Irish journal of medical science
-
In recent years, telemedicine has been increasingly incorporated into medical practice, a process which has now been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As telemedicine continues to progress, it is necessary for medical institutions to incorporate telemedicine into their curricula, and to provide students with the necessary skills and experience to effectively carry out telemedicine consultations. The purposes of this study are to review the involvement of medical students with telemedicine and to determine both the benefits and the challenges experienced. ⋯ Challenges that students face, such as discomfort with carrying out telemedicine consults and building rapport with patients, may be addressed through the incorporation of telemedicine teaching into the medical curricula through experiential learning. However, other more systemic challenges, such as technical difficulties and cost, need to be examined for the full benefits of telemedicine to be realized. Telemedicine is here to stay and has proven its worth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with medical students embracing its potential in assisting in medical clinics, simulation of clinical placements, and online classrooms.
-
Data from literature shows that antigen tests are rapid and helpful tools for diagnosis of COVID-19. ⋯ The comparison data obtained in this study support that this method seems a proper approach for rapid screening of patients with high SARS-CoV-2 viral load; however, the rate of sensitivity is highly Ct-dependent.
-
This research attempted to assess whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as adjunctive therapy can be useful in the treatment of patients with heart failure (HF). ⋯ These preliminary data support experimental findings showing that NAC supplementation is able to improve heart function.
-
Involving medical students in research in their undergraduate careers may increase the likelihood that they will be research active after graduation. To date, there has been a paucity of published research of students doing research in general practice. ⋯ We found this audit initiative feasible and useful in helping students learn about audit skills, patient safety and real-world prescribing. GPs and students would benefit more if it were linked to a substantial clinical placement, focussed on a topic of interest and given protected time. Separate research projects may be needed to develop research skills confidence.