Navigating the world of academic mentoring
Authors: Shamala Ramasamy, Joo Hou Ng, Cheryl Sin Yi Tham, Serena In
Citations: IeJSME 2023 Vol 17(3): 09-12
Author: Pei Kuan Lai
Navigating the horizon of mRNA vaccines: Tracing their evolution, ensuring safety, and unveiling therapeutic potential
Authors: Eunice Chieu Teng Yap, Sushela Devi Somanath, Saatheeyavaane Bhuvanendran, Ammu Kutty Radhakrishnan
ABSTRACT
Vaccines are vital tools in public health as they play critical roles in preventing and controlling infectious diseases. Vaccine technology has advanced from virus-infected lesions to live attenuated, inactivated or killed pathogens, toxoids, and subunits that consist of only specific pathogen parts needed to elicit an immune response. The progression of virus-like particle vaccines, recombinant viral-vectored vaccines, toxoids, protein or polysaccharide-based vaccines designed to conjugate with a distinct carrier protein to enhance immune reaction is a significant milestone. However, some infectious pathogens can avoid the adaptive immune system, while traditional methods may be unsuitable against non-infectious diseases like cancer. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines as an alternative to traditional vaccine approaches. mRNA vaccines contain mRNA that encodes the specific antigen and triggers a directed immune response. The two main forms of mRNA used in the study of mRNA vaccines are conventional non-amplifying mRNA and self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA). This article discusses the mRNA vaccine structure, delivery strategies, and protective functions, focusing on mRNA vaccines’ safety and therapeutic potential. Pre-clinical research has demonstrated the broad utility of mRNA vaccines in animal models. Human clinical trials, however, are still under validation. Hence, further studies will need to focus on adapting reliable results of preclinical trials to human applications. The evidence to date suggests that mRNA vaccines are promising next-generation vaccines and, in the future, clinical trials would transform basic research into mRNA therapeutics in medical practices.
Keywords: COVID-19, mRNA vaccine, safety, therapeutic potential, vaccination
Citations: IeJSME 2023 Vol 17(3): 13-25
User experience (UX) and usability in completing a MOOC on emergency medicine core content course (iEM/Lecturio): A case study
Authors: Fatin Aqilah Binti Ishak, Jia Shen Goh, Grace Devadason, Ke Wei Hiew, Dhaniya A/P Subramaniam, Yan Ren Hong, Sivalingam Nalliah
ABSTRACT
This study evaluates a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Emergency Medicine designed by iEM Education Project and Lecturio, using a validated checklist to assess its usability and user experience. The MOOC received a high score for cognitive connection (>4/5), in four components including interactivity, content and resources, media use, and instructional assessment. However, for learner guidance and support, the score was 2.75/5, indicating that the course did not provide clear instructions on how learners can get support or feedback from teachers when encountering problems in the course. For affective and functional connections, all components received a high overall mean score of more than 4/5. The course was impactful to the users who were in their early clinical years, as they were actively engaged and were motivated to complete the course. However, improvements should be made to better stimulate learning by improving learner feedback and providing space for collaborative learning online.
Evaluation of MOOC applying the heuristics of usability and user experience identifies specific components of online learning course apart from rating the severity of acceptance or violation of instructional design principles. The information derived from usability and user experience studies can improve design and delivery of online courses.
Keywords: Usability, user experience (UX), instructional technology, Emergency Medicine, e-Learning, MOOCs.
Citations: IeJSME 2023 Vol 17(3): 26-43
ABSTRACTS FROM INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE (IMEC) 2023
IeJSME 2023 17(2)
Contents
Seremban Diabetes (SeDia) Cohort Study – A Study Proposal
Authors: Pei Kuan Lai, Cheong Lieng Teng, Lokman Hakim Sulaiman.
Citations: IeJSME 2023 17 (2): 02-09
Awareness and acceptance of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV among undergraduate students in a private medical university in Malaysia
Authors: Kwee Choy Koh, Nur Illiana Mohamad Zaki, Priyanka Ravindharan, Sarah Nur Hanin Shamsuddin, Yi Ling Teh.
ABSTRACT
Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an evidence-based strategy recommended for at-risk populations for prevention of HIV transmission. However, the level of PrEP awareness and acceptance among Malaysian undergraduate students is currently unknown.
Objectives: To assess the sexual activities, sexual behaviors, risk perception, awareness, and acceptance of PrEP of medical compared to non-medical students in a private medical university.
