Postgraduate medical journal
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Medical students have an essential role in medical research, yet often lack opportunities for involvement within randomised trials. This study aimed to understand the educational impact of clinical trial recruitment for medical students. Tracking wound infection with smartphone technology (TWIST) was a randomised controlled trial that included adult patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery across two university teaching hospitals. ⋯ Student recruitment in clinical trials is feasible and accelerates recruitment to clinical trials. Students demonstrated novel clinical research competencies and increased their likelihood of future involvement. Adequate training, support and selection of suitable trials are essential for future student involvement in randomised trials.
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COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women has been low, particularly in younger and ethnic minority mothers. We performed a 'snapshot' survey to explore vaccine uptake and factors which influence this, as well as underlying beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant women in a North London hospital. ⋯ Age, ethnicity, household vaccination status and information source influenced vaccination status in our pregnant population. These findings highlight the urgent need to tackle vaccine mistrust and disseminate pregnancy-specific vaccine safety data to pregnant women.
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The essential principles of statistics as applied to surveys, studies, sampling, epidemiology, screening, and trials are described and explained.
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Children with genodermatoses are at an increased risk of developing behavioural disorders which may impart lasting damage on the individual and their family members. As such, early recognition of childhood mental health disorders via meticulous history taking, thorough physical examination, and disorder-specific testing is of paramount importance for timely and effective intervention. If carried out properly, prompt psychiatric screening and intervention can effectively mitigate, prevent or even reverse, the psychiatric sequela in question. To that end, this review aims to inform the concerned physician of the manifestations and treatment strategies relevant to the psychological sequelae of genodermatoses.