METHODS: Urology residents and specialists were invited to test the training model. They were asked to complete a pre-task questionnaire, to perform piecemeal and en bloc resection of 'bladder tumours' within the training model, and to complete a post-task questionnaire afterwards. Their performances were assessed by faculty members of the AUSTEG. For the face validity, a pre-task questionnaire consisting of six statements on TURBT and the training model were set. For the content validity, a post-task questionnaire consisting of 14 items on the details of the training model were set. For the construct validity, a Global Rating Scale was used to assess the participants' performances. The participants were stratified into two groups (junior surgeons and senior surgeons groups) according to their duration of urology training.
RESULTS: For the pre-task questionnaire, a mean score of ≥ 4.0 out of 5.0 was achieved in 5 out of 6 statements. For the post-task questionnaire, a mean score of ≥ 4.5 out of 5.0 was achieved in every item. For the Global Rating Scale, the senior surgeons group had higher scores than the junior surgeons group in 8 out of 11 items as well as the total score.
CONCLUSION: A porcine TURBT training model has been developed, and its face, content and construct validity has been established.
METHODS: A research proposal writing format was created for the 4th year medical students of Melaka Manipal Medical College, Malaysia during their ophthalmology clinical postings. The students worked in small groups and developed research protocols through an evidence based approach. This was followed by writing reflective summaries in academic portfolios about the activity undertaken. A mixed methods study was designed to explore the possible role of collaborative research proposal writing in enhancing critical thinking and collaborative learning.
RESULTS: Analysis of reflections submitted by 188 medical students after the intervention indicate that majority of them found an improvement in their skills of critical thinking and collaborative learning as a result of research protocol writing. All participants agreed that the model helped in applying concepts to new situations in the form of designing their own study, which reflected in enhanced higher order cognitive skills.
CONCLUSION: This study shows that the introduction of a structured module in the core medical curriculum that focuses on research writing skills embedded with collaborative and reflective practices can enhance collaborative learning, critical thinking, and reasoning among medical students.
METHODOLOGY: A prospective observational study carried out over a 2-year period between 2 September 1996 to 2 September 1998. For every training course conducted, the instructors completed a NRP course report form (Form A) that documented the instructors involved in the course. For every participant who attended the course and successfully completed it, the instructors submitted a record form (Form B) that contained the name, hospital address, department, profession, place of work, language used for training and the marks obtained by the individual participant. After each course, completed forms A and B were returned to the NRP secretariat for compilation.
RESULTS: Of the 37 core instructors, 35 (94.6%) carried out training courses in their respective home states. A further 513 new instructors and 2256 providers were trained subsequently. A total of 2806 health personnel from all 13 states of Malaysia were NRP-certified during the first 2 years. However, 61.2% (n = 335) of the 550 instructors were inactive trainers, having trained less than four personnel per instructor a year. Most of the NRP-certified personnel were either doctors (32.0%) or nursing staff (64.4%). More than 60% of these worked either in the labour rooms, neonatal intensive care units or special care nurseries. At least one person from all three university hospitals and all general hospitals, 89.3% (92/103) of the district hospitals, 3.5% (73/2090) of the maternal and child health services, and 21% (46/219) of the private hospitals and maternity homes, were trained in the NRP.
CONCLUSION: Dissemination of the NRP in Malaysia during the first 2 years was very encouraging. Further efforts should be made to spread the program to private hospitals and the maternal and child health services. In view of the large number of inactive instructors, the criteria for future selection of instructors should be more stringent.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the present study is to investigate the faculty opinions toward the existing e-learning activities, and to analyse the extent of adopting and integration of e-learning into their traditional teaching methods.
METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted among faculties of Medicine and Dentistry using pre-tested questionnaires. The data was analyzed by using the statistical package for social science, SPSS, version 16.0.
RESULTS: The result of our survey indicates that majority of our faculty (65.4%) held positive opinion towards e-learning. Among the few, who demonstrated reservations, it is attributed to their average level of skills and aptitude in the use of computers that was statistically significant (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: Our study brings to light the need for formal training as perquisite to support e-learning that enables smooth transition of the faculty from their traditional teaching methods into blended approach. Our results are anticipated to strengthen the existing e-learning activities of our college and other universities and convincingly adopt e-learning as a viable teaching and learning strategy.