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  1. Yusoff MS, Esa AR, Mat Pa MN, Mey SC, Aziz RA, Abdul Rahim AF
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2013 Jan-Apr;26(1):39-47.
    PMID: 23823672 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.112800
    CONTEXT: There is considerable evidence that emotional intelligence, previous academic achievement (i.e. cumulative grade point average (GPA)) and personality are associated with success in various occupational settings. This study evaluated the relationships of these variables with psychological health of first year medical students during stressful periods.
    METHODS: A 1-year prospective study was done with students accepted into the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Information on emotional intelligence, GPA and personality traits were obtained prior to admission. The validated Universiti Sains Malaysia Emotional Quotient Inventory and Universiti Sains Malaysia Personality Inventory were used to measure emotional intelligence and personality traits, respectively. Stress, anxiety and depression were measured by the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale during the end-of-course (time 1) and final (time 2) examinations.
    RESULTS: At the less stressful period (time 1), stress level was associated with agreeableness and the final GPA, anxiety level was associated with emotional control and emotional conscientiousness and depression level was associated with the final GPA and extraversion. At the more stressful period (time 2), neuroticism associated with stress level, anxiety level was associated with neuroticism and emotional expression, and depression level was associated with neuroticism.
    CONCLUSIONS: This study found that neuroticism was the strongest associated factor of psychological health of medical students during their most stressful testing period. Various personality traits, emotional intelligence and previous academic performance were associated factors of psychological health during a less stressful period. These data suggest that early identification of medical students who are vulnerable to the stressful environment of medical schools might help them maintain psychological well-being during medical training.
  2. Arzuman H, Ja'afar R, Fakri NM
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2012 Nov;25(2):124-7.
    PMID: 23823596 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.103460
    An aim of medical schools is to select the most suitable candidates who are more likely to become good doctors, fulfilling societal expectations. It is imperative to better understand the influence of 'selection' variables on students' academic performance. We conducted a retrospective record review (3R) to examine the predictive power of pre-admission tracks on academic performance in the medical programme at the Universiti Sains Malaysia.
  3. Lai NM, Ngim CF, Fullerton PD
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2012 Nov;25(2):105-10.
    PMID: 23823593 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.103457
    Despite being an essential clinical skill, many junior doctors feel unprepared to perform neonatal resuscitation. We introduced a neonatal resuscitation training workshop in 2009 for our final-year medical students.
  4. Lai NM, Teng CL, Nalliah S
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2012 Jul;25(1):33-9.
    PMID: 23787382
    CONTEXT: The Fresno test and the Berlin Questionnaire are two validated instruments for objectively assessing competence in evidence-based medicine (EBM). Although both instruments purport to assess a comprehensive range of EBM knowledge, they differ in their formats. We undertook a preliminary study using the adapted version of the two instruments to assess their correlations when administered to medical students. The adaptations were made mainly to simplify the presentation for our undergraduate students while preserving the contents that were assessed.
    METHODS: We recruited final-year students from a Malaysian medical school from September 2006 to August 2007. The students received a structured EBM training program within their curriculum. They took the two instruments concurrently, midway through their final six months of training. We determined the correlations using either the Pearson's or Spearman's correlation depending on the data distribution.
    RESULTS: Of the 120 students invited, 72 (60.0%) participated in the study. The adapted Fresno test and the Berlin Questionnaire had a Cronbach's alfa of 0.66 and 0.70, respectively. Inter-rater correlation (r) of the adapted Fresno test was 0.9. The students scored 45.4% on average [standard deviation (SD) 10.1] on the Fresno test and 44.7% (SD 14.9) on the Berlin Questionnaire (P = 0.7). The overall correlation between the two instruments was poor (r = 0.2, 95% confidence interval: -0.07 to 0.42, P = 0.08), and correlations remained poor between items assessing the same EBM domains (r = 0.01-0.2, P = 0.07-0.9).
    DISCUSSION: The adapted versions of the Fresno test and the Berlin Questionnaire correlated poorly when administered to medical students. The two instruments may not be used interchangeably to assess undergraduate competence in EBM.
  5. Lai NM, Nalliah S
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2010 Apr;23(1):151.
    PMID: 20589599
    CONTEXT: The practice of Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) involves physicians regularly accessing and appraising clinical information. Few prior studies have assessed the information-seeking behaviours of medical undergraduates. At the International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia, senior medical students receive clinically-integrated EBM training to facilitate their future practice of EBM.
    OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether EBM training in the final six months of medical training changes our students' information-seeking practices and their confidence in understanding and appraising clinical evidence.
    METHODS: Between September 2005 and February 2006, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 65 senior medical students at the beginning and again at the end of their clerkship training during which there was a clinically-integrated EBM curriculum. The questionnaires covered the topics of their preferred sources of clinical information, online search frequencies, estimated time to retrieve an abstract, and their understanding and confidence in their critical appraisal skills.
    FINDINGS: Sixty-four (98%) students completed the initial survey and 63 (97%) completed the follow-up survey. The majority indicated that they preferred to first consult another individual (colleagues, lecturers, hospital staff) for their clinical queries (60.9% in the initial survey and 61.9% in the follow-up survey), with no change in their overall preference following the EBM curriculum six months later (p=0.144). There were significant increases in search activities following the curriculum, for example, students who searched PubMed or Medline for more than three times per week increased from 9.7% to 31.7% (p < 0.001). Students reported that they more often accessed single journals than databases. Despite significant improvements in students' reported understanding of journals and their confidence in critical appraisal (p < 0.001), there was no improvement in reported search speed, with 48.4% in the initial survey and 49.2% in the follow-up survey reporting to take 30 minutes or less to trace an abstract of interest (p=0.979).
    CONCLUSIONS: Our EBM training, offered within a supportive curriculum, increased our students' confidence and activity related to EBM, but failed to change students' reported information-seeking behaviours. Other factors influencing medical students' information-seeking practice need to be explored.
  6. Lai N, Nalliah S, Jutti RC, Hla Y, Lim VK
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2009 Aug;22(2):148.
    PMID: 20029744
    The educational environment is widely considered to be a major factor affecting students' motivation and learning outcomes. Although students' perceptions of their educational environment are often reported, we are unaware of any published reports that relate this information to students' clinical competence, either self-perceived or objectively measured.
  7. Cueto J, Burch VC, Adnan NA, Afolabi BB, Ismail Z, Jafri W, et al.
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2006 Jul;19(2):207-22.
    PMID: 16831802
    Undergraduate medical training program accreditation is practiced in many countries, but information from developing countries is sparse. We compared medical training program accreditation systems in nine developing countries, and compared these with accreditation practices in the United States of America (USA).
  8. Malik AS, Malik RH
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2004 Nov;17(3):292-302.
    PMID: 15848816
    The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), follows a problem-based learning, integrated and community-based curriculum which reflects the specific needs of doctors working in Sarawak. Using paediatrics as an example, this paper describes the process of development of core content (knowledge, procedural and communication skills, attitudes), additional knowledge and special study modules at the FMHS.
  9. Malik AS, Quah BS
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2003 Jul;16(2):163-75.
    PMID: 14741902
    OBJECTIVE: This paper compares the clinical experience in acute conditions of the undergraduate students of a medical school from a developing country (Malaysia) with those from a developed country (UK).
    METHODS: This study was conducted at the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Through questionnaire survey enquiry was made about 27 acute medical conditions (i.e. conditions related to internal medicine, paediatrics, and psychiatry), 15 acute surgical conditions (i.e. conditions related to general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, gynaecology and obstetrics), 15 surgical operations and 26 practical procedures. The results obtained were compared with published data from the UK.
    RESULTS: Acute medical conditions were seen by higher number of the USM students but with less frequency than the British students. The USM students saw practical procedures more frequently than the British students did, but almost an equal number performed these procedures independently. The British students attended surgical operations more frequently than the USM students did.
    CONCLUSION: Given the limitations of comparison (epidemiological, cultural and geographical differences, conventional curriculum (in the British medical schools) vs. problem based learning curriculum (in the Malaysian medical school)) the overall clinical experience of the medical students in the USM and the UK was comparable. The USM students had more opportunities to observe cases and procedures but "hands on" experience was similar to that of the British students.
  10. Behzadnia A, Smith DR, Goodson ML
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2018 12 12;31(2):80-86.
    PMID: 30531049 DOI: 10.4103/efh.EfH_280_17
    Background: Learning approaches have been proposed to affect the experience of psychological stress among tertiary students in recent years. This relationship becomes important in stressful environments such as medical schools. However, the relationship between stress and learning approaches is not well understood, and often studies done cannot be generalized due to different sociocultural differences. In particular, no study in Malaysia has looked at learning approaches among medical students.

