Computing in Cardiology (CinC), 2012, Nov 25, 2023
College students face a variety of stressors, including academic pressure, social challenges, and... more College students face a variety of stressors, including academic pressure, social challenges, and financial concerns. Mindfulness training by applying breathing and self-reflecting mantras has been shown to be a useful tool for reducing stress as part of compassion mindfulness training (CMT). Physiological measures of these methods are lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) captures stress and anxiety by changes in the sympathovagal balance and hence may provide insight into the effectiveness of mindfulness on psychopathology. Thirty-nine students were recruited and answered the depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaire (DASS-21) prior to and following 90 days after CMT. Heart rate was recorded for 5 minutes before CMT and following the 1-week intervention. HRV features included time-frequency domain, nonlinear features, and complex correlation measures. Long-term improvements in DASS-21 were not reflected by all HRV features. However, changes in HRV patterns indicate an increase in complexity reflecting the higher adaptability and flexibility of the autonomic nervous system. The research outcomes indicate the beneficial effect of short, self-compassion mindfulness training. Yet, further research is required to explain its effect on heart rate variability.
Background: Facilitating the transition of graduating medical students who did their clinical cle... more Background: Facilitating the transition of graduating medical students who did their clinical clerkships under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to post-graduate training remains under-explored, particularly in the Middle East region. Objectives: A tailored Capstone course was developed to bridge the educational gaps for the first graduating class in the first MD program across the United Arab Emirates, to ready them for residency training. These are international medical graduates who studied exclusively online for years 1 and 2 because of the COVID19 pandemic restrictions, which affected their proper acquisition of clinical skills. They also are the first cohort to graduate from a nascent MD program in the UAE, while all other medical schools in the country have historically adopted the MBBS program. Methods: A total of 26 fourth-year medical students participated in the Capstone course between April and May 2023. Pre- and post-course students’ self-confidence levels on the skill...
The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but... more The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but also in science and medicine, marking for the first time when drug regulatory authorities cleared for use mRNA-based vaccines in the fight against this outbreak. However, while indeed representing a novel application of such technology in the context of vaccination medicine, introducing RNA into cells to produce resultant molecules (proteins, antibodies, etc.) is not a novel principle. It has been common practice to introduce/inject mRNA into oocytes and embryos to inhibit, induce, and identify several factors in a research context, while such aspects have also been proposed as potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications to combat infertility in humans. Herein, we describe key areas where mRNA-based platforms have thus far represented potential areas of clinical applications, describing the advantages and limitations of such applications. Finally, we also discuss how recent advanc...
Supplemental material, Supl_Figures_and_Tables_R1_Clean_Submitted_xyz45255a1b4196b for Effect of ... more Supplemental material, Supl_Figures_and_Tables_R1_Clean_Submitted_xyz45255a1b4196b for Effect of Targeted Curricular Reform on the Learning Environment, Student Empathy, and Hidden Curriculum in a Medical School: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study by Nathalie K Zgheib, Zakia Dimassi, Thalia Arawi, Kamal F Badr and Ramzi Sabra in Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 2020
Objective: The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine follows the American model of me... more Objective: The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine follows the American model of medical education. In 2013-2014, a carefully designed new curriculum replaced the previous, largely traditional curriculum, and aimed to improve student wellbeing, upgrade the learning environment, enhance student empathy, and counter the negative influences of the hidden curriculum. This longitudinal study assessed the effectiveness of the new curriculum in those domains over a period of 7 years. Methods: Three cohorts of medical students anonymously filled a paper-based survey at the end of years 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the 4-year curriculum. These included the Class of 2016, the last batch of students who followed the old curriculum, and 2 cohorts that followed the new curriculum (Class of 2017 and Class of 2019). The perceived learning environment was assessed by the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measurement survey; the student’s empathy was assessed by the Jefferson Scale of Physician ...
