Background: The need for increased expertise in evidence-based medicine and concerns about the decreasing numbers of physician-scientists have underscored the need for promoting and encouraging research in medical education. The critical shortage of physician-scientists has assumed a dimension demanding a coordinated global response. This systematic review examined the perceptions of medical students regarding research during undergraduate medical school from a global perspective.
Methods: Articles for this review were searched using PubMed, SCOPUS and Cochrane. Studies published within the last 10 years of the start date of the study that met specified criteria were included. Identified articles were initially screened by title as well as keywords and their abstracts were further screened to determine relevance. Full-text of screened articles were read for validation prior to inclusion.
Results: A total of 26 articles from the literature met the set criteria for final inclusion. Contents of the abstracts and corresponding full-text articles were analyzed for themes on the research perspectives of medical students. The themes derived comprised: research interest, physician-scientist decline and shortage, responses to physician-scientist shortage, curriculum issues, skills (motivation and self-efficacy), research needs, socioeconomic and cultural issues, and barriers.
Conclusion: Despite the wide variations in medical education systems worldwide, the perspectives of medical students on research in undergraduate medical education shared many common themes. Globally, medical students underscored the necessity and importance of research in medical education as reflected by many students reporting positive attitudes and interest in research endeavors. Moreover, a worldwide consensus emerged regarding the decline in the numbers of physician-scientists and the necessity for a reversal of that trend. Various barriers to research engagement and participation were highlighted.
The costs of telemedicine screening for diabetic retinopathy were examined in a trial conducted in northern Norway, involving the University Hospital of Tromsø (UHT) and the primary care centre in Alta, approximately 400 km away. In Alta, specially trained nurses examined 42 diabetic patients using a digital camera to obtain images of the retina. The images were then sent by email to an eye specialist at the UHT. A cost-minimization analysis showed that at low workloads, for example 20 patients per annum, telemedicine was more expensive than conventional examination: NKr8555 versus NKr428 per patient. However, at higher workloads, telemedicine was cheaper. For example, at 200 patients per annum, telemedicine cost NKr971 and conventional examination cost NKr1440 per patient. The break-even point occurred at a patient workload of 110 per annum. Given that there are some 250 diabetic patients in Alta, telemedicine screening is the cheaper service for the public sector.
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Purpose: Anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (anti‐VEGF) therapy effectively inhibits angiogenesis and is now enjoying widespread use in the treatment of age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). It may also have a role in the treatment of macular oedema secondary to other conditions. VEGF is a signalling molecule that has a variety of roles, including vasoregulation and effects on the coagulation homeostasis. Anti‐VEGF therapy may therefore have adverse effects on ocular blood flow.
Methods: Two cases of retinal artery occlusion after intravitreal injection of anti‐VEGF are presented. Both patients were given the treatment to reduce macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion. Possible mechanisms are discussed.
Results: Patient 1 developed a central retinal artery occlusion within 1 month of an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (Lucentis®). The macular oedema was totally resolved at 1 month; final visual acuity (VA) was light perception. Patient 2 developed a branch retinal artery occlusion in the macula 2 days after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (Avastin®). The macular oedema was almost resolved within 1 week and did not recur; final VA was 0.6.
Conclusions: Anti‐VEGF therapy may have a role in the treatment of macular oedema caused by central retinal vein occlusions. However, our report indicates that the therapeutic principle may be associated with an increased risk of retinal arterial occlusions.
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