Mohamed H . Taha - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Mohamed H . Taha

Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences

Journal of Public Health and Emergency, 2021

Being a large tropical African country, Sudan offers the Sudanese clinicians and researchers gold... more Being a large tropical African country, Sudan offers the Sudanese clinicians and researchers golden opportunities for research on different issues like communicable, non-communicable diseases, social and psychological sciences, in addition to medical education. With a history dating to 1924, medical education continues to evolve rapidly in Sudan. Despite its strengths and weaknesses, it had positive influences on the health system, locally and regionally (1). In this special issue, entitled "What the Future Holds for Medical Education in Sudan", we have tried to shed the light on different aspects of medical education in Sudan. For example, Diab et al. queried the capability of medical schools to provide a solution for health workforce imbalance through formal and hidden curricula. They thought that hidden curriculum devalues some specialities, and as long as it remains unopposed by the formal curriculum; students are driven away from these specialities. Moreover, although the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) highlighted the importance of formal career advice, it is still an area of noncompliance by medical schools. Innovations in medical education were made in 1975 when Professor Bashir Hamad introduced the concept of communityoriented medical education in Africa at Gezira University (2-5). The Faculty of Medicine, Gezira University (FMUG), has a long and pioneer reputation in community-oriented medical education. Therefore, it is not surprising that the FMUG can lead social accountability in Africa and the Middle East. A review article quantified ten unique features that will qualify FMUG to lead social accountability. This review also mentioned four potential areas of innovations that FMUG can adopt in social accountability. In a review article, Ahmed et al. discussed why doctors should consider a Ph.D. degree to be independent researchers and leaders in clinical research. They explained the benefits of research for the clinicians, patients, hospitals, medical schools and the community. In another narrative review entitled "Current and future clinical research in Sudan: an opportunity for everyone to choose research in medical education, communicable and non-communicable diseases", Ahmed and his co-authors proposed steps that will enhance and strengthen research in Sudan. Realizing that investing in research will help in keeping people well, and open new venues for health services in Sudan, they highly recommend that every doctor in Sudan should engage in research activities so that current and future patients can benefit from the outcomes of these research activities. During the pandemic of COVID-19, the appreciation and enthusiasm for research and medical teaching increased not only in Sudan but worldwide. However, the research output in Sudan was not to a satisfactory level. The challenges and barriers related to the culture and customs that influence the chance for men and women to participate in academic medicine in Sudan were highlighted in this special issue. Furthermore, possible solutions to overcome these problems at different levels (individuals, research teams, universities, government and the issue of perception and promotion of research culture) were suggested. Currently, the Sudan Medical Specialization Board (SMSB) is the only postgraduate body in Sudan for the training of medical doctors at the postgraduate level. In this special issue, the researchers proposed that SMSB offers an MD-Ph.D. programme at the postgraduate level with a duration of 6-7 years, with a Ph.D. in clinical epidemiology. They detailed the essential skills and features that are needed for a successful epidemiologist who will graduate from the Sudanese postgraduate programme of MD-Ph.D. The structure and the future directions of the graduates of the MD-Ph.D. programmes and how they can bring significant benefits for the conduction of research in Sudan were documented. Not exclusively, the MD-Ph.D. programme in Sudan will lead to the establishment of new generations of clinical scientists who will be able to shed light on the behaviour of different diseases in Sudan, including COVID-19, and how to apply appropriate strategies in management and prevention. The articles included in this special issue reflect the authors' viewpoints, opinions, or suggested ideas. As editors, we believe that the future holds a lot for medical education in Sudan through revised curricula, social accountability, and active engagement of clinicians in researching diverse areas according to the health system needs. This special issue is written in accordance with the Journal of Public Health and Emergency reporting guidelines.