Peroneal neuropathy is a neurological complication of bariatric surgery (BS) that can impair the ... more Peroneal neuropathy is a neurological complication of bariatric surgery (BS) that can impair the functional capacity of the presenting patient and reduce quality of life. The aim of this paper is to explore and offer medical insight into the presentation, etiologies, and therapeutic modalities of peroneal neuropathy following BS. Methods: We explored PubMed/Medline for cases involving peroneal neuropathy as a complication of BS. The search included all articles published from database inception until A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t April 25, 2019. Only articles published in English were included. Clinical information and demographics extracted from the reported studies were analyzed and assessed. Results: Only 9 studies met our criteria, with a total of 21 cases (n=21). Females dominated in 14 cases (71%). Ages ranged from 12 to 53 years with mean age being 36. All cases reported pain, numbness and weakness in their lower limb. Gastric bypass was the most common procedure with 9 cases (43%). All cases witnessed loss of a large amount of weight following BS. Amount of weight lost per month ranged from 2.7 kg/month to 19kg/month. Electrodiagnostic studies were used in 18 cases (86%). Of all the cases presented, 12 (57%) underwent surgical treatment, 7 (33%) underwent conservative treatment, and 2 (9%) resolved spontaneously. All patients reported improvement of symptoms. Conclusion: Better knowledge of the demographics and clinical characteristics of peroneal neuropathy following BS will help in achieving earlier diagnosis and avoiding invasive therapeutic modalities. Guidance with respect to weight reduction is pivotal in deterring similar neurological complications.
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2018
Slipping Rib Syndrome is an often unrecognized and underdiagnosed condition caused by the increas... more Slipping Rib Syndrome is an often unrecognized and underdiagnosed condition caused by the increased mobility of the anterior ends of the costal cartilages of the false ribs. Patients usually present with severe intermittent abdominal pain that is exacerbated by various physical movements. Diagnosis of Slipping Rib Syndrome is mainly clinical and can be confirmed by a physical examination technique termed the "Hooking Maneuver." Treatment includes conservative therapy, intercostal nerve block, and surgical operation. Hence, the management and care plan of each patient must be individualized as per the presenting symptoms and medical history. Early recognition and prompt intervention necessitate that physicians be more aware of the symptomatology and prognosis of this condition. This study presents a rare case of a patient with Slipping Rib Syndrome and offers medical insight to the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic modalities of this condition, in light of the current existing literature.
The Faculty of Medicine at the American University of Beirut implemented a new medical curriculum... more The Faculty of Medicine at the American University of Beirut implemented a new medical curriculum, which included 90 team-based learning (TBL) sessions in years 1 and 2 of medical school. A validated team performance scale (TPS) and peer evaluation of communication skills, professionalism and personal development were collected at different time points during the two years. Grades on the individual and group readiness assurance tests and an evaluation form were collected after every TBL session. Students generally positively evaluated most TBL sessions as promoters of critical thinking and appreciated the self-learning experience, though they preferred and had better individual grades on those that entailed preparation of didactic lectures. There was a sustained and cumulative improvement in teamwork skills over time. Similar improvement was noted with peer evaluations of communication skills, professionalism, and personal development over time. This is the first report about such a longitudinal follow-up of medical students who were exposed to a large number of TBL sessions over two years. The results support the suggestion that TBL improves medical students' team dynamics and their perceived self-learning, problem solving and communication skills, as well as their professionalism and personal development.
BACKGROUND Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way medicine is le... more BACKGROUND Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way medicine is learned, taught, and practiced, and medical education must prepare learners for these inevitable changes. Academic medicine has, however, been slow to embrace innovation. Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) has emerged as a fast and user-friendly large language model that can assist healthcare professionals, medical educators, students/trainees, and patients. While many studies focus on the technology’s capabilities, potential, and risks, there is a gap in studying the perspective of end users. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to gauge the experiences and perspectives of graduating medical students on ChatGPT and AI in their training and future careers. METHODS A cross-sectional web-based survey of recently graduated medical students in an international academic medical center was conducted between May 5, 2023 and June 13, 2023. Descripti...
