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Cavitation and pneumothorax are independently associated with high morbidity and mortality in coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). While spontaneous (non-traumatic) pneumothorax formation has commonly been observed among mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, there are few rare reports of COVID-19 associated pneumothorax without any history of barotrauma and other conventional risk factors. Here, we report a unique case of post-COVID-19 cavitation and tension pneumothorax which was further complicated by hydropneumothorax formation in a young patient who suffered severe COVID-19 pneumonia 4 weeks back. As the patient was devoid of any conventional risk factors, we believe that persistent inflammatory alveolar damage even after clinical recovery from COVID-19 played a key role in pulmonary cavitation followed by pneumothorax formation. With prompt clinical and radiological recognition of these fatal, yet treatable complications of COVID-19 pneumonia, the patient was saved and had an uneventful recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The addition of research-oriented medical education (ROME) to the existing curriculum could promote logical thinking, rapid literature search and a better understanding of research methodology. Creation of research temperament could lead to innovations in healthcare. We assessed the perception, awareness and practice of ROME among undergraduate students., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 234 students of R.G. Kar Medical College, Kolkata selected by the simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a pre-designed, pre-tested, validated questionnaire by direct interviews., Results: The mean (SD) perception score was 44.2 (5.03). Students from outside West Bengal (p=0.05), women (p=0.03) and students whose parents were doctors (p=0.01) had significantly higher scores. Students in the second and fourth semesters had a better perception than those in the sixth and eighth semesters. Awareness of research fellowships granted to undergraduate students such as the Indian Council of Medical Research-Short-term studentship (ICMR-STS) was low among the second semester students (13.9%), but more than half (59.3%) of the students in the eighth semester were aware (difference across semesters, p<0.001). Awareness about journals, conferences and 'research bodies promoting student research' was low. Students in the senior semesters spent more time on research (6th semester 72.2% and 8th semester 88.9%) than those in the junior semesters (2nd: 66.7% and 4th: 77.8%; difference across semesters, p=0.03). About 3% of students participated in extracurricular research and/or had presented work at a conference., Conclusion: There is a good perception about the need for research but a lack of awareness of the why and how, as well as hardly any practice of ROME among medical students of this medical college.