The Impact of the Over a Decade-long War in Syria on Dermatology Residents—A Cross-sectional Study: Part I—The Quality of Education and the Impact of the Deteriorating Economy
Jacob Al-Dabbagh
Keywords :
Coronavirus disease 2019, Cross-sectional study, Dermatology, Economy, Medical education, Research, Resident doctors, Syria, Syrian war
Citation Information :
Al-Dabbagh J. The Impact of the Over a Decade-long War in Syria on Dermatology Residents—A Cross-sectional Study: Part I—The Quality of Education and the Impact of the Deteriorating Economy. J Postgrad Med Edu Res 2024; 58 (2):54-61.
Introduction: Starting from 2011, the year that the war in Syria began, the health situation and medical education in Syria have deteriorated, including the training of doctors attending dermatology programs. Moreover, the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has worsened the health situation and negatively impacted the training of resident doctors in Syria, including dermatology residents (DRs).
Aim and objective: This part of the study aims to assess the quality of dermatology training and identify the economic difficulties and challenges that residents faced during their residency period in the absence of necessary tools and expertise.
Materials and methods: Similar to the second part of the study, a web-based questionnaire was created in May 2023 and distributed electronically to dermatologists and doctors who joined the residency program (RP) in Syria at any time period from 2011 to 2023. Then, the participants’ data were recorded and analyzed.
Results: A total of 192 doctors (female, 167; male, 25), whose average age was 27.63, volunteered to participate in the study from 10 governorates in Syria. This part of the study indicated that there is no standardized dermatology training program for all institutions, which are also not equipped with the necessary tools and teaching methods. In addition, it shows that DRs are negatively affected by the deteriorated economic situation.
Conclusion: The dermatological residency programs in Syria must be developed to include all the necessary teaching tools and resources to improve the status of DRs and to familiarize them academically with the means of diagnosing and managing cutaneous disorders. Alternative educational curricula for DRs should also be developed, such as telemedicine, in case of the onset of unforeseen crises or outbreaks in order not to negatively affect their education.
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