Background The involvement of the undergraduates in the research field requires a better view of their potential and the anticipated barriers facing them. This study aims to assess the undergraduates' knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceived barriers towards research in six Arab countries. Methods A cross sectional study included medical students from six Arab countries, where a self-administered five-section questionnaire was used to assess the students' demographics, knowledge, attitudes, practices and perceived barriers. The questionnaire was distributed in the online educational platforms of the participating medical schools in the six included countries. Results The total sample of recruited students was 2989, the majority of students (91.6%) showed poor level of knowledge regarding research. Generally high levels of positive attitudes towards research, research relevance and usefulness were found, with moderate levels of perception of research anxiety and difficulty. 33.7% (n = 1006) participated in an actual research project before with a mean of .5 publications per student. Cross-sectional studies were the most common type of studies conducted by students (38.6%), followed by case reports (23.9%). Lack of access to lab equipment for lab research (68.1%), the priority of education over research (66.8%), and lack of time because of educational tasks (66.1%) were generally the top perceived barriers towards research practice. Conclusion In the current study, the participants showed a poor knowledge level with associated positive attitudes towards research. One third of the students participated in research projects that mostly were cross-sectional studies and case reports. Educational tasks and lack of support were the most prevalent barriers. The students' positive attitudes towards research need to be translated into better knowledge and appropriate practice, which can be done by development of better training systems and more structured mentoring.

Background The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical and mental health in addition to the global economy are huge. Vaccination is a pivotal measure to decrease COVID-19 morbidity and mortality and to help bring the pandemic under control. Yet, success of the vaccination process depends on the population’s willingness to be vaccinated which may be determined by their level of knowledge about and trust in currently available COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, this study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and acceptance of Palestinians towards COVID-19 vaccines. Methods A national cross-sectional study was distributed in different Palestinian regions to assess the knowledge and attitude of Palestinians toward COVID-19 vaccines using an online questionnaire, it included three sections; sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge assessment questions, and attitude assessment questions. Results A total of 6226 participants completed the questionnaire; among them, 41.36% believed that vaccines are safe, 69.02% agreed that vaccines are vital to protect from COVID-19; in addition, 55.1% approve administering the vaccine once available, and 37.86% do not believe their benefits outweigh the risks. The Source of information for 22.07% of participants in social media, while 11.92% rely on health care providers. Participants’ attitudes and knowledge were significantly affected by gender, governorate, age, education level, and marital status (P <0.001). Conclusion The findings suggest that there is good knowledge and attitude toward the vaccination process against COVID-19 in Palestine, although low acceptance was detected. Awareness campaigns are required to spread reliable knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines.

Introduction Antimicrobial stewardship programs are intended to improve patient outcomes, reduce side effects, bacterial resistance, and costs. Thus, it is important to assess their impact on an ongoing basis. We aimed to assess the impact of the antimicrobial stewardship program in two different hospitals which used different program approaches. Methodology This is a retrospective observational study in two private hospitals [4088 patient records] in Amman- Jordan. Antibiotic susceptibility using antibiogram results, consumption of antibiotics using Defined Daily Dose, and the incidence of Multi-Drug Resistance were recorded using patients’ records during 2018, 2019, and 2020. Results Antimicrobial stewardship program outcomes varied between the two hospitals. Bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics were improved in both hospitals. Moreover, the defined daily dose in Hospital “A” showed no significant change in Fluoroquinolones, Carbapenems, and Piperacillin- Tazobactam, Cephalosporins, and Colistin, while a significant change was observed among Anti-MRSA antibiotics. Finally, the incidence of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase [ESBL] E. coli, ESBL Klebsiella, and Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci [VRE] have decreased numerically over the study period, while Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] showed an increase in incidence during the second year of the study. Conclusion The study emphasizes the positive impact of the AMS program throughout the three years of the study. Plus, the need to enhance the program through recruiting extra staff and applying extra regulations like implementing educational programs for the hospital staff, designing local guidelines for common ID diseases, and monitoring the program’s outcomes which would eventually be more efficient, cost-effective, and safe.