Search

Introduction. E-learning is a useful tool providing after-hours access to continuous Medical Education and the theoretical component of postgraduate medical trainings. Furthermore, it allows accurate recording of trainee activity. Objective. To observe the pattern of usage by trainees and to assess feedback on e-learning use. Method. A modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (Moodle) online e-learning management system – including 24 online modules relevant to different medical specialities and 24 quizzes. All 23 (14 Female) medical ‘Commontrunk’ trainees at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta were asked to complete these modules as part of their compulsory academic activities within a 6-week deadline. Data on usage was collected by the learning management system and trainees were asked to fi ll in an online feedback form. Results. All trainees (n=23) completed all modules; however, 36.1% of modules (M=49.8%, F=27.4%) were completed in the last week. Nineteen (n=21) trainees found the e-learning as a useful or very useful tool. 19/21 Students reported presentations as being of good/high quality and 13/21 reported quizzes to be of a good/high quality standard. Selfrating of acquisition of new knowledge was 7.95 (SD 1.75) on a scale of 0–10. The quality of IT work was rated 7.81 (SD 1.86). Forty-three percent (M 36.6%, F 47.0%) of modules were completed from 16:00 hours to 19:59 hours; 16.5% (M=29.3%, F=16.5%); from 20:00 hours to 23:59 hours and 4.5% (M=8.2%, F=2.2%) from 00:00 hours to 03:59 hours. A total of 31.2% of modules were performed during weekends (Sat=13.6%, Sun=17.6%, Average Mon–Fri=13.8%). Average time to complete learning module: F=49.7 minutes, M=76.4 minutes. Conclusion. Overall feedback on e-learning was positive. There was signifi cant after hour and weekend use. Gender diff erences in time of access and total time needed to complete modules were noted. Keywords: Moodle, Online E-Learning, “common trunk” trainees, feedback, medicine (Published: 29 June 2012) DOI: 10.3109/21614083.2012.699440

The seasonality of asthma exacerbations may reflect varying exposure to triggers. This study retrospectively analyzes the seasonality of asthma hospital admissions, at all ages, in a population-based study. Analysis of the seasonality of asthma admissions and correlation with temperature was carried out in the setting of a regional hospital covering all acute asthma admissions in an island population. Admissions were divided into pediatric (1994-8) and adult (1989-8) cases. Both pediatric (0-14 years; n = 2916) and adult (15-59 years; n = 1269) admissions showed a peak in January and a trough in August. The seasonality in pediatric admissions was far more pronounced than in adults. Both cohorts exhibited a second, smaller peak in spring. In school-aged children, the end of school in June was associated with a sharp (91%) drop in admissions, and restarting school in October was associated with an even sharper rise (165%). A negative correlation was found between admissions and mean monthly ambient temperatures, and this was most pronounced in the pediatric age groups. This marked seasonality may indicate that temperature is a proxy for the total time spent indoors. Both the start and end of school had a profound impact on pediatric admission rates. Prospective studies are necessary to establish the role of viral infections and the influence of indoor and outdoor aeroallergens on the seasonality of hospitalization rates for asthma in the local setting.

Monique Cachia,1 Michael Pace-Bardon,2 Gabriella Balzan,2 Russel Tilney,2 Josef Micallef,2 Martin Balzan2 1Department of Medicine, 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta Background: A study evaluating subjective trainee responses to simulation training organized by the Malta Foundation Program in particular whether this changed their clinical practice. Method: Feedback using a standardized questionnaire was obtained from 120 (M=55%) participants. A 0–10 Likert scale was used to evaluate responses. Results: Participants scored the simulation sessions as “useful” at 7.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.4–8.0), rated “the overall experience” at 7.5 (95% CI 7.2–7.8), and thought it made a change in “daily practice” at 5.83 (95% CI 5.4–6.3). The score for the tutor “creating a satisfactory learning environment” and “quality of simulator equipment” was 7.8 (95% CI 7.6–8.1) and 7.7 (95% CI 7.4–8), respectively. Trainees rated “how close was the simulation to a real-life scenario” as 6.24 (95% CI 5.9–6.6). When asked whether the presence of colleagues hindered or helped, the majority were neutral 50 (41.7%), 36 (30%) said it hindered, while only 21 (28.3%) felt it helped. In contrast, 94 (78.33%) stated it was useful to observe colleagues while only 5 (4.2%) stated it was not. Likelihood for future participation was 7.4 (95% CI 7–7.8). Trainees recommended a median of 3 (interquartile range 2–5) simulations per year. Conclusion: Trainees rated the sessions as useful and asked for more sessions possibly at an undergraduate level. Rating for equipment and tutors was positive; however, some felt that the effect on daily practice was limited. Most were comfortable observing others and uncomfortable being observed. The value of increasing sessions to 3–4 per year, timing them before clinical attachments and audiovisual prebriefing for candidates naïve to simulation needs to be evaluated in future studies. Keywords: simulation, foundation, training, acute, medical, mannequin