Texila American University

Georgetown, Guyana, South America

PG Regular Program

Students Handbook

2013

PREFACE

Texila American University (TAU), college of Medical and Allied Health Sciences welcomes the prospective candidates to the MD/MS Program. This hand book provides information on the rules, regulations, policies and procedures pertaining to the award of MS/MD degree. The material containing in the hand book is subject to periodical review at least once in a year and the alterations like additions and deletions will be updated and posted on the University website. All enquiries or suggestions should be directed to:-

Texila American University Critchlow, Woolford Avenue Georgetown, Guyana, South America. E-mail: aco8@tauedu.org

CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
An Overview TAU Credentials About Texila American University PG Regular Program

REGULATIONS
Entry Level Enrollment Hospital

Duration of the Program

COURSE DELIVERY AND CONTENTS

Academic Process Case Studies Conferences CME Programs Interesting Cases Attended Program Requirements

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Article Reviews Whats an Article Review? Research and Publication

ASSESSMENT
Examination

Practical Award Of Degree

ACADEMIC STANDARDS
Postgraduate Advisory Committee

COURSE FEES: SESSION

Tuition Fee Structure

TAU- AFFILIATED HOSPITALS IN INDIA

Academic Integrity Academic misconduct Plagiarism Improper influence General code of conduct Withdrawal Refunds Deferrals Supplementary fees Convocation fees Duplicate Transcript and Degree fees Academic requirements

ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT

EXAMINATION APPENDIX

CONTACT DETAILS ACKNOWLEDGE OF RECEIPT AND UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENT HANDBOOK

AN OVERVIEW ABOUT TEXILA AMERICAN UNIVERSITY Texila American University (TAU) is located in Guyana, the only English speaking country in South America. TAU offers Health Science programs with a high level of professionalism, exactness and problem solving skills, upon which the foundations of specialist training and an independent medical practice can be built, which facilitates further education and development of their knowledge throughout their life. The curriculum at the TAU is structured after the best U.S. medical schools. The academic program is both accelerated and rigorous, with a focus on preparing students for licensure in the United States, Caribbean and India. TAU CREDENTIALS Registered with National Accreditation council of Guyana (which is governed by Ministry of Education). Listed in WHO (World Health Organization) Handbook. Member of IADR (International Association for Dental Research). Member of GAME (Global Alliance for Medical Education). Member of AMEE (International Association for Medical Education).

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAU offers National Accreditation Commission (NAC) registered Programs, full-time programs in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy and other Allied Health Science

programs including Clinical Research. TAU offers Behavioral Science programs such as public health, clinical psychology, counseling psychology etc into distance learning mode. TAUs distance learning program helps the doctors, working professionals and employees to study along with their job and family commitments. PG Regular Program: PG Regular program is an unique program offered by TAU, whereby students who have completed their Under Graduation in MBBS can pursue the MD/MS program through Texila.

REGULATIONS

ENTRY LEVEL
Students are selected based on their educational qualification.

Students who have completed their MBBS are enrolled in the program in university approved hospital for training.

DURATION OF THE PROGRAM: Three Years ENROLLMENT

Enrollment of students takes place twice a year March and September.

COURSE DELIVERY & CONTENTS COURSE DELIVERY & CONTENTS

ACADEMIC PROCESS Students undergo the program as per the prescribed curriculum including the clinical rotations. During the period of their stay, they will have to maintain the log book prescribed by the university. SUBMISSION OF PERIODICAL REPORTS The Formative Assessment Report (FAR) will have to be sent to the university at 6 months interval. The Clinical assessment report (CAR) will have to be submitted after the completion of every clinical rotation. The Assignment and Log book has to be submitted on every week. These report has to be sent to the academic coordinator PG program (aco2@tauedu.org) Reports will be reviewed by the Dean. Clinical rotations will be coordinated by the Academic Coordinator of the approved hospital.

Clinical Rotation

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Students have to abide by the regulations and norms of the hospital.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES The university expects a clinical based research work to be done by the students. THESIS SUBMISSION: Students pursuing regular PG programs are encouraged to conduct clinical based research. They will submit FIVE copies of hard bound thesis to the university. Out of the five copies one will be retained by the university, one by the student and the other three will be for the examiners. Students are advised to print the final hard copy after the approval of the Dean or the University. Students will have to submit the research proposal by the end of the 1st year. Students will have to submit at least 2 research articles before the completion of the course. The Thesis has to be submitted before the examination. The format of the thesis protocol is given in Appendix 2.

The student will have to send the draft format of the final thesis to the Dean - PG programs for his final consent and approval.

Research Activities/ Article Reviews

Research and Publication:

TAU is a research oriented university and firmly believes in promoting the research capability of its postgraduate students and also assists students to publish their articles in the International journals. Accordingly, the students should have the following number of articles published as shown below:-

At least 2 article reviews should be done before the final examination. Article reviews will be published in International referral and indexed journals. (A format of the Article Review is given in Appendix- 1) ARTICLE REVIEWS
Writing Article Review is an essential component of higher learning which will Enhance students understanding in to the subject. Orient students to the contemporary development in the field. Help students to contextualize his learning skills.

