) in Group IN showed transient nasal irritation. CONCLUSION: Oral midazolam and intranasal midazolam spray produce similar anxiolysis and sedation, but acceptance of drug and response to drug administration is better with oral route.