Introduction: A near-peer-assisted learning term (NPAL) is ''a trainee one or more years senior to another trainee''. The current study is aiming to determine the pattern of NPAL activities, to compare its effect on student's course achievement score and to determine the perception of students regarding having near-peer clinical teaching from their fellow medical interns. Methods: A total of 189 third year medical students participated in the study. The study questionnaire contains three sections. The first is the focus group section, self-administered questions and lastly quality control section. Trained staff helped in conducting the data collection. Results: Clinical teaching with mentoring was experienced by 116 students (61.4%) from their assigned interns in the early clinical experience course. The results of the study showed higher course achievement grades for students who experienced mentoring with clinical teaching compared to those students who experienced mentoring only, but it did not reach statistical significance. The study also found that most medical students acknowledged and agree that their near peers medical interns could provide unique input in helping them mastering clinical and communication skills competencies, the average percent for the seven opinion questions of the response agree combined with strongly agree was 62%. Conclusion: In conclusion, third year medical students recognize the unique and important role of near peer teaching in under graduate medical education and its importance for their professional development. NPAL strategy should be encouraged and used in other medical schools. The benefits of NPAL to peer teacher and in late clinical medical years needed to be investigated in future studies.

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Objectives:To assess the knowledge and attitudes of resident physicians toward biostatistics and research methodology concepts.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study between November 2014 and October 2014 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all participants. The response rate was 90%.Results:One hundred sixty-two resident completed the questionnaire. Most residents were well-informed in basic concepts, such as, “P” values, study power, and case control studies; more than half had confidence in interpreting the results of scientific papers. Conversely, more than 67% of the residents were not knowledgeable on more sophisticated terms in biostatistics. Residents with previous training in evidence-based medicine (EBM) (p=0.05) and non-specialist residents (p=0.003) were more likely to have better knowledge scores. Females (p=0.003), and those with previous training in biostatistics and epidemiology had positive attitude toward biostatistics (p<0.001 in both cases). Residents who read medical journals scored lower than those who never read journals (p=0.001).Conclusion:Prior courses in EBM, as well as male gender were associated with knowledge scores. Reinforcing training after graduation from medical school with special focus on integrating biostatistics with epidemiology and research methods is needed.

Objective:To ascertain whether recommendations for the use of Statins and Aspirin as primary prevention in diabetic patients are correctly implemented at our institution.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2014 and April 2014 at the General Practice Department of King Abdulaziz University Hospital. Three hundred twelve patients were included in the study. Data were collected from the electronic patient medical records for the characteristics of the patients, existing co-morbidities, and results of laboratory investigations. Descriptive statistics were performed for all variables.Results:Of 312 patients, aspirin was indicated for 17.0% but it was not prescribed. It was both indicated and prescribed in 36.2% of the cases. Statin treatment was indicated in 27.2% of the patients but it was not prescribed, while in 63.1% of cases it was indicated and prescribedConclusion:The proportion of patients who achieved treatment targets at our institution is greater than that reported by other studies, albeit treatment targets are not being met in a significant number of cases.