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Background: Medical students have high levels of stress that could be due to the daily life stressors and the extra stress of academic burden. The present study investigated the perceived stress level as well as the reasons and sources of stress among medical students at a comparatively newly established medical college affiliated with King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (SA). Methods: The present study was carried out at Rabigh Medical College (RMC), KAU, Jeddah, and completed in 2015. The data was collected by an anonymous self-administered questionnaire that has three components: a list of 33 items of probable stressors, perceived stress scale, and demographic information and academics. Results: The response rate in our study was 86% (152/176), the mean age was 20.35 ± 1.09, 77 (51%) were from preclinical years and 75 (49%) from clinical years. The mean PSS score among our participants was 28.5 ± 3.8 with a median of 28.0 (IQR 26.0-31.0) and 59.2% of participants were stressed. The mean PSS score 30.6 ± 4.4 for students with sibling > 5 was significantly higher as compared to the mean PSS score (27.9 ± 3.3) for students with sibling =5. Similarly, the mean PSS score (32.0 ± 3.4) of students with often/always occurrence of psychosocial stressors was higher as compared to the mean PSS score (28.3 ± 3.7) of those students with less than a frequent occurrence of stressors. Moreover, those students that were more stressed had lower marks in the last exam (< 80%) as compared to students with less stress who had higher marks (≥80%) (P < .05). Performance in practicals, examinations frequency, disappointment with the class lectures, lack of personal interest in medicine, lengthy academic curriculum/syllabus, worries about the future and periodic examinations performance were rated as severe. The logistic regression analysis showed that stress cases were linked with last exam marks [OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.64-2.48], number of siblings [OR 2.27, 95% CI 0.97-5.27], and academic stressor [OR 2.02, 95% CI 0.61-6.66] but no significant relationship was found. Conclusion: There were high-stress levels among the participants of this study, and the main stressors were academicrelated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mastery of musculoskeletal (MSK) examination is an essential skill required in the daily practice of a wide variety of fields, including internal medicine, family medicine, rheumatology, emergency medicine, pediatrics and orthopedic surgery; however, an inadequacy of MSK medicine education has been observed in medical colleges worldwide. Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess the competence of senior medical students and interns in examining the MSK system. Design: This was a cross-sectional survey. Setting: This study was conducted between April 2016 and June 2016 at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. Participants: The sample comprised final-year medical students and medical interns. Main Outcome Measures: Score on the Freedman and Bernstein examination and students' levels of confidence in examining the MSK system. Results: A total of 140 respondents (medical interns, 42.1% and sixth year students, 57.9%) completed the survey. The mean GPA of the students was 4 (SD 0.41), and the mean grade was 9.82 (SD 3.83) out of 25. Only two participants scored 70%, representing a passing rate of 1.4%. A strong significant correlation was observed between GPA and exam passing score (r = .580; P-value = 0.0016). We also observed a significant association between student level and passing grade. Nearly half of the participants reported that the MSK medicine curriculum needed to be improved. Conclusion: These analyses suggest that undergraduate medical education in MSK is insufficient, as close to 99% of our senior medical students and interns failed to demonstrate competency using the passing grade set by internal medicine residency program directors. Limitations: It would have been beneficial to assess students' MSK examination competency before and after enactments in the MSK curriculum to determine the impact of a new curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives:Exams at the Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD) are usually constructed to match King Abdulaziz University (KAU) policy of a fixed 60% cutoff score, though they have never been tested or evaluated. The purpose of this study was to validate the cutoff scores of three final fifth-year written exams of the undergraduate Endodontic course to assess whether they were similar to KAU regulation using the Angoff rating method. Design and settings:This study was conducted between May 2014 and February 2015 at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University. Methods: Using the Angoff rating method, three final fifth-year undergraduate Endodontic written exams were evaluated by four senior faculty members. Results: The cutoff scores for exams 1, 2 and 3 were 57.4%, 62.9% and 63.1%, respectively. Adjusting the exams’ cut off scores would cause changes in some students’ results. Conclusions: Although the cutoff scores for all exams were close to 60%, slight deviation from the accepted cutoff score could definitely affect the students’ results. Therefore, all exams should be validated before being given to students to certify that the cutoff score is credible and defensible. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:To explore the potential, challenges and needs for internship research activities in achieving scholar outcomes among graduates. Methods:A qualitative general needs assessment and evaluation of an internship research program was conducted at King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD), KSA, from December 2014 to February 2015 using focus groups and interviews. The participants included: administrates, faculty, and internship students. Data were transcribed and analyzed following the grounded theory. Results:The participants were two administrative personnel, 21 faculty members, and 16 internship students. Results were clustered around five main domains; curriculum design, faculty, students, administrative, and institutional domain. Reported potentials included: a multi-faceted educational intervention approach, and building evidence-based skills and inquiry minds among graduates. Time, load, and incentives were major challenges reported by faculty. Interesting and achievable research topics were major challenges reported by students. Areas that needed development included: equipped research personnel, aligned administrative and institutional support, faculty skills, students’ knowledge and skills, aligned curriculum, and clear program goals, objectives, and outcomes. Conclusion:Curriculum design, faculty and students’ skills; as well as administrative and institutional support were found to play major roles in the success of the current internship research program at KAUFD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]