Whats an Article Review? An Article review is an attempt by one or more writers to sum up the current state of the research on a particular topic. Ideally, the writer searches for everything relevant to the topic and then sorts it all out into a coherent view of the state of the art as it now stands. Article Review will teach you about: The main people working in a field. Recent major advances and discoveries. Significant gaps in the research. Current debates. Ideas of where research might go next.

Article Reviews are virtual gold mines if you want to find out what the key articles are for a given topic. Unlike research articles, review articles are good places to get a basic idea about a topic. Note: All article reviews submitted to the University will be subjected to review and later published in an International journal. (Reviewers Guideline is given in the Appendix- 1) Research and Publication: TAU is a research oriented university and firmly believes in promoting the research capability of its postgraduate students and also assists students to publish their articles in the international journals.

ASSESSMENT

The university will assist the students to publish their article reviews and research in international referral and indexed journals.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: Weekly Assignment: Student has to submit weekly assignments, every week he/she will submit one short and long answer assignments. The assignments should reach the PG coordination office by every Monday

Weekly Logbook: Students will submit their log entries every week; the report should reach the PG coordination office by every Monday FAR and CAR: Every SIX months students will send the Formative Assessment Report and Clinical Assessment Report Internal Assessment Examination: At the end of the each year an internal Examination will be conducted FINAL EXAMINATION After the end of the term, students will have to give the final exams. It consists of 4 theory papers and 1 practicals. Normally there will be 1 to 2 papers in applied basic sciences and 2 to 3 papers in Clinical subjects. The number of basic science subjects would depend on the specialty under taken.

Practical Long Case Short Case Table Viva Thesis Viva

Students should have submitted the following before the final examinations to receive the Masters Degree Case studies Conferences CME programs Interesting cases attended Article Reviews Proof of publication

NOTE: 40% OF MARKS WILL BE FOR THE PERIODICAL SUBMISSION OF LOG BOOKS, Assignments, CAR, FAR ETC.., AWARD OF DEGREE After successful completion of the program and passing the examination, the students will receive the transcripts and the Masters Degree from Texila American University.

ACADEMIC STANDARD

The academic advisory board periodically reviews the PG regular program. It monitors the conduct of the program through the program consultant and also checks the quality through the students POSTGRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Dr. Vinod K. Srivastava Vice Chancellor - College of Medicine

Dr. A. Anand, PhD Director- External Programs Texila American University

Dr. T. Ashok Hariharan, MD, FRCA Consultant Intensivist/Anaesthesiologist. K.G. Hospital- Coimbatore. GENERAL SURGERY Dr. V.P. Shanmugasundaram. MS, FICS Chief Laparoscopic & General Surgeon. K.G. Hospital- Coimbatore.

ANAESTHESIA Dr. T. Kanagarajan. MBBS, MD Anaesthesiologist. CMC- Coimbatore.

DIABETOLOGY Dr. j. Giri. MD, PGDipDC (Australia) Director- Regional Diabetic Center. K.G. Hospital- Coimbatore

CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY Dr. Nithiyan. MD, DNB (CARD), FIC (IC) Cardiologist K.G. Hospital- Coimbatore.

FAMILY MEDICINE Dr. Sindu. J. Punnooran. MBBS, DNB, MNAMS Physician K.G. Hospital- Coimbatore.

COURSE FEES: SESSION

Tuition Fee Structure Annual fees must be paid before the commencement of the term.

TAU- AFFILIATED HOSPITALS IN INDIA

1. Ruby Hall Clinic - Pune

Ruby Hall Clinic had a humble beginning when the founder chairman Dr. K.B. Grant, an eminent cardiologist himself, started a small nursing home in 1959 in the bungalow Ruby Hall, owned by General David Sassoon at the present location of the hospital with just two beds. In 1966 it was converted from a private institution to a public charitable trust Poona Medical Foundation. It was later converted to the Grant Medical Foundation in 2000. Today Ruby Hall Clinic boasts of 550 inpatient beds including 130 intensive care beds; with staff strength of 150 consultants, 500 panel doctors and 1400 paramedical staff. 2. KG Hospital as an affiliated hospital of Texila American University K.G. Hospital & Post Graduate Medical Institute, a multi and super speciality hospital, run by K. Govindaswamy Naidu Medical Trust, Coimbatore, an approved medical trust, is in the forefront in the country in providing advanced medical care at affordable cost. An NABH accredited hospital, it has treatment options conforming to international standards in all specialities. The hospital has state-of-the-art equipments in all disciplines.

The hospital founded in the year 1974 has achieved EXCELLENCE by performing breakthrough surgeries of a high order, including AWAKE HEART SURGERY, dialysis of a new born baby, kidney transplant from a brain dead victim by transporting him from Trivandrum in our Responder 2000 and MULTI ORGAN CADAVER SURGERIES.

ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT

Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is a vital part of the culture of all successful institutions of higher learning. The value of the degrees, certificates and coursework offered by TAU greatly depends, now and in the future, on its reputation as an institution dedicated to academic honesty. This Academic Integrity Policy provides guidance in helping students and faculty understand the meaning and importance of academic integrity; defines academic dishonesty; and outlines the procedures for handling infractions of academic integrity. No provision or section of this policy shall be construed as infringing upon the academic freedom of any member of TAU to pursue and participate in any academic endeavor ordinarily considered appropriate. Each member of the TAU community is charged with honoring and upholding the policies and students are responsible for understanding the Universitys policy regarding academic integrity and academic misconduct as well as the sanctions that may be imposed as a result of academic misconduct. Students are also responsible for understanding their appeal rights associated with findings of any policy violation. Students are responsible for reading the email notices posted to the students email on time to time basis. Students shall practice the provisions of the Universitys Code of Academic Integrity and uphold integrity in their academic pursuits. The students of TAU are expected to: Conduct themselves in accordance with principles of academic integrity Behave so as to foster an atmosphere of honesty and fairness Avoid plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct Give truthful information to any University professional educator or to any other University employee regarding issues concerning academic integrity or academic misconduct, or suspected academic misconduct Not alter, misuse, or forge any College document, record, or instrument of identification. The students are not excused from these provisions because of any failure or inability on the part of the professional educator to prevent other instances of academic misconduct.

Academic Misconduct: Academic misconduct includes any act that improperly affects the evaluation of a students academic performance or achievement, or any act designed to deceive a professional educator. Specific infractions include, but are not limited to, the following: Plagiarism: Plagiarism means presenting someone elses ideas or words as ones own. It is an act of fraud since it involves both stealing someone elses ideas and/or words and lying about it afterwards. Plagiarism may involve some degree of intent or may be the result of carelessness or ignorance of acceptable forms for citation. Not knowing how or when to cite a source does not excuse an act of plagiarism. Each of the four kinds of plagiarism below is a breach of academic integrity. a. Copying without citation, the most serious form of plagiarism, involves copying part or all of a paper from the Internet, from a book or magazine, or from another source without indicating that the work is someone elses. To avoid this form of plagiarism, quoted material must be placed in quotation marks and one of the standard forms of documentation (APA, MLA, etc.) must be used to indicate where the material came from. b. Copying from an external source and citing the source but failing to show (by the use of quotation marks, for example) that the material is a direct quotation is another form of plagiarism. Simply documenting the source does not indicate that the words themselves are someone elses. Avoiding this form of plagiarism involves putting all quoted material in quotation marks or using the format designated by APA, MLA etc. to indicate quoted material. c. Incorrect paraphrasing is another form of plagiarism. Paraphrasing involves putting a lengthy phrase, sentence, or group of sentences written by another into ones own words, thereby making it significantly different from the original. Changing a few words, or rearranging words, is not proper paraphrasing, and though the source is cited (as is always required with paraphrased material), wording remains substantially that of another and cannot rightfully be represented as original. Avoiding this form of plagiarism involves either making the material a direct quote by using quotation marks and citing the source, or

Improper Influence:

paraphrasing properly by substantially changing the original to new words; again, making sure to cite the source. d. Presenting arguments, lines of reasoning, or facts learned from someone else without citing the source, even if the material is paraphrased, is another form of plagiarism. The source must be properly cited

Attempting to influence a grade or to receive any other academic benefit not earned through the normal exercise of academic effort by offering anything of value, including the performance of services, to a professional educator, College employee, other College student, or any other person, is prohibited. A student may appeal against any decision as a result of academic misconduct through the established Grievance Procedure and Official Review Process for Academic Standards of TAU. General Code of Conduct The Student shall strictly follow and adhere to rules and regulation of TAU which is included in this handbook, student indemnity form and periodic notices published by TAU which shall be updated from time to time. Students should not be involved in any activities directly or indirectly which would tarnish the image of the University or any other activities such as: Making negative remarks about TAU or its Students to other fellow students, staff or others. Disrespect TAU Staff and Peers group in any form.