MedEdPublish, 2020

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The spread of coronavirus (COVI... more This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has led the majority of countries worldwide to implement emergency lockdown plans to limit the spread of the virus; this has resulted in the interruption of on-campus school and university instruction. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in medical education have varied from country to country, from closures of medical schools to online/distance learning approaches to abiding by country-specific measures such as social distancing to stop the spread of the disease.The sudden transition from on-campus learning to exclusively distance learning is challenging for both faculty and students and has required a lot of preparation and other efforts in a short time. This paper aims to share the experiences of four authors in the middle east that have dealt with the sudden transition from ordinary teaching and learning to fully online teaching.The process of Curriculum delivery in Medical Educ...

Education in Medicine Journal, 2020

Assessment is a vital part of any educational process through which the desired learning outcomes... more Assessment is a vital part of any educational process through which the desired learning outcomes are measured. Therefore, assessment, particularly in health professions education, should be designed, implemented, and evaluated meticulously. This requirement necessitates a particular entity to govern the assessment process in medical schools. The aim of this article was to explore the reflection of the authors in establishing, conducting and monitoring the assessment of students, and to explore the related structure, function, challenges and areas for improvement. The authors reflected on their experience establishing an assessment unit (AU) in a college of medicine and explored its structure, function, challenges, and areas for improvements. The main aim of an AU should be the supervision of the assessment process in the college, monitoring student achievements that fulfill the programme’s learning outcomes, and developing appropriate policies and procedures for student assessment ...

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 2019

Objectives: Curriculum analysis is an essential process in exploring the validity of assumptions ... more Objectives: Curriculum analysis is an essential process in exploring the validity of assumptions behind the curriculum and judging its perspectives, goals, and objectives. This study analysed the curriculum of the Internal Medicine Residency Programme at the Sudan Medical Specialisation Board, exploring the programme’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Materials and Methods: A qualitative descriptive analysis method using Harden Ten Questions framework was used, implemented through document analysis. Thematic analysis was used to categorise the findings following the Harden Ten Questions framework. Results: The analysis of this curriculum using Harden Ten Questions framework revealed that it is built on needs assessment, with clear objectives and contents, good organisation of the contents and a precise management process. However, there is a need to improve the areas related to training strategies, training methods, assessment methods and the learning environment. C...

Medical Education Online

Online learning has become the new normal in many medical and health science schools worldwide, c... more Online learning has become the new normal in many medical and health science schools worldwide, courtesy of COVID-19. Satisfaction with online learning is a significant aspect of promoting successful educational processes. This study aimed to identify factors affecting student and faculty satisfaction with online learning during the new normal. Online questionnaires were emailed to students (n = 370) and faculty (n = 81) involved in online learning during the pandemic. The questionnaires included closed-and open-ended questions and were organised into two parts: socio-demographic information and satisfaction with online learning. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the responses to the satisfaction scales. Students' and faculty responses to the open-ended questions were analysed using the thematic analysis method. The response rate was 97.8% for students and 86.4% for faculty. Overall satisfaction among students was 41.3% compared to 74.3% for faculty. The highest areas of satisfaction for students were communication and flexibility, whereas 92.9% of faculty were satisfied with students' enthusiasm for online learning. Technical problems led to reduced student satisfaction, while faculty were hampered by the higher workload and the required time to prepare the teaching and assessment materials. Study-load and workload, enhancing engagement, and technical issues (SWEET) were the themes that emerged from the thematic analysis as affecting student and faculty satisfaction. Adopting a combination synchronous and asynchronous approach, incorporating different applications to engage students, and timely feedback are imperative to increasing student satisfaction, while institutional support and organisational policy could enhance faculty satisfaction.

Background: The use of Internet has now become indispensable, and the technology has revolutioniz... more Background: The use of Internet has now become indispensable, and the technology has revolutionized the medical education and practice worldwide. Currently, medical students and professionals have an enormous opportunity to keep them always updated with the exponential growth of knowledge because of potential progression of Internet throughout the world that enables them to become a lifelong learner. Internet addiction is a widespread phenomenon among students and academicians at universities in Malaysia. Students use the Internet for recreational purpose and personal and professional development. The Internet has become an integral part of day-to-day life of the university students, including medical students. The aim of the present study was to examine the Internet use and addiction among students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which a questionnaire, Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire, developed by the Center for...

