Objectives:To identify the prevalence of various menstrual problems in young females studying health sciences and to identify their association with academic stress.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in the health colleges of Immam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia between February 2015 and February 2016. Seven hundred and thirty-eight female students aged 18-25 years anonymously completed menstrual problem identification and perceived stress scale questionnaire. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16.0.Results:Ninety-one percent of the students were suffering from some kind of menstrual problem. The different menstrual problems reported, and their incidences included irregular menstruation (27%), abnormal vaginal bleeding (9.3%), amenorrhea (9.2%), menorrhagia (3.4%), dysmenorrhea (89.7%), and premenstrual symptoms (46.7%). High perceived stress (HPS) was identified in 39% of the students. A significant positive correlation was found between HPS and menstrual problems. Students with HPS had 4 times, 2 times, and 2.8 times increased odds ratio for experiencing amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome (p<0.05).Conclusion:The most prevalent menstrual problems (dysmenorrhea and premenstrual symptoms) in the target population were strongly associated with stress. Therefore, it is recommended that health science students should be provided with early psychological and gynecological counselling to prevent future complications.

This study indicates a higher prevalence of moderate and severe dysmenorrhea in UW as compared to the OB subjects. We recommend further studies to explore the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for this association.

The students' views should be tallied with other sources of evidences. Nevertheless, they have policy implications on faculty recruitment, development, curriculum reform, and an organizational culture that supports professionalism.

Introduction: Instant Messaging Applications are known for their potential to enhance learning. However, to date, there has been little investigation into the implications of the ‘Telegram’ application for online medical education and training. Aim: This study explores the potential benefits and disadvantages of integrating Telegram into undergraduate medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An exploratory study was conducted between March and May 2020, with 203 undergraduate medical students recruited through purposive sampling. Data was collected through seven open-ended questions, followed by thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. Results: Most students participating in this study reported multiple utilities of the application, including easy access to educational resources and the ability to add unlimited members, as well as files in all formats and sizes. Additionally, the application assisted students to engage with collaborative learning, maintain their wellbeing, and ensure their security. However, they also reported some drawbacks, i.e., a complex interface, information overload, and a tendency to distract them, causing time wastage. Conclusion: This study concludes that Telegram provides an effective mobile learning platform for medical students during the current crisis, in particular. Moreover, it offers considerably more functionalities and fewer potential drawbacks than alternative applications.

Background: Medical education in Saudi Arabia is facing multiple challenges, including the rapid increase in the number of medical schools over a short period of time, the influx of foreign medical graduates to work in Saudi Arabia, the award of scholarships to hundreds of students to study medicine in various countries, and the absence of published national guidelines for minimal acceptable competencies of a medical graduate.