1. Withdrawal: It is the permanent discontinuation from the program and quitting the education with the University. Student may decide to discontinue the program and quit the University, ideally before the beginning of the program and not later than the 1st week of the program. There shall be no REFUND for withdrawal. 2. Refunds: (want to check with CEO sir) There will be NO refunds on application, registration, examination or any other fees to the students who withdraw from the program before the

completion of the program. Students withdrawing within one week from their joining date will be refunded with the tuition fees paid by the student after deducting 1000 USD. There will be no refund on tuition or hostel or any other fees for the students withdrawing after 3 weeks from the date of their joining. 3. Deferrals: Students are entitled to deferral, where they can be entitled absence from starting the program for a maximum of ONE month due to a valid reason, if the student is not responding for more than a month will be automatically moved to next batch. Continuous to be non-responding the students will be automatically considered as withdrawn. 4. Supplementary fee. Students who fail to clear the subjects in their first attempt will have to give the supplementary exams. This exam can be given after paying the prescribed amount to the university. 5. Convocation fee. The degree and Transcript will be awarded to successful students who have cleared the final exams conducted by TAU. The students will have to fill up the Graduation form with the Convocation fee of 350 USD transferred to the university bank. Convocation dates will be informed to the students and will be conducted yearly once the discretion of the university. 6. Duplicate Transcripts and Degree can be obtained from the university upon sending a formal request by the student stating the reason for the duplicate with supporting documents. A fee of 500 USD will have to be paid to the university for the preparation of the Transcript and Degree and attesting the same. Duplicate Transcripts and Degree.

7.

Academic requirements.

EXAMINATION

Students will have to submit all the academic requirements on time. The academic reports submitted will be evaluated and will be taken for the Internal Assessment. All the academic reports need to be submitted through LMS Learning Management System and only reports submitted through LMS will be evaluated. Non submission of reports through LMS can reduce your internal assessment scores and also lead to extension of your program.

End of 1st year End of 2nd year End of 3rd Year Paper I

1st Internal Assessment 2nd Internal Assessment 3 rd Internal Assessment

Internal Assessment Paper I Paper II and Paper III Paper IV

Examination

Paper II

Paper III Paper IV Clinicals

Apart the Examination the student will have Dissertation and Viva

Final Examination at the 3rd Year External Examination External Examination External The questions will be based on the Examination curriculum topics External Examination External Examination

The question will be from Assignment topics. You will ask to write 10 answers out of12. Each question will carry 10 marks

Internal Assessment Policy: As for as the Internal examination is concerned, these are the policies

1. You will be given 12 questions from the assignment topics and you will have to answer 10. 2. Each question will carry 10 marks. 3. Your internal marks will be based on the end of the year exam, assignments, and other reports and will be evaluated for 40%. 4. Final external exam will be at the end of the 3rd year for 100 marks which will be converted to 60%.

APPENDIX- I
Reviewer Guidelines
How to Review a Journal Article: Suggestions for First-Time Reviewers and Reminders for Seasoned Experts Guidelines for Reviewing Here are nine things you should consider as you examine the manuscript and write your review: Look for the "intellectual plot-line" of the article. You can do this from first skimming through the manuscript and then giving it a once-over read. As you do this, ask the five major questions that are central to the research review process: What do the researchers want to find out? Why is that important to investigate or understand?

How are the researchers investigating this? Are their research methods appropriate and adequate to the task? What do they claim to have found out? Are the findings clearly stated? How does this advance knowledge in the field? How well do the researchers place their findings within the context of ongoing scholarly inquiry about this topic?

Look at the organization of the article. Can you find answers to the above questions quickly and easily? Can you trace the logic of investigation consistently from the opening paragraphs to the conclusion? Then go back to the opening paragraphs of the article. Are the research questions specifically stated? Is it clear what the authors want to find out? Do they make the case that this is an important area for research inquiry?

The next section is usually a review of the existing research literature on this topic. Do the authors present a convincing line of argument here--or does it appear that they are just name-dropping (citing sources that may be important, without a clear underlying logic for how they may be important)? Do the authors focus on ideas, or merely on discrete facts or findings? Have they given sufficient attention to theory--the cumulative attempts at prior explanations for the questions they are investigating? Are the research questions or hypotheses clearly derivative of the theory and the literature review? In short: How well do the authors set the stage for the research problem they are reporting?

The methods and procedures section is usually next; and this is where neophyte reviewers often start (unwisely) to sharpen their knives. The selection of methods by which the researchers collect data always involve compromises, and there are few studies that cannot be criticized for errors of commission or omission in terms of textbook criteria for research design and data collection procedures. You could focus on three questions here: Do the authors clearly describe their research strategies? Do they present sufficient detail about the sample from which they have collected data; the operationalization of measures they have attempted to employ; and the adequacy of these measures in terms of external and internal validity? In addition, there should be no surprises here: The measures should be clearly matched to the research questions or the hypotheses. Are their choices of methods adequate to find out what they want to find out in this study? Would other methods provide a substantial improvement; if so, would employing these methods be feasible or practical?

Do they provide some justification for the methods they have chosen? Does this appear to be adequate? The section presenting research results is surely the heart of the article--though not its soul (which the reader should find in the opening paragraphs and in the discussion section). Reviewers might consider four questions here: Does the results section tell a story--taking the reader from the research questions posed earlier to their answers in the data? Is the logic clear?

