Introduction:
The impact of online medical education using videoconferencing platforms on the education environment during the present COVID-19 pandemic is not known. The objectives were to evaluate the impact of online teaching using videoconferencing platforms on the education environment, satisfaction, and perception of the medical undergraduate students to online teaching.
Methods:
This prospective observational survey undertaken at a medical college included voluntarily participating medical undergraduate students from first (2
nd
semester), second (4
th
semester), and third year MBBS (6
th
and 8
th
semesters). The education environment was evaluated using the validated Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). The perception of the students was evaluated using questionnaire with five point Likert scale response.
Results:
The response rate in our survey was 77.5% (465 out of 600 students). The mean DREEM score of medical undergraduate students was 132.3 ± 19.8. Domains of DREEM evaluated were students’ perception of learning (30.1 ± 6.3), students’ perception of teachers (29.7 ± 4.6), students’ academic self-perception (21.3 ± 4.9), students’ perception of atmosphere (32.5 ± 6.2), and students’ social self-perception (18.7 ± 3.5). Two hundred and fifty five students (54.8%) were extremely satisfied and quite satisfied with the online teaching–learning modalities. Two hundred and fifty eight students (55.5%) rated online learning methods to be very useful and quite useful during the lockdown period.
Conclusion:
The educational environment at our medical college was positive and students had a positive perception and attitude toward the role of the videoconferencing platforms for learning (telemedicine) during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.
Patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder have a high prevalence of comorbid cannabis use disorder (CUD). CUD has been associated with poorer outcomes in patients. We compared doses of antipsychotic medications at the time of discharge from hospital among inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with or without concurrent cannabis use. We reviewed the medical records of patients (N = 8157) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder discharged from the hospital between 2008 and 2012. The patients were divided into two groups; those with urine drug tests positive for cannabis and those negative for cannabis. Doses of antipsychotic medications were converted to chlorpromazine equivalents. Bivariate analyses were done with Student's t test for continuous variables and χ test for categorical variables. Linear regression was carried out to adjust for potential confounders. Unadjusted analysis revealed that the cannabis positive group was discharged on lower doses of antipsychotic medication compared with the cannabis negative group (geometric mean chlorpromazine equivalent doses 431.22 ± 2.20 vs 485.18 ± 2.21; P< 0.001). However, the difference in geometric mean chlorpromazine equivalent doses between the two groups was no longer significant after adjusting for sex, age, race, and length of stay (geometric mean difference 0.99; 95 % CI 0.92-1.10). Though limited by lack of information on duration, amount and severity of cannabis use, as well as inability to control for other non-antipsychotic medications, our study suggests that cannabis use did not significantly impact on doses of antipsychotics required during the periods of acute exacerbation in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
Background: The objective of the present study was to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of adverse drug reaction reporting among healthcare professionals of Parul Sevashram Hospital, Parul University, Vadodara.Methods: The study was prospective, observational and questionnaire-based involving medical doctors, nurses and pharmacists of Parul Sevashram Hospital. A total number of 210 structured questionnaires were distributed among health care professionals (100 clinicians from various specialities, 100 nurses and 10 pharmacists). Written informed consent forms were obtained from participants as their consent to participate in the study.Results: All questionnaires were filled and returned producing overall response rate of 100%. 80% of the respondents were aware of the existence of Pharmacovigilance Program of India (PvPI). 90.95% and 91.90% of respondents felt ADR reporting is necessary and it would be beneficial to the patients respectively. Only 11.43% of respondents had reported ADRs. 90.95% and 85.24% of respondents suggested training is required in reporting ADR and regular information should be provided regarding ADR by PvPI respectively.Conclusions: The health care professionals had positive knowledge and attitude towards pharmacovigilance and there is a need to create awareness for better practice of ADR reporting. It would help to improve patient care.
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