Introduction This study aimed to investigate the response of the radiology workforce to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on professional practice in India and eight other Middle Eastern and North African countries. It further investigated the levels of fear and anxiety among this workforce during the pandemic. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey from 22 May-2 June 2020 among radiology workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey collected information related to the following themes: (1) demographic characteristics, (2) the impact of COVID-19 on radiology practice, and (3) fear and (4) anxiety emanating from the global pandemic. Results We received 903 responses. Fifty-eight percent had completed training on infection control required for handling COVID-19 patients. A large proportion (79.5%) of the respondents strongly agreed or agreed that personal protective equipment (PPE) was adequately available at work during the pandemic. The respondents reported experiences of work-related stress (42.9%), high COVID-19 fear score (83.3%) and anxiety (10%) during the study period. Conclusion There was a perceived workload increase in general x-ray and Computed Tomography imaging procedures because they were the key modalities for the initial and follow-up investigations of COVID-19. However, there was adequate availability of PPE during the study period. Most radiology workers were afraid of being infected with the virus. Fear was predominant among workers younger than 30 years of age and also in temporary staff. Anxiety occurred completely independent of gender, age, experience, country, place of work, and work status. Implications for practice It is important to provide training and regular mental health support and evaluations for healthcare professionals, including radiology workers, during similar future pandemics.

Objective There is growing evidence that use of E-portfolios has a positive effect on learning experience. However, literature has not shown sufficient data about the effectiveness of E-portfolios in medical education. This study was conducted to assess the acceptability and potential impacts of E-portfolio use for undergraduate radiography students. Methods This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted during the academic year 2016–2017 on students studying clinical courses. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the selected cohort of students. All participants completed the consent form before answering the questionnaire. Results Of 75 students, 66 completed the survey (response rate; 88%). Students' experience, students' learning support, and the challenges of E-portfolio use were identified. Forty-one (62%) students perceived that E-portfolios facilitated the effective organization of their work, and 40 (61%) agreed that E-portfolios enhanced their professional skills. In contrast, the students perceived a negative correlation between students' learning support and future utilization of E-portfolios (correlation coefficient −0.394, p = 0.05). Future utilization of E-portfolios was found to be positively correlated with challenges and commitment to deadlines, with correlation coefficients of 0.371 and 0.152, respectively. Conclusion The study found that continuous technical support for E-portfolios throughout the course had a potential role in enhancing learning experience. Appropriate training for integrating E-portfolios into teaching and learning can potentially enrich the educational environment. Student and faculty feedback is the main cornerstone for E-portfolio success.

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Background Interprofessional education (IPE) encompasses integration, communication, mutual trust and shared decision-making with a common goal of improved patient care and safety. Despite its crucial role, IPE has not gained its anticipated popularity. This study aims to determine the impact of an online educational intervention about IPE on medical, dental and health sciences students in the University of Sharjah (UoS). Methods This quasi-experimental research was conducted in three phases; a pre-intervention phase where the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) inventory was administered online to the medical, dental and health sciences students of UoS; an intervention phase where an online workshop was organized via Microsoft Teams®; and a post-intervention phase where RIPLS was used to gather the students’ attitudes towards IPE. The independent t test was used to compare the responses between genders and junior and senior students. A paired sample t test was used to determine the impact of the intervention on the students’ understandings and attitudes about IPE. Results Out of 800 invited students, 530 students responded to the pre-intervention RIPLS survey. A comparison of the pre-post intervention for the RIPLS subscales of teamwork and collaboration, professional identification, and professional roles showed a significant improvement of students’ attitudes with p-values 0.03, 0.00 and 0.00, respectively. All workshop moderators scored a median of 4 or 5 to the essential elements of IPE during intervention except for a median of 3 for group dynamics. Conclusion The present data, derived from the application of a brief online educational intervention, underpins the readiness and positive attitudes of undergraduate medical students towards IPE. The positive impact of online intervention necessitates the development of a structured and unified IPE curriculum to enhance the receptiveness and application of IPE in the medical field.