Are the tables and figures clear and succinct? Can they be "read" easily for major findings by themselves, or should there be additional information provided? Are the authors' tables consistent with the format of currently accepted norms regarding data presentation? Do the authors present too many tables or figures in the form of undigested findings? Are all of them necessary in order to tell the story of this research inquiry; or can some be combined? Remember that tables and figures are very expensive (from the standpoint of the journal) and that undigested data obscure rather than advance the cumulative development of knowledge in a field. Are the results presented both statistically and substantively meaningful? Have the authors stayed within the bounds of the results their data will support?

The discussion section is where the authors can give flight to their findings, so that they soar into the heights of cumulative knowledge development about this topic--or crash into the depths of their CV's, with few other scholars ever citing their findings. Of course few research reports will ever be cited as cornerstones to the development of knowledge about any topic; but your review should encourage authors to aspire to these heights. Consider the following as you evaluate their discussion section: Do the authors present here a concise and accurate summary of their major findings? Does their interpretation fairly represent the data as presented earlier in the article? Do they attempt to integrate these findings in the context of a broader scholarly debate about these issues? Specifically: Do they integrate their findings with the research literature they presented earlier in their article--do they bring the findings back to the previous literature reviewed? Have they gone beyond presenting facts--data--and made an effort to present explanations--understanding? Have they responded to the conceptual or theoretical problems that were raised in the introduction? This is how theory is developed. Do the authors thoughtfully address the limitations of their study?

The writing style is important. Consider the three guidelines for successful communication--to be clear, concise, and correct---and whether the authors have achieved it: Is the writing clear? Do the authors communicate their ideas using direct, straightforward, and unambiguous words and phrases? Have they avoided jargon (statistical or conceptual) that would interfere with the communication of their procedures or ideas? Is the writing concise? Are too many words or paragraphs or sections used to present what could be communicated more simply? Is the writing correct? Too many promising scientists have only a rudimentary grasp of grammar and punctuation that result in meandering commas, clauses in complex

sentences that are struggling to find their verbs and adjectives or even nouns that remain quite ambiguous about their antecedents in the sentence. These are not merely technical issues of grammar to be somehow dealt with by a copy-editor down the line. Rather they involve the successful communication of a set of ideas to an audience; and this is the basis of scholarship today. Your evaluation to the editor: Should this paper be (a) rejected for this journal? (b) or does it show sufficient promise for revision, in ways that you have clearly demonstrated in your review, to encourage the authors to invest weeks and months in revision for this journal? Your bottom-line advice to the editor is crucial. Make a decision; state it clearly (in your confidential remarks to the editor on the page provided).

Remember that only a few of the articles submitted to a journal will result in publication. Rates vary from 5% to 25% of initial submissions. Some reasons to reject a manuscript: (a) The research questions have already been addressed in prior studies; (b) The data have been collected in such a way as to preclude useful investigation; (c) The manuscript is not ready for publication--incomplete, improper format, or errorridden.

Good Reviews and Bad Reviews A good review is supportive, constructive, thoughtful, and fair. It identifies both strengths and weaknesses, and offers concrete suggestions for improvements. It acknowledges the reviewer's biases where appropriate, and justifies the reviewer's conclusions. A bad review is superficial, nasty, petty, self-serving, or arrogant. It indulges the reviewer's biases with no justification. It focuses exclusively on weaknesses and offers no specific suggestions for improvement.

APPENDIX-2
Sample Article Review Review Article Specification: Maximum 6500 words, including up to 50 references Structured abstract of up to 250 words Up to six key words Introduction

 Critical review of the published literature in the area, examining the validity of conclusions, conflicting observations and interpretations, and not simply a summary of published papers Conclusions A. Title: As for a research paper, this should be short and inform your reader of the major ideas that will be discussed. Your review paper should have the following sections:

B. Abstract: Again this should be written last and should summarize the major points made within the body of your paper.

C. Introduction: Your introduction should be short and concise and is not given a separate heading from the body of the paper. The purpose of the introduction is to introduce your reader to the ideas that you will be addressing in the body of your paper. In your introduction you should be trying to bring readers from different backgrounds up to speed with the "thesis" or objective of your paper and explain to them why it is that this issue is important. It is not a review of the field... that is what the body of the paper is for! It is generally written after the body of the paper is completed (so that you know where you've "gone" intellectually in the paper and thus can effectively communicate to your reader what to expect). D. Body: In this portion of your paper you will outline the background for your idea and begin to synthesize ideas from the papers you've read in order to build a coherent "thesis". Before you write this section, figure out what your perspective is going to be (what are you trying to show?). Having done this, try to present your ideas in such a way that they build your discussion logically towards your goal. Outlines will be a big help to you at this stage. Frequently using headings (e.g. History of the idea, Specific conflicts etc.) can help you to systematically address each important point that you wish to make, as well as helping your reader to follow your arguments. Once you've developed your headings you can then go back and place topic sentences for each paragraphs of information you wish to convey under the appropriate heading. Each paragraph should have clear, well thought out points, and should contain only the information needed to make or support that point. Fill in each paragraph with more details until you have a coherent argument building towards your final, concluding statement. E. Conclusion: Like the introduction, the conclusion section is not usually separated from the body of the paper, although it can be if it is really long. In this section you should restate the objective(s) of your paper and point out how you have satisfied these goals. It should also reiterate what the major conclusions (ideas) of your study are.