Method: Demographic data, sexuality, sexual activity and behaviors, source of HIV knowledge, self- perceived risk of HIV, awareness and acceptance of PrEP were collected using an online anonymous survey among medical and non-medical students at a private medical university. Descriptive, comparative and regression analyses were performed where applicable. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: A total of 369 (187 medical, 182 non-medical) students responded. The median age was 22 with female:male ratio of 2:1. Eighty-one (22%) were sexually active of which 54% used condoms inconsistently, 58% had condomless sex in the preceding six months and 35% had casual or transactional sex. Despite this, 33 perceived themselves to be at low risk of HIV. Most learned about HIV from their coursework. PrEP awareness was 40% versus 20% while PrEP acceptance was 69% versus 67%, between medical and non-medical students, respectively.
Conclusion: Awareness of PrEP among medical students was low and even lower among non-medical students. PrEP acceptance was fair after viewing an introductory video on PrEP. PrEP must be included in the course curriculum. Studies to identify reasons for PrEP-hesitancy should be conducted to help guide policies and initiatives toward promoting PrEP as an additional tool in HIV prevention.
Keywords: Preexposure prophylaxis, Malaysia, HIV, acceptance, awareness.
Citations: IeJSME 2023 17 (2): 10-17
Prevalence of cyberbullying and its effects on studies, personal life and mental health of medical students in a private medical university in Malaysia
Authors: Wei Sean Kang, Sherry Soo Jin Lee, Alissa Sonia Ali Munawar, Saleema Sakul, Gardiya Weligamage Ruvimi Kaushadhi, Kwee Choy Koh.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Cyberbullying is the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group to harm others. Cyberbullying may negatively affect the studies, personal lives and mental health of victims who are students. We report on the prevalence of cyberbullying and its effects on personal lives, studies, and mental health among medical students.
Methods: A self-administered online questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, determine the prevalence of cyberbullying, and its effects on personal lives, studies and mental health of medical students. Student-t test was used for comparison of means, and logistic analysis was used to identify predictors of being cyberbullied.
Results: 40 out of 261 study participants reported being cyberbullied in the preceding 6 months (prevalence: 15.3%). Cyberbullying did not negatively affect the studies and personal lives of victims. Most victims reported none or minimal-to-mild depression. Malay ethnicity was a predictor of being cyberbullied. Female students were 5-times more likely to be cyberbullied because of their lifestyle compared to males.
Conclusion: The prevalence of cyberbullying among medical students in this study was relatively low compared to reports from other universities. Cyberbullying had little to no effect on the studies, personal life, and mental health of medical students in our study. Malay ethnicity was a significant predictor to being cyberbullied. Females were more likely to be cyberbullied for their lifestyle. Support systems, awareness of good internet etiquette, and promotion of early help-seeking behaviour, especially targeted at identified vulnerable groups, should be put in place to check the practice of cyberbullying.
Keywords: cyberbullying, Malaysia, medical students, personal life, mental health
Citations: IeJSME 2023 17 (2): 18-26
Quality evaluation of child feeding related websites on complementary feeding in Malaysia
Authors: Zi Jie Lim, Kanimolli Arasu, Seong Ting Chen
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The internet is widely used by parents to access child feeding related information. The accuracy and reliability of information available online remain uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of child feeding related websites on complementary feeding for children aged 6-24 months in Malaysia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 to April 2022 to evaluate complementary feeding-related websites in the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) language. The key terms were entered into Google Chrome and the first 30 websites were screened. Websites that could not be accessed due to broken links, duplicated websites and not freely accessible websites were excluded from the study. The quality was evaluated using Health-Related Websites Evaluation Form to appraise content, accuracy, author, currency, audience, navigation, external links, and structure of the web-based information. The website was rated as excellent (at least 90% of the total possible score), adequate (75 90%) and poor content (<75%).
Results: Twenty-one websites out of 1006 websites screened were selected for evaluation. 81% of the websites were rated as excellent while 19% were with adequate quality. Websites with excellent quality ratings had higher scores for currency (p=0.039) and navigation (p=0.039) as compared to adequate quality websites.
Conclusions: This study highlighted that complementary feeding practices websites in the BM language were generally of good quality. The accuracy, currency and content of these websites can be further improved by including the resources developed by dietitians to optimise child feeding practices for optimal growth and development of children between 6–24 months.
Keywords: Child feeding information, evaluation, internet, quality, websites
Citations: IeJSME 2023 17 (2): 27-33
