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Abstract Objective The objective of the study was to explore the extent to which faculty members in undergraduate medical education apply cognitive psychology principles in their teaching practices, and to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of these principles in enhancing student learning. Methods This mixed method study was conducted on faculty members of public and private sector universities. Focused group discussions were conducted, and the responses of the participants were measured on a 5-point- Likert Scale. The instrument was tested for validity and reliability by measuring Cronbach’s alpha and performing exploratory factor analysis. Mann–Whitney U test was applied on the attributes scores to compare 13 attributes by institutions, designations and domains. Results One theme, 7 sub-themes and 19 categories were identified from the focused group discussion. as Kaiser- Meyer-Olkin index was 0.88 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant. Reliability was established at 0.95. The faculty self-perceived practicing psychology principles mostly scored in the middle level, where they think they apply less strategies. While highly significant results were noted for using Meyer’s multimedia principles. Conclusion Faculty members followed the principles of cognitive psychology to some extent. However, they all felt that using these principles can transform the teaching and learning of medical education.

الملخص: أهداف البحث: هدفت الدراسة لتحديد الخصائص والعوامل التحفيزية للمتقدمين لبرنامج الماجستير في تعليم المهن الصحية في جامعة تابعة للقطاع العام، كراتشي. طرق البحث: شملت هذه الدراسة الوصفية المقطعية، التي أجريت من سبتمبر حتى أكتوبر 2022، جميع المتقدمين البالغ عددهم 60 متقدم لبرنامج الماجستير في تعليم المهن الصحية في جامعة جناح السند الطبية. تم توزيع استبانة عبر نموذج غوغل تضمن أسئلة لجمع المعلومات الديموغرافية، وعدد قليل من الأسئلة ذات الخيارات للاختيار، و34 عبارة للاستجابة بمقياس من خمس نقاط. كما تضمن سؤالا مفتوحا حول العوامل التحفيزية. تم تحليل البيانات باستخدام برنامج الحزمة الإحصائية للعلوم الاجتماعية واستخدام اختبار ''تي'' للعينات المستقلة لتحديد الفروقات بين مجموعات المتقدمين بناء على العوامل الديموغرافية. النتائج: استجاب 48 مشاركا، بمتوسط عمر 35.8±7.3 سنة، وكان الغالبية من الذكور (81.3%)، وخريجي برامج الطب وطب الأسنان (عددهم 29)، ويعملون في أقسام التعليم الطبي (عددهم 36). معظم المتقدمين أرادوا الانضمام إلى البرنامج لتحسين مهاراتهم في التدريس، خاصة لتدريس المهارات النفسحركية (96%) والبحث التعليمي (90%). علمت الأغلبية (64.6%) عن البرنامج من خلال الزملاء، بينما اختار 29.9% متابعة البرنامج بشكل مستقل. كانت دوافعهم الرئيسية نابعة من عدم قدرتهم على الحصول على قبول في أماكن أخرى (متوسط الدرجات 4.58±0.87) والاعتقاد بأن الجهد المطلوب للحصول على الدرجة كان ضئيلا (متوسط الدرجات 4.42±0.94). بالنسبة لخريجي الطب وطب الأسنان، ظهرت استجابات متشابهة، مما أظهر ارتباطا ذا دلالة إحصائية. ومع ذلك، كان هناك عدم اتفاق مشترك حول هيكل البرنامج وأعضاء هيئة التدريس كعوامل تحفيزية. الاستنتاجات: كانت الدوافع الرئيسية للحصول على درجة الماجستير في تعليم المهن الصحية هي تحسين مهارات التدريس. كانت الدوافع للتقدم لهذا البرنامج تحديدا هي الفشل في القبول في أماكن أخرى والاعتقاد بأن الجهد المطلوب لإكمال هذا البرنامج كان ضئيلا. يجب أن يتم نشر أهداف وغرض البرنامج بشكل أفضل مع إدخال تغييرات في معايير وإجراءات القبول من أجل تشجيع الأفراد الذين لديهم دافع لمتابعة التعليم الطبي كمسار مهني. Abstract: Objective: To determine characteristics and motivational factors of applicants applying for MHPE program at a Public-sector University, Karachi. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study, conducted from September till October 2022, included all 60 applicants of MHPE program at Jinnah Sindh Medical University. The survey questionnaire was administered (google form) and comprised questions seeking demographic information, few questions with options to select and 34 statements to be responded on 5-point scale. One open-ended question asking motivational factor/s. Data was analyzed using SPSS and independent sample t-test was used to determine the differences between groups of applicants based on demographic factors. Results: 48 participants responded, mean age was 35.8 ± 7.3 years, with predominantly males (81.3%), graduates of medical and dental programs (n = 29), and employed in medical education departments (n = 36). Most of the applicants wanted to join the program to improve their teaching skills, especially psychomotor skills teaching (96%) and educational research [90%]. Majority (64.6%) learned about the program through peers, whereas 29.9% independently chose to pursue the program. Their primary motivation stemmed from their inability to secure admission elsewhere and the belief that minimal effort was needed to acquire the degree (mean score 4.58 ± 0.87 and 4.42 ± 0.94), respectively. For medical and dental graduates, comparable responses emerged, displaying a statistically significant correlation (p < 0.05). However, there was mutual disagreement regarding the program's structure and faculty as motivating factors. Conclusion: Primary motivations to earn an MHPE degree were to improve teaching skills. Motivations to apply to this particular program was the failure to be accepted elsewhere and the perception that minimal efforts were needed to complete this program. The program goals and purpose need to be better propagated along with changes in the admission processes in order to encourage those individuals to apply who are motivated to pursue medical education as a career.