MedEdPublish, 2021

Background: Misconceptions have been observed in the reporting of validity in a significant amoun... more Background: Misconceptions have been observed in the reporting of validity in a significant amount of the published work in the field of students' assessment as well as in its application by faculty; this calls for action concerning the dissemination of information about the concept of validity in relation to assessments, especially among novice medical teachers.

The spread of coronavirus has led the majority of countries worldwide to implement emergency lock... more The spread of coronavirus has led the majority of countries worldwide to implement emergency lockdown plans to limit the spread of the virus; this has resulted in the interruption of on-campus school and university instruction. Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in medical education have varied from country to country, from closures of medical schools to online/distance learning approaches to abiding by country-specific measures such as social distancing to stop the spread of the disease.

Improvement of the Medical Education Situation in Sudan Collegectomy is Not the Only Management Option, 2020

Sudan witnessed an increase in the number of colleges of medicine after the higher education revo... more Sudan witnessed an increase in the number of colleges of medicine after the higher education revolution in the early 1990s. Many authors writing about medical education, both in Sudan and across the world, have described a negative correlation between the increased number of medical colleges and the quality of education provided by those colleges. Many educational leaders in Sudan are calling for action to deal with the issues arising from this great expansion of medical colleges, with opinions varying from collegectomies (closure of the colleges) to merging colleges.
Several strategies have been implemented in Canada, Iran, the Philippines and South Africa to deal with similar situations. These have included college support such as funding or technical support, changing the colleges’ educational strategies, modifying the curriculum, integrating (rather than merging) colleges, and collegectomies.
This paper outlines possible actions to be taken in response to the expansion of medical colleges in the Sudanese context. It explores the international experience with the situation in an attempt to augment the discussion with options that may help to improve medical education

Does Curriculum Analysisin Clinical Residency Need to be different?, 2019

ABSTRACT Object ives: Curriculum analysis is an essential process in exploring the validity of as... more ABSTRACT
Object ives: Curriculum analysis is an essential process in exploring the validity of assumptions behind the curriculum and judging its
perspectives, goals, and objectives. This study analysed the curriculum of the Internal Medicine Residency Programme at the Sudan Medical
Specialisation Board, exploring the programme’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
Mat erials and methods : A qualitative descriptive analysis method using Harden Ten Questions framework was used, implemented
through document analysis. Thematic analysis was used to categorise the findings following the Harden Ten Questions framework.
Results : The analysis of this curriculum using Harden Ten Questions framework revealed that it is built on needs assessment, with clear
objectives and contents, good organisation of the contents and a precise management process. However, there is a need to improve the
areas related to training strategies, training methods, assessment methods and the learning environment.
Conc lusions : This study showed that the curriculum is built to meet the needs of the Sudanese community. The contents fit for internal
medicine clinical residency and the methods of training are likely to foster long-life learning. The curriculum needs some improvement particularly
in the following areas such as clinical teaching, trainee assessments, and learning environments. Harden Ten Questions framework
for curricula was practical to some degree in analysing the postgraduate curriculum. However, some suggestions have been made regarding
the original framework to make it more adaptable to curriculum analysis at postgraduate level. The systematic analysis is transferable to
the analysis of other undergraduate or postgraduate medical curricula in Sudan.