F. Acknowledgements: Again this should include only people who made considerable impact on your research... people with whom you had fruitful discussions, a librarian

who spent hours with you trying to track down an elusive publication that was key to your research etc.

G. Literature Cited. Should follow the standard format outlined by the journal in which you will publish.

APPENDIX-3
Guidelines to the Writing of Case Studies General Instructions This set of guidelines provides both instructions and a template for the writing of case reports for submission to TAU and publication. While the guidelines and template contain much detail, your finished case study should be only 500 to 1,500 words in length. Therefore, you will need to write efficiently and avoid unnecessarily flowery language. After this brief introduction, the guidelines below will follow the headings of our template. Hence, it is possible to work section by section through the template to quickly produce a first draft of your study. To begin with, however, you must have a clear sense of the value of the study which you wish to describe. Therefore, before beginning to write the study itself, you should gather all of the materials relevant to the case clinical notes, lab reports, x-rays etc. and form a clear picture of the story that you wish to share with your profession. At the most superficial level, you may want to ask yourself What is interesting about this case? Keep your answer in mind as your write, because sometimes we become lost in our writing and forget the message that we want to convey.

These guidelines for the writing of case studies are designed to be consistent with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals

Another important general rule for writing case studies is to stick to the facts. A case study should be a fairly modest description of what actually happened. Speculation about underlying mechanisms of the disease process or treatment should be restrained. Field practitioners and students are seldom well-prepared to discuss physiology or pathology. This is best left to experts in those fields. The thing of greatest value that you can provide to your colleagues is an honest record of clinical events. Finally, remember that a case study is primarily a chronicle of a patients progress, not a story about chiropractic. Editorial or promotional remarks do not belong in a case

study, no matter how great our enthusiasm. It is best to simply tell the story and let the outcome speak for itself. Title page: Title: The title page will contain the full title of the article. Remember that many people may find our article by searching on the internet. They may have to decide, just by looking at the title, whether or not they want to access the full article. A title which is vague or non-specific may not attract their attention. Thus, our title should contain the phrase case study, case report or case series as is appropriate to the contents. The two most common formats of titles are nominal and compound. A nominal title is a single phrase, for example A case study of hypertension which responded to spinal manipulation. A compound title consists of two phrases in succession, for example Response of hypertension to spinal manipulation: a case study. Keep in mind that title of articles in leading journals average between 8 and 9 words in length. Remember that for a case study, we would not expect to have more than one or two authors. In order to be listed as an author, a person must have an intellectual stake in the writing at the very least they must be able to explain and even defend the article. Someone who has only provided technical assistance, as valuable as that may be, may be acknowledged at the end of the article, but would not be listed as an author. Contact information either home or institutional should be provided for each author along with the authors academic qualifications. If there is more than one author, one author must be identified as the corresponding author the person whom people should contact if they have questions or comments about the study. Key words: Provide key words under which the article will be listed. These are the words which would be used when searching for the article using a search engine such as Medline. Abstract: Abstracts generally follow one of two styles, narrative or structured. A narrative abstract consists of a short version of the whole paper. There are no headings within the narrative abstract. The author simply tries to summarize the paper into a story which flows logically. With these points in mind, lets begin the process of writing the case study:

A structured abstract uses subheadings. Structured abstracts are becoming more popular for basic scientific and clinical studies, since they standardize the abstract and ensure that certain information is included. This is very useful for readers who search for articles on the internet. Often the abstract is displayed by a search engine, and on the basis of the abstract the reader will decide whether or not to download the full article. With a structured abstract, the reader is more likely to be given the information which they need to decide whether to go on to the full article, and so this style is encouraged. Since they are summaries, both narrative and structured abstracts are easier to write once we have finished the rest of the article.

Introduction: This consists of one or two sentences to describe the context of the case and summarize the entire article. Case presentation: Several sentences describe the history and results of any examinations performed. The working diagnosis and management of the case are described.

Management and Outcome: Simply describe the course of the patients complaint. Where possible, make reference to any outcome measures which you used to objectively demonstrate how the patients condition evolved through the course of management. Discussion: Synthesize the foregoing subsections and explain both correlations and apparent inconsistencies. If appropriate to the case, within one or two sentences describe the lessons to be learned. Introduction: At the beginning of these guidelines we suggested that we need to have a clear idea of what is particularly interesting about the case we want to describe. The introduction is where we convey this to the reader. It is useful to begin by placing the study in a historical or social context. If similar cases have been reported previously, we describe them briefly. If there is something especially challenging about the diagnosis or management of the condition that we are describing, now is our chance to bring that out. Each time we refer to a previous study, we cite the reference (usually at the end of the sentence). Our introduction doesnt need to be more than a few paragraphs long, and our objective is to have the reader understand clearly, but in a general sense, why it is useful for them to be reading about this case.

