The Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) was established by the Royal Decree No. 31/2006, issued on 03 Rabai-I, 1427 H, corresponding to April 2, 2006. It is an independent body located in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. It is a Sponsoring Institution accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education - International, that oversees the Graduate Medical Education in Oman. OMSB formulates standards and criteria for practicing health care professions.
BACKGROUND:Timely reporting of child abuse is critical for effective intervention, yet delays remain common, particularly for non-sexual abuse such as physical abuse and neglect. In Oman, these forms of abuses are often underreported and under prioritized in both professional responses and public discourse. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to identify factors associated with delayed reporting of child abuse in Oman through a retrospective chart review of confirmed cases. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING:A total of 1070 child abuse cases reported to child protection system between January 2021 and December 2022 in Muscat region were analyzed. METHODS:The main outcome measured was reporting delay (≤6 months vs. >6 months). Predictor variables included child demographics, abuse characteristics, family factors, and reporting details. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. RESULTS:Delayed reporting was significantly associated with physical abuse (OR = 5.67, 95% CI [2.639, 12.195], p < .001), neglect (OR = 2.26, 95% CI [1.145, 4.457], p = .019), death of a parent (OR = 4.54, 95% CI [1.165, 17.684], p = .029), and self- or parent-reporting. Abuse by known perpetrators, especially parents, was more likely to involve delays. Additionally, delayed reporting was more likely to occur among adolescents and children from high-income families. CONCLUSION:Reporting delays are influenced by abuse type, family structure, socioeconomic status, and perpetrator relationship to the victim. These findings underscore the need for culturally informed professional training and broader public awareness efforts, along with stronger systemic and legal support to reduce barriers to reporting, particularly in collectivist societies and among vulnerable populations.
Breaking bad news (BBN) is an essential but challenging physician competency. Inadequate preparation for this task is linked to increased stress for both patients and clinicians, as well as poor patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) medical students’ self-perceived knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and educational preferences toward BBN to identify specific curriculum gaps and inform future training requirements. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using a semi-structured online questionnaire distributed to medical students from governmental and private medical schools across six GCC countries. The survey collected data on demographics, BBN knowledge, BBN experiences, self-rated confidence, attitudes, and preferred learning modalities. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Chi-square tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables, and independent sample t-tests were used to compare knowledge levels with mean attitude scores. A total of 365 students participated. While 62.2
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) presents significant challenges in all age groups, affecting various aspects of daily functioning and quality of life. Objective: This study aims to explore the rate and associated factors of unemployment among ADHD in adults. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 179 adults diagnosed with ADHD seeking consultation at a comprehensive ADHD clinic at a tertiary hospital in urban Oman. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical presentations, and factors associated with employment status were collected. 41% of the participants were actively seeking employment. Among the correlates of unemployment is obesity (OR 5.64, p = 0.011, 95% CI 1.49-21.43). Other variables, including education level and marital status, also influenced employment rates, with bachelor's degree holders showing higher chances of unemployment (OR 5.35, p = 0.009, 95% CI 1.52-18.88). Marital status was closely associated with unemployment, with 39.5% of married individuals unemployed (p = 0.022). Furthermore, anxiety disorders were closely associated with unemployment (p = 0.026). Nearly one-third of the cohort had a comorbid substance use disorder (30%), and 6% reported suicidal attempts. This study highlights the significantly high prevalence of job seeking among adults with ADHD. Obesity, education level, marital status, and anxiety disorders were strongly associated with job search.
Objectives: Interest to join the intercalated phase of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme, at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Muscat, Oman, has steadily decreased over the recent years; the reasons behind this decline are not known. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the reasoning behind medical students' decisions not to intercalate, and to develop a framework of interventions aiming at strengthening existing educational strategies at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, SQU. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods approach integrating a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions; undergraduate medical students who were entering clinical rotations and opting not to intercalate were enrolled in this study. The study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 at the SQU, Muscat, Oman. Results: A total of 150 questionnaires were analysed (response rate = 95.5%). The median age was 22 years, with a female to male ratio of 2:1. The decision to choose medical professions as a future career was self-determination in 46.6% of cases with no significant differences between genders (P = 0.78). Almost one third of students preferred going abroad for post-graduate medical training and only a small proportion, mainly females, were interested in academic positions. Three themes were identified related to reasons for non-intercalating: (1) length of MD educational programme, (2) previous research activities and (3) career challenges. Conclusion: This study's findings identified various practical measures that curriculum designers can implement to attract more medical students to the intercalated phase. Improving research mentorship in earlier years and demonstrating to students the number of opportunities available when intercalating may increase medical students' interest in the intercalated phase.
Epithelioid haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular sarcoma of intermediate malignancy. In 2023, a 31-year-old female presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, with symptoms later diagnosed as primary vaginal EHE. The patient had primary, locally invasive vaginal EHE that subsequently metastasised to the lungs. The patient experienced progression of systemic disease despite chemotherapy and was therefore transitioned to palliative chemotherapy. The clinical, radiological and histopathological findings as well as the diagnostic features that distinguish EHE from its aggressive mimic, epithelioid angiosarcoma, are described in this report. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges, the importance of molecular confirmation and the unpredictable clinical course of this ultra-rare malignancy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of primary vaginal EHE.