Internal Medicine Residents perceptions of learning environments in postgraduate training in Sudan20200402 5356 1ux9f0m, 2019

Background: Optimum learning environments (LEs) have been shown to be linked with positive traini... more Background: Optimum learning environments (LEs) have been shown to be linked with positive training outcomes for residents. The internal medicine residency programme is one of the oldest residency programmes in Sudan. However, there is little data concerning how the residents perceive the LE in training hospitals. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the residents’ perceptions of the LE.
Methods: This cross-sectional, hospital-based study was carried out between November 2017 and April 2018, using a Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measurement (PHEEM) questionnaire to measure the residents’ perceptions of the LE. Questionnaires were distributed to 200 residents. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 25, Student’s t-test, and ANOVA.
Results: In total, 181 residents returned the questionnaires, of whom 104 (57.4%) were male, and 77 (42.6%) were female. The global mean PHEEM score was 72.4 ± 31.5 out of 160, illustrating significant problems in the LE of the internal medicine residency programme. Six items had mean scores below 2 and, therefore, required more attention. These included: having a contract of employment that provides information about hours of work (1.3 ± 1.4), existence of an informative inductive programme (1.4 ± 1.4), having an informative training manual (1.2 ± 1.3), trainers setting expectations (1.8 ± 1.5), having protected educational time in the unit (1.9 ± 1.3), and having good supervision at all times (1.9 ± 1.3).
Conclusion: Significant challenges in the LE of the teaching hospitals were identified. More attention and effort should be given, especially to the poorly rated points in this study; existence of an informative inductive programme, informative training manual, proper setting expectations, optimum educational time in the unit, and having good supervision at all times.
Keywords: PHEEM; Learning Environment; Educational Environment; Residents Sudan; SMSB

ABSTRACT Background: The College of Medicine at Qassim University (COMQU) was founded in 2001 as ... more ABSTRACT
Background: The College of Medicine at Qassim University (COMQU) was founded in 2001 as a problem-based learning and community-oriented medical school in order to strengthen the health system not only in the Qassim region but also in the whole of Saudi Arabia. The aim of the current study was to assess whether the COMQU is a socially accountable medical school and the steps taken to achieve that target.

Materials and methods: The study used the social accountability grid published by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a framework to assess the social accountability efforts in the context of three functions of medical schools: education, service and research. Data were collected through the analysis of college documents (2001–2017) and interviews with key informants.

Results: The COMQU shows compliance towards social accountability in the three domains of the grid. The indicators related to the education domain demonstrate more compliance than those of research and community service in the grid.

Conclusion: The COMQU is based on community-oriented medical education (COME) with strong commitment towards social accountability (socially responsible going towards social responsiveness). More research is needed in order to pave the way to achieve social accountability status.

Abbreviations: COMQU: College of Medicine at Qassim University; COME: Community-oriented medical education; WHO: The World Health Organization; MOH: Ministry of Health; SCFHS: Saudi Commission of Health Specialties; PHC: Primary Health Care; HYMS: Hull York Medical School; WFME: World Federation for Medical Education; NCAAA: National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment

KEYWORDS: Social accountability, social accountability grid, Qassim University

Assessing patient satisfaction with Sudanese doctors, 2018

Exploring factors affecting the quality of postgraduate medical education in sudan: residents perspective. , 2019

Background: Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan dated back to 1953 in the last century... more Background: Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan dated back to 1953 in the last century. Despite the extended period of the delivery of training, there are limited published studies that measure the quality of the training and satisfaction of the residents with provided training. The objectives of this study were 1) to assess the satisfaction of the internal medicine residents with the quality of their training; 2) to identify the areas of strengths and challenges; 3) to explore the factors affecting the quality of internal medicine residency program from residents' perspectives. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted for the Internal Medicine Residency Program of Sudan Medical Specialization Board (SMSB) during the period June 2017-January 2018, using anonymous, validated, Self-administered questionnaire (n=189). The SPSS version 22.0 was used for quantitative data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequencies, means, and SD. Results: Out of 189 residents, 181 (95.76%) responded to the questionnaire. Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.897 for all questionnaire items and ranged from 0.891 to 0.900 for each item, suggesting a high degree of internal consistency. The study revealed that some areas were positive in this program included the duration of training, development of communication skills and lifelong learning. While the residents recommended some improvement in the following areas; the implemented curriculum, learning environment, mentoring and supervision, assessment, and training in research. Conclusion: This study revealed overall average satisfaction with the training by the residents. However, some areas need improvement particularly; the training curriculum, learning environment, assessment, supervision and feedback.