Computing in Cardiology (CinC), 2012, Nov 25, 2023
College students face a variety of stressors, including academic pressure, social challenges, and... more College students face a variety of stressors, including academic pressure, social challenges, and financial concerns. Mindfulness training by applying breathing and self-reflecting mantras has been shown to be a useful tool for reducing stress as part of compassion mindfulness training (CMT). Physiological measures of these methods are lacking. Heart rate variability (HRV) captures stress and anxiety by changes in the sympathovagal balance and hence may provide insight into the effectiveness of mindfulness on psychopathology. Thirty-nine students were recruited and answered the depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaire (DASS-21) prior to and following 90 days after CMT. Heart rate was recorded for 5 minutes before CMT and following the 1-week intervention. HRV features included time-frequency domain, nonlinear features, and complex correlation measures. Long-term improvements in DASS-21 were not reflected by all HRV features. However, changes in HRV patterns indicate an increase in complexity reflecting the higher adaptability and flexibility of the autonomic nervous system. The research outcomes indicate the beneficial effect of short, self-compassion mindfulness training. Yet, further research is required to explain its effect on heart rate variability.
Background: Facilitating the transition of graduating medical students who did their clinical cle... more Background: Facilitating the transition of graduating medical students who did their clinical clerkships under the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to post-graduate training remains under-explored, particularly in the Middle East region. Objectives: A tailored Capstone course was developed to bridge the educational gaps for the first graduating class in the first MD program across the United Arab Emirates, to ready them for residency training. These are international medical graduates who studied exclusively online for years 1 and 2 because of the COVID19 pandemic restrictions, which affected their proper acquisition of clinical skills. They also are the first cohort to graduate from a nascent MD program in the UAE, while all other medical schools in the country have historically adopted the MBBS program. Methods: A total of 26 fourth-year medical students participated in the Capstone course between April and May 2023. Pre- and post-course students’ self-confidence levels on the skill...
The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but... more The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to many drastic changes in not only society, law, economics, but also in science and medicine, marking for the first time when drug regulatory authorities cleared for use mRNA-based vaccines in the fight against this outbreak. However, while indeed representing a novel application of such technology in the context of vaccination medicine, introducing RNA into cells to produce resultant molecules (proteins, antibodies, etc.) is not a novel principle. It has been common practice to introduce/inject mRNA into oocytes and embryos to inhibit, induce, and identify several factors in a research context, while such aspects have also been proposed as potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications to combat infertility in humans. Herein, we describe key areas where mRNA-based platforms have thus far represented potential areas of clinical applications, describing the advantages and limitations of such applications. Finally, we also discuss how recent advanc...
Supplemental material, Supl_Figures_and_Tables_R1_Clean_Submitted_xyz45255a1b4196b for Effect of ... more Supplemental material, Supl_Figures_and_Tables_R1_Clean_Submitted_xyz45255a1b4196b for Effect of Targeted Curricular Reform on the Learning Environment, Student Empathy, and Hidden Curriculum in a Medical School: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study by Nathalie K Zgheib, Zakia Dimassi, Thalia Arawi, Kamal F Badr and Ramzi Sabra in Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 2020
Objective: The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine follows the American model of me... more Objective: The American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine follows the American model of medical education. In 2013-2014, a carefully designed new curriculum replaced the previous, largely traditional curriculum, and aimed to improve student wellbeing, upgrade the learning environment, enhance student empathy, and counter the negative influences of the hidden curriculum. This longitudinal study assessed the effectiveness of the new curriculum in those domains over a period of 7 years. Methods: Three cohorts of medical students anonymously filled a paper-based survey at the end of years 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the 4-year curriculum. These included the Class of 2016, the last batch of students who followed the old curriculum, and 2 cohorts that followed the new curriculum (Class of 2017 and Class of 2019). The perceived learning environment was assessed by the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measurement survey; the student’s empathy was assessed by the Jefferson Scale of Physician ...
