Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been identified as one of the more highly prevalent and costly gastrointestinal disorders. Despite its uncertain etiology, risk factors, such as stress and academic load, are well correlated with the prevalence of the disease. Being in one of the most stressful and challenging environments, medical students are predisposed to have high rates of IBS. The socioeconomic burden of the disease on its sufferers is devastating as their quality of life is reduced, mandating additional health care precautions. The aim of this article, therefore, is to review the current literature about IBS among medical students, its prevalence, associated risk factors, and diagnostic criteria. Additionally, different solutions and management options are recommended to control the disease.

Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused substances in the United States. Chronic consumption of ethanol has been responsible for numerous chronic diseases and conditions globally. The underlying mechanism of liver injury has been studied in depth, however, far fewer studies have examined other organs especially the heart and the central nervous system (CNS). The authors conducted a narrative review on the relationship of alcohol with heart disease and dementia. With that in mind, a complex relationship between inflammation and cardiovascular disease and dementia has been long proposed but inflammatory biomarkers have gained more attention lately. In this review we examine some of the consequences of the altered cytokine regulation that occurs in alcoholics in organs other than the liver. The article reviews the potential role of inflammatory markers such as TNF-α in predicting dementia and/or cardiovascular disease. It was found that TNF-α could promote and accelerate local inflammation and damage through autocrine/paracrine mechanisms. Unraveling the mechanisms linking chronic alcohol consumption with proinflammatory cytokine production and subsequent inflammatory signaling pathways activation in the heart and CNS, is essential to improve our understanding of the disease and hopefully facilitate the development of new remedies.

Team-based learning (TBL) is an emerging teaching and learning strategy being employed in medical schools. The College of Medicine at Alfaisal University has adopted a TBL approach as an instructional method for first-year medical students. The aim of the present study was to describe the TBL method employed at Alfaisal University College of Medicine and to assess first-year medical students' perceptions of this learning modality for the anatomy- and physiology-based blocks/courses in organ systems form of curriculum. A five-point Likert scale questionnaire was structured based on Kirkpatrick's theory and assessed three major domains: reaction, learning, and behavior. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach's α-coefficient tests were used to assess the validity and reliability of the construct, respectively. CFA showed an adequate validity of the survey and Cronbach's α revealed an acceptable internal uniformity (0.69). A total of 185 respondents rated reaction, learning, and behavior toward introduction of TBL as 3.53 ± 1.01, 3.59 ± 1.12, and 3.57 ± 1.12, respectively. Excellent students rated TBL highly in all major domains compared with borderline students (reaction, behavior, and learning domains with P values of <0.049, <0.035, and <0.031, respectively). Students who had prior teamwork experience rated TBL higher in terms of their learning experience compared with those who were rarely involved in team work. This study demonstrated that Alfaisal University first-year medical students perceived TBL positively as a teaching and learning strategy for functional anatomy, and prior involvement in teamwork and academic performance correlates with higher ratings of TBL.

ObjectivesThe qualitative subjective assessment has been exercised either by self-reflection (self-assessment (SA)) or by an observer (peer assessment (PA)) and is considered to play an important role in students’ development. The objectivity of PA and SA by students as well as those by faculty examiners has remained debated. This matters most when it comes to a high-stakes examination. We explored the degree of objectivity in PA, SA, as well as the global rating by examiners being Examiners’ Subjective Assessment (ESA) compared with Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE).DesignProspective cohort study.SettingUndergraduate medical students at Alfaisal University, Riyadh.ParticipantsAll second-year medical students (n=164) of genders, taking a course to learn clinical history taking and general physical examination.Main outcome measuresA Likert scale questionnaire was distributed among the participants during selected clinical skills sessions. Each student was evaluated randomly by peers (PA) as well as by himself/herself (SA). Two OSCEs were conducted where students were assessed by an examiner objectively as well as subjectively (ESA) for a global rating of confidence and well-preparedness. OSCE-1 had fewer topics and stations, whereas OSCE-2 was terminal and full scale.ResultsOSCE-1 (B=0.10) and ESA (B=8.16) predicted OSCE-2 scores. ‘No nervousness’ in PA (r=0.185, p=0.018) and ‘confidence’ in SA (r=0.207, p=0.008) correlated with ‘confidence’ in ESA. In ‘well-preparedness’, SA correlated with ESA (r=0.234, p=0.003).ConclusionsOSCE-1 and ESA predicted students’ performance in the OSCE-2, a high-stakes evaluation, indicating practical ‘objectivity’ in ESA, whereas SA and PA had minimal predictive role. Certain components of SA and PA correlated with ESA, suggesting partial objectivity given the limited objectiveness of ESA. Such difference in ‘qualitative’ objectivity probably reflects experience. Thus, subjective assessment can be used with some degree of objectivity for continuous assessment.

Purpose: This study examines quality of life of medical students in Yemen by evaluating validity and reliability of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL) and assessing potential influencing factors. Methods: This is a single-centered cross-sectional study conducted in Hadramout University College of Medicine, Mukalla, Yemen during the academic year of 2019. The WHOQOL questionnaire was distributed among medical students. For validity, item discriminate validity and confirmatory factor analysis were assessed and for reliability, Cronbach's α test was examined. Independent sample t -test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the academic level, gender, academic performance, and basic life necessities including water, electricity supply, sewage treatment and type of residence. Results: A total of 495 medical students have responded to this questionnaire which has demonstrated an adequate validity and good reliability. The mean score for students' self-rating of their quality of life in the major domains was found to be in a descending order (Mean ± SD): psychological health (55.18 ± 17.84), environmental (52.14 + 17.60), physical health (48.15 + 14.73) and social relations (45.09 ± 20.81). Demographics and basic life needs exhibit relationship with Quality of Life among medical students. Conclusion: The WHOQOL-BREF is a valid and reliable tool among medical students in Hadramout University. Demographics and basic life needs seem to impact Yemeni medical students' Quality of Life. Wellness and mentoring programs should be considered to ameliorate effects related to deteriorating medical students' Quality of Life in Hadramout University.