Case Presentation: This is the part of the paper in which we introduce the raw data. First, we describe the complaint that brought the patient to us. It is often useful to use the patients own words. Next, we introduce the important information that we obtained from our history-taking. We dont need to include every detail just the information that helped us to settle on our diagnosis. Also, we should try to present patient information in a narrative form full sentences which efficiently summarize the results of our questioning. In our own practice, the history usually leads to a differential diagnosis a short list of the most likely diseases or disorders underlying the patients symptoms. We may or may not choose to include this list at the end of this section of the case presentation. The next step is to describe the results of our clinical examination. Again, we should write in an efficient narrative style, restricting ourselves to the relevant information. It is not necessary to include every detail in our clinical notes.

If we are using a named orthopedic or neurological test, it is best to both name and describes the test (since some people may know the test by a different name). Also, we should describe the actual results, since not all readers will have the same understanding of what constitutes a positive or negative result.

X-rays or other images are only helpful if they are clear enough to be easily reproduced and if they are accompanied by a legend. Be sure that any information that might identify a patient is removed before the image is submitted. Management and Outcome: In this section, we should clearly describe the plan for care, as well as the care which was actually provided, and the outcome.

At this point, or at the beginning of the next section, we will want to present our working diagnosis or clinical impression of the patient. It is useful for the reader to know how long the patient was under care and how many times they were treated. Additionally, we should be as specific as possible in describing the treatment that we used. It does not help the reader to simply say that the patient received chiropractic care. Exactly what treatment did we use? If we used spinal manipulation, it is best to name the technique, if a common name exists, and also to describe the manipulation. Remember that our case study may be read by people who are not familiar with spinal manipulation, and, even within chiropractic circles, nomenclature for technique is not well standardized. We may want to include the patients own reports of improvement or worsening. However, whenever possible we should try to use a well-validated method of measuring their improvement. For case studies, it may be possible to use data from visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain, or a journal of medication usage. It is useful to include in this section an indication of how and why treatment finished. Did we decide to terminate care, and if so, why? Did the patient withdraw from care or did we refer them to another practitioner?

Discussion: In this section we may want to identify any questions that the case raises. It is not our duty to provide a complete physiological explanation for everything that we observed. This is usually impossible. Nor should we feel obligated to list or generate all of the possible hypotheses that might explain the course of the patients condition. If there is a well established item of physiology or pathology which illuminates the case, we certainly include it, but remember that we are writing what is primarily a clinical chronicle, not a basic scientific paper. Finally, we summarize the lessons learned from this case. Acknowledgments: If someone provided assistance with the preparation of the case study, we thank them briefly. It is neither necessary nor conventional to thank the patient (although we appreciate what they have taught us). It would generally be regarded as excessive and inappropriate to thank others, such as teachers or colleagues who did not directly participate in preparation of the paper.

References: References should be listed as described elsewhere in the instructions to authors. Only use references that you have read and understood, and actually used to support the case study. Do not use more than approximately 15 references without some clear justification. Try to avoid using textbooks as references, since it is assumed

that most readers would already have this information. Also, do not refer to personal communication, since readers have no way of checking this information.

Legends: If we used any tables, figures or photographs, they should be accompanied by a succinct explanation. A good rule for graphs is that they should contain sufficient information to be generally decipherable without reference to a legend. Permissions: If any tables, figures or photographs, or substantial quotations, have been borrowed from other publications, we must include a letter of permission from the publisher. Also, if we use any photographs which might identify a patient, we will need their written permission. In addition, patient consent to publish the case report is also required. Tables, figures and photographs should be included at the end of the manuscript.

Template
Title:

Running Header: Authors: Name, academic degrees and affiliation Disclaimers

Name, address and telephone number of corresponding author Statement that patient consent was obtained Sources of financial support, if any Key words: (limit of five)

Abstract: (maximum of 150 words) Introduction Case Presentation Management and Outcome Discussion

(Sample)

Introduction:

Provide a context for the case and describe any similar cases previously reported. Case Presentation: Introductory sentence: e.g. This 25 year old female office worker presented for the treatment of recurrent headaches. Describe the essential nature of the complaint, including location, intensity and associated symptoms: e.g. Her headaches are primarily in the suboccipital region, bilaterally but worse on the right. Sometimes there is radiation towards the right temple. She describes the pain as having an intensity of up to 5 out of ten, accompanied by a feeling of tension in the back of the head. When the pain is particularly bad, she feels that her vision is blurred. Further development of history including details of time and circumstances of onset, and the evolution of the complaint: e.g. This problem began to develop three years ago when she commenced work as a data entry clerk. Her headaches have increased in frequency in the past year, now occurring three to four days per week. Describe relieving and aggravating factors, including responses to other treatment: e.g. The pain seems to be worse towards the end of the work day and is aggravated by stress. Aspirin provides some relieve. She has not sought any other treatment. Include family history, if relevant: e.g. There is no family history of headaches.