Peroneal neuropathy is a neurological complication of bariatric surgery (BS) that can impair the ... more Peroneal neuropathy is a neurological complication of bariatric surgery (BS) that can impair the functional capacity of the presenting patient and reduce quality of life. The aim of this paper is to explore and offer medical insight into the presentation, etiologies, and therapeutic modalities of peroneal neuropathy following BS. Methods: We explored PubMed/Medline for cases involving peroneal neuropathy as a complication of BS. The search included all articles published from database inception until A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t April 25, 2019. Only articles published in English were included. Clinical information and demographics extracted from the reported studies were analyzed and assessed. Results: Only 9 studies met our criteria, with a total of 21 cases (n=21). Females dominated in 14 cases (71%). Ages ranged from 12 to 53 years with mean age being 36. All cases reported pain, numbness and weakness in their lower limb. Gastric bypass was the most common procedure with 9 cases (43%). All cases witnessed loss of a large amount of weight following BS. Amount of weight lost per month ranged from 2.7 kg/month to 19kg/month. Electrodiagnostic studies were used in 18 cases (86%). Of all the cases presented, 12 (57%) underwent surgical treatment, 7 (33%) underwent conservative treatment, and 2 (9%) resolved spontaneously. All patients reported improvement of symptoms. Conclusion: Better knowledge of the demographics and clinical characteristics of peroneal neuropathy following BS will help in achieving earlier diagnosis and avoiding invasive therapeutic modalities. Guidance with respect to weight reduction is pivotal in deterring similar neurological complications.
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2018
Slipping Rib Syndrome is an often unrecognized and underdiagnosed condition caused by the increas... more Slipping Rib Syndrome is an often unrecognized and underdiagnosed condition caused by the increased mobility of the anterior ends of the costal cartilages of the false ribs. Patients usually present with severe intermittent abdominal pain that is exacerbated by various physical movements. Diagnosis of Slipping Rib Syndrome is mainly clinical and can be confirmed by a physical examination technique termed the "Hooking Maneuver." Treatment includes conservative therapy, intercostal nerve block, and surgical operation. Hence, the management and care plan of each patient must be individualized as per the presenting symptoms and medical history. Early recognition and prompt intervention necessitate that physicians be more aware of the symptomatology and prognosis of this condition. This study presents a rare case of a patient with Slipping Rib Syndrome and offers medical insight to the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic modalities of this condition, in light of the current existing literature.
The Faculty of Medicine at the American University of Beirut implemented a new medical curriculum... more The Faculty of Medicine at the American University of Beirut implemented a new medical curriculum, which included 90 team-based learning (TBL) sessions in years 1 and 2 of medical school. A validated team performance scale (TPS) and peer evaluation of communication skills, professionalism and personal development were collected at different time points during the two years. Grades on the individual and group readiness assurance tests and an evaluation form were collected after every TBL session. Students generally positively evaluated most TBL sessions as promoters of critical thinking and appreciated the self-learning experience, though they preferred and had better individual grades on those that entailed preparation of didactic lectures. There was a sustained and cumulative improvement in teamwork skills over time. Similar improvement was noted with peer evaluations of communication skills, professionalism, and personal development over time. This is the first report about such a longitudinal follow-up of medical students who were exposed to a large number of TBL sessions over two years. The results support the suggestion that TBL improves medical students' team dynamics and their perceived self-learning, problem solving and communication skills, as well as their professionalism and personal development.
BACKGROUND Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way medicine is le... more BACKGROUND Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way medicine is learned, taught, and practiced, and medical education must prepare learners for these inevitable changes. Academic medicine has, however, been slow to embrace innovation. Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) has emerged as a fast and user-friendly large language model that can assist healthcare professionals, medical educators, students/trainees, and patients. While many studies focus on the technology’s capabilities, potential, and risks, there is a gap in studying the perspective of end users. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to gauge the experiences and perspectives of graduating medical students on ChatGPT and AI in their training and future careers. METHODS A cross-sectional web-based survey of recently graduated medical students in an international academic medical center was conducted between May 5, 2023 and June 13, 2023. Descripti...
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