    Aims: To address this gap, we examined the relationship between perceived stress and learning approaches by considering sources of stress.

    Methodology: The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire, and the Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire were answered by the preclinical and final-year students studying MBBS in a Malaysian campus of British University.

    Results: Deep learning was positively and surface learning negatively associated with perception of coping with stress. In this study, neither approaches were associated with psychological stress as opposed to previous reports. We found surface learners to report higher level of stress associated with social stressors. We found students' self-perception of feeling incompetent and feeling they need to do well to be significant sources of stress.

    Discussion: Deep learning promotes psychological resilience. This is of paramount importance in learning environments where stress is highly prevalent such as medical school. Promotion of deep learning among medical students is required at earlier stages as they tend to solidify their approach through their university years and carry that approach beyond school into their workplace.
  11. Simon SS, Ramachandra SS, Abdullah DD, Islam MN, Kalyan CG
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2016 May-Aug;29(2):124-7.
    PMID: 27549650 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.188753
    BACKGROUND: Political crisis and worsening security situation in Egypt in late 2013 resulted in Malaysian students who were pursuing their dental education in Egypt being recalled home to Malaysia. The Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia took steps to integrate these students into public and private universities in Malaysia.

    METHODS: We used a questionnaire and informal interviews to learn from students returning from Egypt about their experiences transitioning from dental schools in Egypt to Malaysia.

    RESULTS: We discuss the challenges students faced with regards to credit transfer, pastoral care, the differences in the curriculum between the dental faculties of the two nations, and the financial implications of this disruption of their training.

    DISCUSSION: We live in a fragile world where similar political situations will surely arise again. The approaches used by the Malaysian government and the lessons learned from these students may help others. The perspectives of these students may help educators reintegrate expatriate students who are displaced by political instability back into the education system of their own countries.
  12. Assenheimer D, Knox K, Nadarajah VD, Zimitat C
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2016 May-Aug;29(2):107-12.
    PMID: 27549647 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.188748
    BACKGROUND: Epistemological beliefs have a pervasive influence on learning and practice. Understanding these beliefs and how they develop, could play an important role in medical student training and shape later clinical practice.

    METHODS: The epistemological beliefs of first-year medical students from an Australian and Malaysian university were explored using a domain-specific instrument.

    RESULTS: There were significant differences between the disciplinary epistemological beliefs of Australian and Malaysian medical students across many items, and two specific factors (Certainty of Knowledge and Justification for Knowing).

    DISCUSSION: These findings have potential implications for teaching in biomedical disciplines and adaptation of Western curriculum innovations in Eastern educational contexts. Further work is needed to confirm and understand any epistemological differences and subsequent implications for learning and teaching in medicine.
  13. Rajhans V, Mohammed CA, Ve RS, Prabhu A
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2021 7 3;34(1):22-28.
    PMID: 34213440 DOI: 10.4103/efh.EfH_69_20
    Background: Current trends in health professions education are aligned to meet the needs of the millennial learner. The aim of this study was to identify learners' perceptions of an ongoing journal club (JC) activity in the optometry curriculum and evaluate the utility and efficiency of this method in promoting student learning.

    Methods: A qualitative approach with a phenomenological research design was adopted. The perceptions of undergraduate and postgraduate optometry students about JCs were captured using focus group discussions. A narrative thematic analysis was done using the verbatim transcripts and moderator's notes. Results are reported using "consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research" guidelines.

    Results: A total of 33 optometry students participated in the study. Data analysis revealed three major themes related to (i) The ongoing practice of JC, (ii) student perceptions of JC and its relevance in facilitating student learning, and (iii) suggestions for modification of JC for achieving optimal educational outcomes.

    Discussion: Student feedback indicates that an instructional redesigning of JC is necessary, considering the characteristics and expectations of the current generation of learners and the rapid strides made in the field of educational technology. The recommendations provided are likely to resurrect an age-old approach that still has educational relevance if blended with collaborative learning formats and appropriate technology.

  14. Waryam Singh Malhi FSA, Sugathan S, Binti Azhar NAS, Binti Wan Roslan WIN, Abu Bakar HAB, Binti Zolkaine SM
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2021 12 24;34(2):55-63.
    PMID: 34937299 DOI: 10.4103/1357-6283.332958
    Background: Sexual harassment (SH) may occur anywhere in the world, including the hospital setting. Medical and nursing students are not excluded from being sexually harassed during their clinical practice. This study examined the experiences and compared the perception of SH between female medical and nursing students during their clinical practice in Perak, Malaysia.

    Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study design was done among female medical and nursing students during their clinical practice.

    Results: Total respondents were 481 female medical and nursing students (response rate of 96.2%). About 17.8% of medical and 18.8% of nursing students had been sexually harassed. The most common harasser for medical and nursing students were males (51.2% and 48.8%, respectively), patients (39.7% and 60.3%, respectively), age 30s (41.0% and 59.0%, respectively) and 40s (65.5% and 34.5%, respectively), occurred in medical wards for both groups (50% each). From the SH checklist, 76.9% of medical and 73.5% of nursing students had experienced at least one item of the total 18 items. The abnormal sexual desire of an individual was chosen as the reason for SH by 44.9% of medical and 33.8% of nursing students. The majority of respondents said the issue of SH in clinical practice was very serious. Around 32% of medical students choose the fear of being disadvantaged during clinical practice as the reason why the victims kept quiet while 41.5% of nursing students chose because of not having evidence. Both groups of students suggested establishing rules and laws relating to SH (30.8% and 35.5%, respectively) as effective methods to prevent it. About 75.3% of medical and 81.6% of nursing students agreed that it was very necessary for implementing a SH prevention program.

    Discussion: Although SH is not a new issue, there is insufficient exposure about SH among medical and nursing students. This can be corrected by increasing their knowledge and awareness about SH.

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