Pakistan Journal of Medical and Health Education

Certificate in Health Professions Education

Muhammad Muneeb — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Across the annals of history, attempts to monopolize education have left indelible marks. From the University of Bologna's early ambitions driving innovation away from Italy to the Spanish Inquisition's academic stranglehold causing Spain's educational decline during the Enlightenment to the Qing Dynasty's restrictive academic policies delaying China's modernization—there's a resounding lesson: constricting educational diversity can hinder intellectual progress.

Recently, within Pakistan's academic corridors, whispers circulated of a decision by the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) concerning the Certificate in Health Professions Education (CHPE). Although there's no official documentation to validate these claims, the widely shared verbal accounts suggest a potential inclination towards limiting certification to only medical universities. Such an unofficial stance, if validated, would naturally raise questions about fairness, quality, and inclusivity, appearing more a product of internal dynamics than genuine educational vision.

The Complexities of the Modern Instructor's Role in Embracing Learning Management Systems

Sobia Yasir, Syeda Farah Batool, Ujala Sajid, Sadaf Ahmed — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Learning management systems (LMS) have grown to be crucial for delivering instruction in two ways: offline and online. Despite the potential benefits of using LMS, their acceptance by instructors remains a significant challenge.

Objective: The motive of the study was to examine the elements that influence instructors' acceptance of LMS, mainly focusing on the instructor's role in the adoption process.

Methodology: The research method used in this study was qualitative, involving interviews with 20 instructors from different academic institutions.

Results: The results indicate that the instructor's beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions significantly influence their acceptance of LMS. The findings also suggest that instructor training and support. Key aspects that influence LMS adoption include perceived benefits and LMS ease of use.

Conclusion: The study concludes with implications for practice and future research and provides existing platforms to replace traditional learning.

Perception of Undergraduate Nursing Students Regarding Research

Hassan Karim, Aurang Zeb — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Nursing research is an important part of undergraduate nursing curricula that improves optimum care for patients through evidence-based practice (EBP). It helps nursing students think critically and utilize the results of research findings in clinical settings to achieve positive patient outcomes. Nursing research at the undergraduate level has been considered a neglected part of Pakistan.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the perception of nursing students regarding research.

Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among undergraduate nursing students (n= 131) at two colleges. The convenient sampling technique was adopted with a margin error of 5% and a confidence interval of 95%. Data was collected by distributing a questionnaire to the participants with their own consent.

Results: The findings of the study revealed that the majority of the nursing students responded that research is useful to their profession, and they had an overall positive perception of research. The response of the participants towards the research anxiety domain was that most of them (n=88, 67.2) expressed that research is a complex subject, stressful, and difficult to understand arithmetic research.

Conclusion: Most of the participants agreed that research at this level is useful and may have a good impact on evidence-based practice. It is recommended that the nursing administrator and educators implement research-related workshops from the first year of the undergraduate degree, as it is beneficial for future nursing students and improves evidence-based practice.

Case-based learning: a successful teaching tool of physiology for medical undergraduates. A cross-sectional study in LUMHS.

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Physiology is the basic and most crucial subject that is being taught in the early years of medical life as it lays the foundation upon which all major subjects, including medicine and surgery, rest, so its understanding and implication are of the utmost importance for all medical students. For many years, students in Physiology were taught using traditional methods such as demonstrative lectures, which made up more than 70% of the whole curriculum. As a result, students are unaware of the importance of physiology and its role in medical advancement. Recently, CBL (Case-based learning) has been employed in medical programs to expose students to real-life scenarios, strengthen fundamental topic knowledge, and improve their problem-solving ability.

Objective: This research aims to determine the effects of CBL sessions on MBBS students and to examine the attitudes of faculty and learners on the efficiency of the CBL strategy among students of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Jamshoro medical students (LUMHS).

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted involving 411 medical undergraduates of Lumhs, including both male and female students and teaching faculty involved in CBL sessions, following all inclusion criteria. A Random sampling technique was used for sample selection to minimize the bias. Out of 411 sample size male students were 157(38.1%) and female 254(61.8%) respectively, studying form 1st year and 2nd year MBBS students of Lumhs campus. And 10 teachers who are conducting case-based learning sessions weekly at the physiology department were interviewed, and their responses were included in this study. Data was collected using a self-reported questionnaire, and then SPSS version 26.0 was used to analyze the data and put out tables and figures. It was determined that a P-value of 0.05 or lower was significant.