Objectives: The objectives encompassed identifying the myriad challenges educators face, elucidating their coping strategies, examining the support systems in place, and evaluating the efficacy of the measures taken to address these challenges. Methods: Conducted at Jinnah Sindh Medical University from January 2021 to April 2021, the study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach involving teaching faculty member’s rom both constituent and affiliated institutions during the COVID locked down period. With a total faculty population of 200, a sample size of 124 was determined, utilizing a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. Convenience sampling facilitated the recruitment process, with Principals/Heads serving as conduits for disseminating information about the research and distributing the questionnaire. Leveraging Google Forms as the data collection tool, the questionnaire encompassed various dimensions, including consent, bio data, encountered technical difficulties, and the corresponding solutions implemented. Upon securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval (JSMU/IRB/2021/406), the questionnaire dissemination process commenced, underscoring the ethical considerations inherent in research involving human subjects. Results: Analysis of the gathered data, performed using SPSS version 18, revealed valuable insights from the 124 participating teachers. Noteworthy demographic trends emerged, with a predominance of female teaching faculty possessing postgraduate qualifications and boasting 5-10 years of teaching experience. Key challenges encountered during online teaching sessions centered around broad- band connectivity issues, inadequacy of devices for virtual instruction, and a perceived lack of requisite training. Mitigating these challenges necessitated concerted efforts, as evidenced by the pro- active interventions orchestrated by entities such as the Professional Development Center/Medical Education and the Information Technology department. Through targeted training initiatives and infra- structure enhancements, including broadband speed upgrades and the provision of essential gad- gets, faculty members were empowered to navigate the evolving landscape of online education. Conclusion: The study investigated the transition to online teaching among faculty members during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a predominantly female demographic with limited prior online teaching experience. Challenges included assessing student learning and addressing technological barriers, with solutions primarily stemming from professional development and personal technologi- cal investments.

Background Workaholism (WH) is related with high mental trouble and physical objections, low employment and family fulfillment, and low occupation execution; however, work commitment is related with job and life satisfaction. This study aimed to assess the impact of WH and work engagement (WE) on medical university employee job stress and satisfaction. Methods This descriptive analytical study was conducted on workers employed in medical universities using validated questionnaires for data collection. The sample size was 330, from which 305 responded with completed questionnaire. The employees were the direct workers of different accessible medical universities in Karachi, Pakistan. The employee enrolment and distribution of the questionnaire was performed using non-probability convenient sampling. The Brief Job Questionnaire (BJQ), Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS) and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) were used to assess the impact of job stress on job satisfaction and WE. The data was analyzed by applying descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation and regression analysis. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was taken as significant. Results The study consisted of 117 (38.4%) male and 188 (61.6%) female participants; the mean age of participating employee was 28.50 ± 6.192. The mean score for WE was 3.78 ± 0.467, that of WH was 3.42 ± 0.559, for JS was 4.29 ± 0.400, whereas JSF was 3.10 ± 0.591. A positive correlation was observed between job stress, WH and WE. WH had a strong correlation with job stress and weak correlation with job satisfaction and performance. A significant difference was observed between WE and WH among males and females. Conclusions The study presented with a significant effect of job satisfaction with WH and WE with job stress. Hence, indicating the importance of social skills and WE with fellow employees to increase the work productivity and performance. However, in case of over work and WH, an increase of job stress is inevitable.

The world is currently facing a pandemic crisis due to a novel coronavirus. For this purpose, acquiring updated knowledge regarding prevention and disinfection during the current pandemic is necessary for every dental practitioner. In our study, we aimed to evaluate globally the level of knowledge and the attitude of dental practitioners related to disinfection. A total of 385 participants out of 401 participants from 23 different countries across the world were included in the final analysis after the exclusion of incomplete responses. The majority of the dentists who responded were females (53.8%) and were practicing at private health institutes (36.4%). The mean knowledge score of the participants was estimated to be 4.19 ± 1.88 out of 12, reflecting insufficient knowledge, and the mean attitude score of the participants was estimated to be 12.24 ± 3.23 out of 15, which shows a positive attitude toward disinfection practices during coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Thus, the current study indicated a lack of knowledge in fundamental aspects of disinfection protocols with a significant and positive attitude from dental health professionals toward disinfection regarding the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.