Effective of the new approach of Students-Led Seminars in a Saudi Medical College: Students' Perception, 2018

with the conventional approach of the students-led seminar (SLS) revealed that both students and ... more with the conventional approach of the students-led seminar (SLS) revealed that both students and faculty perceived its effectiveness as suboptimal. To improve the outcome of this educational activity, the college has introduced some modifications. This study Participants and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using a selfadministered, 5-point Likert scale questionnaire during January to March 2018. Students were divided into two groups. Group A included first-, second-, and third-year students who were exposed only to the new approach, while group B including fourth-and fifthyear students who experienced both the conventional and modified SLS approaches. Results: The response rate to the questionnaire was 67%. Students agreed that the seminars improved their self-confidence and enhanced their presentation skills. They also agreed that preparing a seminar topic helped them reach a deeper understanding of the topic, development of re-synthesis skills and making effective formal academic presentations. Two-thirds of group A compared to one-third of group B related these effects to the use of rubrics. The majority of group B students agreed that the assignments with previewed specific learning objectives and advisor feedback helped them better prepare and focus on specific knowledge and concepts.

Internet Use and Addiction Among Medical Students in Qassim University, Saudi Arabia., 2019

Objectives: This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use and addiction and determin... more Objectives: This study aimed to measure the prevalence of Internet use and addiction and determine its association with gender, academic performance and health among medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between. The validated Internet Addiction Test questionnaire was distributed by simple random methods to medical students (N = 216) in the pre-clinical phase (first-, second-and third-years). A chi-square test was used to determine significant relationships between Internet use and addiction and gender, academic performance and health. Results: A total of 209 student completed the questionnaire (response rate: 96.8%) and the majority (57.9%) were male. In total, 12.4% were addicted to the Internet and 57.9 had the potential to become addicted. Females were more frequent Internet users than males (w = 0.006). Academic performance was affected in 63.1% of students and 71.8% lost sleep due to late-night Internet use, which affected their attendance to morning activities. The majority (59.7%) expressed feeling depressed, moody or nervous when they were offline. Conclusion: Internet addiction among medical students at Qassim University was very high, with addiction affecting academic performance and psychological well-being. Suitable interventional and preventive measures are needed for proper Internet use to protect students' mental and physical health. Advances in Knowledge-The findings of this study indicate that Internet use and addiction among medical students at Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia, is very high.-Internet addiction ultimately affects students' academic performance and psychological well-being. Application to Patient Care-This study highlights the effect of Internet use and related health issues among medical students at Qassim University.-Students would benefit from decreased Internet use to the level of not being addicted, which may also help improve health and academic performance.

Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences

Journal of Public Health and Emergency, 2021

MedEdPublish, 2020

Education in Medicine Journal, 2020

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 2019

Medical Education Online

MedEdPublish, 2021

Improvement of the Medical Education Situation in Sudan Collegectomy is Not the Only Management Option, 2020

Does Curriculum Analysisin Clinical Residency Need to be different?, 2019

Internal Medicine Residents perceptions of learning environments in postgraduate training in Sudan20200402 5356 1ux9f0m, 2019

KEYWORDS: Social accountability, social accountability grid, Qassim University

Assessing patient satisfaction with Sudanese doctors, 2018

Exploring factors affecting the quality of postgraduate medical education in sudan: residents perspective. , 2019

Effective of the new approach of Students-Led Seminars in a Saudi Medical College: Students' Perception, 2018

Internet Use and Addiction Among Medical Students in Qassim University, Saudi Arabia., 2019