Results: Data from this study shows that 97% of students and 100% of teachers think that CBL sessions help them understand the topic better, whereas 90% of students and 90% of teachers think that CBL helped bridge the gap between theory and clinical scenarios. Furthermore, research shows that 70% of students and 60% of teachers think that cases that were presented in CBL sessions were interesting, 98% of students and 100% of teachers prefer CBL sessions over old methods of learning, 90% of students and 70% of teachers think that CBL sessions motivate them to learn Physiology in-depth, this shows that CBL sessions have very positive overall effects on the students as well as teacher, and this is a very effective tool of teaching Physiology.

Conclusion: Our research has proven that Physiology students may benefit from the unique and effective CBL teaching style. Case studies in the classroom improve student engagement, critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation. Their general comprehension of the subject improves, their recollection of the topic's key elements improves, they get better at interpreting clinical settings, and their overall interest in the subject grows.

Online Education an Elixir or a hopeless Endeavour: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Undergraduate Students of LUMHS

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Institutional closures and other constraints on academic resources in the midst of the pandemic have had a substantial influence on the education of all students globally. To overcome this challenge, educational institutions all over the world leaned towards non-traditional methods of learning vis-à-vis online education.

Objective: The fundamental purpose of this study was to gain insight into how this ongoing pandemic affects medical education, as well as associated factors and responses of medical students, along with exploring new exam strategies in the future.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 1st December 2020 to 1st March 2021, involving 313 medical undergraduates of Lumhs, including both male and female students, following all inclusion criteria; a Random sampling technique was used for sample selection to minimize the bias. 313 participants were students from 1st year to final year MBBS, BDS, and DPT departments of Lumhs campus. Data was collected using a self-reported qualitative online questionnaire, and then SPSS version 26.0 was used to analyze the data and put out tables and figures. It was determined that a P-value of 0.05 or lower was significant.

Results: Out of 313 medical students who participated in the survey, 93.5% of students thought that the lockdown had affected their education, 85.1% of students were having online classes, and 74.5% of students were not satisfied with online learning. Regarding the effectiveness of this methodology till the end of the pandemic, 65.9% of students did not find this methodology effective at the end of the pandemic. Meanwhile, 46.5% of students were in favor of the traditional method of annual examination. Given the condition does not improve over the next few months, 35.4% wanted to take only online written examinations. On the issue of online viva among 313 students, 34.5% of students do not think online viva can replace physical examination for passing a professional examination. On the timings of the annual examination, 85.7% of students think that the annual examination should not take place on time because they had less time to cover the whole syllabus.

Conclusion: The results show that most students who took online classes were dissatisfied with their experience; therefore, it's important to work on fixing problems like high tuition, bad connections, and boring lectures so that students may advance in their chosen fields.

Challenges in academic governance: Insights from Pakistan's medical colleges

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Amidst the evolving landscape of health education, academic governance stands paramount in ensuring the quality and efficacy of institutional practices.

Objective: This study undertook a qualitative exploration, seeking to understand the landscape of academic governance in medical colleges across Pakistan.

Methodology: Through semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals who have conducted institutional inspections, the research illuminates recurrent challenges and strengths in governance structures.

Results: Key themes emerging from the data underscore the pivotal role of leadership training, strategic alignment, and robust fiscal management in determining institutional success.

Conclusion: The findings highlight a pronounced need for specialized training programs to promote effective governance and leadership. This paper presents a detailed analysis of these themes, offering recommendations for institutions and suggesting avenues for further research.

Bringing babies to the workplace; balancing or misbalancing lives?

Syeda Faiza Batool, Roohi Bano Obaid, Sadaf Ahmed — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Achieving a harmonious equilibrium between work and family obligations poses a considerable test, particularly for women, especially those with infants or babies. Female employees and educators who opt to bring their young children to the workplace confront distinct challenges that can significantly influence their efficiency and well-being.

Objective: This study is geared towards recognizing the hurdles encountered by female staff and teachers who choose to bring their infants or babies to their workplaces. Additionally, the study seeks to propose viable solutions for surmounting these challenges.

Methodology: Employing a mixed-methods approach, data was gathered from a cohort of 50 female staff and teachers who were actively bringing their infants or babies to work. This comprehensive strategy involved quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews.

Results: The research outcomes underscore a range of challenges that working mothers face when integrating their parental responsibilities with professional commitments. These obstacles encompass inadequate support systems, an unsuitable work environment for child care, and the prevalence of social stigmatization. The study underscores the significance of implementing adaptive solutions, including flexible work arrangements, robust workplace policies accommodating child care, and fostering social support networks.

Conclusion: Striking a balance between nurturing an infant or baby and fulfilling occupational responsibilities is an intricate endeavor laden with challenges for female staff and teachers. By instating adaptable work structures, revising workplace policies, and cultivating a supportive social climate, these professionals can effectively harmonize their roles as mothers and professionals, fostering enhanced work-life balance.