Abdullahi Rabiu Abubakar

Evaluation of doctors’ performance as facilitators in basic medical science lecture classes in a new Malaysian medical school

Background Didactic lecture is the oldest and most commonly used method of teaching. In addition, it is considered one of the most efficient ways to disseminate theories, ideas, and facts. Many critics feel that lectures are an obsolete method to use when students need to perform hands-on activities, which is an everyday need in the study of medicine. This study evaluates students’ perceptions regarding lecture quality in a new medical school. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted of the medical students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin. The study population was 468 preclinical medical students from years 1 and 2 of academic year 2012–2013. Data were collected using a validated instrument. There were six different sections of questions using a 5-point Likert scale. The data were then compiled and analyzed, using SPSS version 20. Results The response rate was 73%. Among 341 respondents, 30% were male and 70% were female. Eighty-five percent of respondents agree or strongly agree that the lectures had met the criteria with regard to organization of lecture materials. Similarly, 97% of students agree or strongly agree that lecturers maintained adequate voices and gestures. Conclusion Medical students are quite satisfied with the lecture classes and the lectures. However, further research is required to identify student-centered teaching and learning methods to promote active learning.

Comparative study on drug safety surveillance between medical students of Malaysia and Nigeria

Background Internationally, there is a remarkable achievement in the areas of drug discovery, drug design, and clinical trials. New and efficient drug formulation techniques are widely available which have led to success in treatment of several diseases. Despite these achievements, large number of patients continue to experience adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and majority of them are yet to be on record. Objectives The purpose of this survey is to compare knowledge, attitude, and practice with respect to ADRs and pharmacovigilance (PV) between medical students of Malaysia and Nigeria and to determine if there is a relationship between their knowledge and practice. Method A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey involving year IV and year V medical students of the Department of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin and Bayero University Kano was carried out. The questionnaire which comprised 25 questions on knowledge, attitude, and practice was adopted, modified, validated, and administered to them. The response was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results The response rate from each country was 74%. There was a statistically significant difference in mean knowledge and practice score on ADRs and PV between medical students of Malaysia and Nigeria, both at P<0.000. No significance difference in attitude was observed at P=0.389. Also, a statistically significant relationship was recorded between their knowledge and practice (r=0.229, P=0.001), although the relationship was weak. Conclusion Nigerian medical students have better knowledge and practice than those of Malaysia, although they need improvement. Imparting knowledge of ADRs and PV among medical students will upgrade their practice and enhance health care delivery services in the future.

Perception of Nigerian medical students on adverse drug reaction reporting.

Spontaneous reporting (SPR) and intensive monitoring are the conventional systems used for detecting, recording, and reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Using spontaneous reporting a lot of successes has been made as existing ADRs were identified and new ones prevented through this methods. The aim of this appraisal was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and the practice of medical students with regards to ADRs reporting and to see if differences exist between the level of study and genders. The questionnaire was adopted, modified, and validated from previous studies. It comprised of 25 questions. It was administered year-IV and V medical students of Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. The data collected were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20, currently known as IBM SPSS Statistics. The response rate was 74%. Among the 108 participants, 80% got the definition of ADRs correct; 63% of them knew the precise functions of pharmacovigilance (PV). In addition, 82% strongly agreed that ADR reporting is health care workers responsibility; 82% also said PV should be taught in detail. Meanwhile, 99% have noticed patient experiencing ADRs; 67% said even mild ADRs should be reported. The outcome of this study showed good knowledge and attitude with respect to ADRs and PV among the medical students surveyed. Unfortunately, the practice of medical students was found to be unsatisfactory. There is a need to upgrade the students teaching the curriculum with respect to ADRs monitoring.

Pharmacovigilance Practice: The Current Challenges and the Gaps in the Medical Students’ Curriculum.

Article history: Received on: 29/12/2015 Revised on: 21/01/2016 Accepted on: 05/02/2016 Available online: 28/05/2016 Adverse drug reaction is defined by the WHO as a response to a medicinal product which is noxious and unintended, and which occurs at doses normally used in man for prophylaxis, diagnosis, therapy of disease or for the modification of physiologic function. The term Pharmacovigilance was coined by a French group of pharmacologist and toxicologist in the 1970s, which implied strategy promoting detection and assessment of side effects and adverse drug reaction. The first endeavor made to resolve the problem of drug safety was announced in 1961 promptly after the disaster caused by thalidomide treatment in pregnant women. The World Health Organization center for adverse drug reaction monitoring is known as the Uppsala Monitoring Centre. It is an International establishment with the responsibility of coordinating the program based on an agreement made in 1978. The major challenges of Pharmacovigilance program are underreporting, and the best solution is to resolve the problem from the grassroots. This claim could be justified as the outcome of previous knowledge, attitude and practice studies on adverse drug reactions and Pharmacovigilance among medical students was inadequate. Also, the curriculum of teaching and training of medical students was insufficient. The aim of this review was to discuss the current challenges facing adverse drug reactions reporting system and to highlight the gap left in the training of medical students.