Abstract Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan started at the University of Khartoum wit... more Abstract
Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Sudan started at the University of Khartoum with a
postgraduate diploma in obstetrics in 1953. Following this, two other universities started
providing such training: Gezira and Juba University. In 1995, the training was handed over to the
Sudan Medical Specialisation Board. There is scarce research evaluating the quality of the
training since the inauguration of PGME in Sudan.
Permission to conduct the study was received from SMSB, and the study was reviewed and
approved by the Sudanese National Technical Ethical Committee, (Certificate No. 2-12-2016).
This study aimed at evaluating PGME in Sudan from stakeholder perspectives and at developing
standards for improving the quality of the training. A mixed study (quantitative and qualitative)
approach was used in this study by applying validated tools to evaluate the internal medicine
programme in particular.
The data were collected from the trainee residents (n = 189), trainers (n = 161), patients (n =
389), hospital directors (n = 6), deans of the colleges of medicines (n = 3), and representatives
from the programme administration (n = 2) using surveys (for trainers and trainees).
Interviews were conducted with hospital directors, deans of colleges of medicine, and
programme directors, in addition to focus group discussions with the trainees (six rounds
attended by 48 trainees). Further document analysis was performed to compare the curriculum,
policies, and regulations with regional and international curricula and regulations. Moreover, a
wiremen approach was used in the development of the standards. The statistical software used
for quantitative data analysis was SPSS version 22.0 for Windows. Various descriptive statistics
were employed, and coding and thematic analyses were performed to analyse the qualitative
data. The preliminary data, including suggestions for improving the programme from
stakeholders, were discussed with a panel of experts at the Sudan Medical Specialization Board.
The evaluation revealed some strengths and areas that need improvement in the internal
medicine programme, namely in the curriculum, delivery of the training, learning environment,
and assessment of the trainees. Finally, the suggested standards were developed. It has been
globally realised that high quality and safe patient care can only be provided if doctors are well
prepared for this task through residency training, and thus the implementation of these standards
could result in high quality and safe patient care.

Gezira University , 2013

Abstract The Academy of health sciences (AHS) was established in 2005, as a good response to brid... more Abstract
The Academy of health sciences (AHS) was established in 2005, as a good response to bridge the huge shortfall in human resources for health in the nursing and midwifery and other allied health cadres, which is estimated to be around (52.943) for nurses, and (16.761) for midwives and health visitors, and (32.000) for medical assistants and other paramedics. This study aims at evaluating the AHS nursing program, to assess to what extent does the AHS achieve its mission using the WHO standards (Afro-regional guidelines for evaluating nursing and midwifery education. This is a mixed qualitative/ quantitative cross-sectional research. The qualitative case study used the WHO guidelines for evaluating nursing and midwifery education in the Afro Regional area adopted from the World Federation of Medical Education standards. The quantitative element consisted of a spreadsheet calculator for the numbers of students and graduates. Assessing AHS versus WHO standards revealed that AHS strength remains in the area of Mission and statement, Governance and administration, and continuing renewal while in the other nine areas particularly in the area of educational resources, staff/faculty, student assessment, program evaluation, and nursing curriculum lot of efforts should be done.Part of the rationale for AHS was to fill the gap in nursing. The number of AHS graduates by the end of 2012 was 5275; of whom 2949 were nurses. If production of nurses by AHS continues with the assumption of zero attrition, the gap in nurses is expected to be plugged within 6 years. AHS should improve the following the educational resources, staff/faculty, student assessment, program evaluation, and nursing curriculum to meet the WHO standards.Due to roughly similar numbers of graduating doctors and nurses each year, it is unlikely that skill mix imbalance will be redressed by AHS at this time unless to increase the intake rate by four times. The optimistic scenario of modelling above does not take account of the real situation on the ground where many of the nursing graduates do not have posts. There is an urgent need to review the recruitment and deployment of nurses.