Background The COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing have had a significant impact on the conversion of traditional teaching methods to online teaching methods, which although not uncommon in medical schools, has to date only been used for some aspects of the teaching process. Thus, we aimed to measure the effectiveness of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as medical students’ preferences regarding e-learning and classroom teaching, and the possibility of applying it post-pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional online survey of medical students (N = 376) in six medical schools was carried out after their second semester, from August 15 to 20, 2020. Ten parameters were measured for the effectiveness of e-learning based on a 5-point Likert-scale and five parameters were measured for satisfaction. Results e-learning was more or equally effective in four parameters such as assignment submission and meeting individual needs, but less effective in six parameters, including building skills and knowledge, and interaction level. Satisfaction was either high or neutral in all five parameters. Conclusions Our findings have shown that e-learning can assist the teaching process in medical schools in some respects, but cannot be used for the entire teaching process.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine attitudes towards and perceptions of plagiarism among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted between April and May 2018 and involved medical students enrolled in three medical schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The previously validated Attitude Towards Plagiarism questionnaire was used to evaluate approval (i.e. a positive attitude) and disapproval of plagiarism (i.e. a negative attitude) among medical students. Furthermore, this study evaluated whether attending medical writing courses or courses in medical ethics influenced medical students’ attitudes towards plagiarism. Results: A total of 551 students participated in the study (response rate = 73.5%). A significant association was found between mean negative and positive attitude scores and grade point average (GPA; P = 0.004 and 0.007, respectively). Students attending medical ethics courses had higher mean negative attitude scores compared to students who did not attend such courses (odds ratio = 2.369, 95% confidence interval: 1.540–3.645; P <0.001). Attending medical ethics courses was associated with a significantly more negative attitude towards plagiarism (P <0.001, each). Conclusion: The majority of medical students in Saudi Arabia included in this study indicated a highly negative attitude towards plagiarism. A higher GPA, the authoring of a published manuscript and attending courses in medical ethics were associated with negative attitudes towards plagiarism among medical students.Keywords: Plagiarism; Attitude; Cross-Sectional Study; Medicine; Medical Students; Saudi Arabia.

Background Plastic surgery is considered one of the most competitive specialties globally. In Saudi Arabia, it was established in 2001 in the central province (Riyadh) and then expanded in 2009 to include more eastern and western provinces. Previous research has identified several factors that impact pursuing a career in plastic surgery.Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted through a five-page, five-section questionnaire distributed among senior medical students and interns using online platforms between August 2021 and January 2022. The overall number of questions was 25, which tackled different aspects, including sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., age and gender); the duration of the elective rotation; supervisor during the elective; encouraging, discouraging, and influencing factors; and the rating of participants’ desire to become a plastic surgeon.Results After elective training, the most common factor that influenced medical students to choose a plastic surgery career was exposure to a variety of cases (favorable to agree: 80.4%), followed by involvement in clinical activities (i.e., rounding, clinics, and case presentations) (favorable to agree: 70.6%). On the contrary, the most common factor discouraging students from choosing a plastic surgery career after elective training was plastic surgery being a competitive specialty for matching (favorable to agree: 62.7%), followed by the intense workload (favorable to agree: 56.9%).Conclusions Medical students were more likely than medical interns to explore a career in plastic surgery. Exposure to a variety of cases, inspiring mentors, and a decent amount of time spent in the operating room were the most influential factors.