Include other health history, if relevant: e.g. Otherwise the patient reports that she is in good health. Summarize the results of examination, which might include general observation and postural analysis, orthopedic exam, neurological exam and chiropractic examination (static and motion palpation): e.g. Examination revealed an otherwise fit-looking young woman with slight anterior carriage of the head. Cervical active ranges of motion were full and painless except for some slight restriction of left lateral bending and rotation of the head to the left. These motions were accompanied by discomfort in the right side of the neck. Cervical compression of the neck in the neutral position did not create discomfort. However, compression of the neck in right rotation and extension produced some right suboccipital pain. Cranial nerve examination was normal. Upper limb motor, sensory and reflex functions were normal. With the patient in the supine position, static palpation revealed tender trigger points bilaterally in the cervical musculature and right trapezius. Motion palpation revealed restrictions of right and left rotation in the upper cervical spine, and restriction of left lateral bending in the mid to lower cervical spine. Blood pressure was 110/70. Houles test (holding the neck in extension and rotation for 30 seconds) did not produce nystagmus or dizziness. There were no carotid bruits.

The patient was diagnosed with cervicogenic headache due to chronic postural strain. Management and Outcome: Describe as specifically as possible the treatment provided, including the nature of the treatment, and the frequency and duration of care: e.g. The patient undertook a course of treatment consisting of cervical and upper thoracic spinal manipulation three times per week for two weeks. Manipulation was accompanied by trigger point therapy to the paraspinal muscles and stretching of the upper trapezius. Additionally, advice was provided concerning maintenance of proper posture at work. The patient was also instructed in the use of a cervical pillow. If possible, refer to objective measures of the patients progress: e.g. The patient maintained a headache diary indicating that she had two headaches during the first week of care, and one headache the following week. Furthermore the intensity of her headaches declined throughout the course of treatment.

Describe the resolution of care: e.g. Based on the patients reported progress during the first two weeks of care, she received an additional two treatments in each of the subsequent two weeks. During the last week of care she experienced no headaches and reported feeling generally more energetic than before commencing care. Following a total of four weeks of care (10 treatments) she was discharged. Discussion: Synthesize foregoing sections: e.g. The distinction between migraine and cervicogenic headache is not always clear. However, this case demonstrates several features

Summarize the case and any lessons learned: e.g. This case demonstrates a classical presentation of cervicogenic headache which resolved quickly with a course of spinal manipulation, supportive soft-tissue therapy and postural advice. References: (using Vancouver style) e.g. 1 Terret AGJ. Vertebrogenic hearing deficit, the spine and spinal manipulation therapy: a search to validate the DD Palmer/Harvey Lillard experience. Chiropr J Aust 2002; 32:1426. Legends: (tables, figures or images are numbered according to the order in which they appear in the text.) e.g. Figure 1: Intensity of headaches as recorded on a visual analogue scale (vertical axis) versus time (horizontal axis) during the four weeks that the patient was under care. Treatment was given on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 22 and 25. Headache frequency and intensity is seen to fall over time.

APPENDIX - 4

Texila American University

College of Medicine, Georgetown, Guyana

Protocol
APPLICATION FORM FOR REGISTRATION OF THESIS SUBJECT FOR MD/MS EXAMINATION

1. Personal Data: Name: Address: Phone No. Mobile: University Enrolment No. MD/MS: (Name of the Discipline)

Age:

Email ID:

M/F

3. Particulars of Thesis Subject: i) Name of the topic ii) Name of the Supervisor iii) Name of the Co-Supervisor(s), if any iv) Brief Introduction v) Brief Review of relevant literature vi) Lacunae in the existing literature vii) Brief materials and methods viii) Brief discussion ix) Expected results x) Summary of expected conclusions

2. Qualification: a. MBBS College University b. Postgraduate Course Diploma/Degree Country

Country Year of Passing University Year of Passing

Note: The write-up should be typed on A-4 sized paper in double spacing maximum of 2000 words. Candidate to send the proposal in word format as an attachment to the Academic coordinator aco2@tauedu.org

xi)

References

UNDERTAKING BY THE APPLICANT

I, Dr..would like to undertake as under: That, the research work would entitled Supervisor(s). be embodied in the shall be my original work to be carried out under the guidance of Supervisor and CoThat, in the event the above subject of my thesis is approved by university, I shall not publish or submit it anywhere else without the permission of the university.

thesis,

Date:

(Name of the applicant)

Signature

ACKNOWLEDGE OF RECEIPT AND UNDERSTANDING OF STUDENT HANDBOOK

I, , student at the Texila American University, have received, read, understood and pledged to abide by the policies of the University as set forth herein (to be signed by the student and returned in to the Administrative Office)

Name: . Signature: .. Program: Batch: .. Enrollment No: .. Date: ..