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Objective: To compare medical graduates with and without undergraduate research experience in relation to oral or poster presentations after graduation. Materials and Methods: Graduates of Marmara Medical School were enrolled in this cross-sectional study between 20th February and 19th May 2009. Students graduating in 2005 and 2006 were classified as student research exposed and those graduating in 2001 and 2002 were classified as student research naive groups. Two different questionnaires were prepared for the groups and analysed electronically. All graduates of the mentioned years were contacted by telephone (n=425). The reply rates for the questionnaires were 45% in the exposed and 25.5% in the naive groups. Results: Fifty one point six percent of the participants were female and 25.5% were residents. 90.1% of the exposed group were satisfied with their research experience and agreed that this experience had a positive influence on their professional life. There was no statistically significant difference between the study groups for oral or poster presentations during the first 2 years after graduation. Research experience was found to be useful for preparing questionnaires, defining research aims and collecting data. Conclusion: The satisfaction rate from the research experience and the motivation for new research were high in the exposed group. However, an added value of the research experience could not be shown quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the knowledge and behaviour of adolescents from a low socio-economic region of Istanbul, regarding smoking and how these variables are affected by their teachers' smoking status. Method: This is a descriptive study carried out between February-March 2007 among 6th-8th grade students of 3 primary schools in Tasdelen region. A questionnaire was filled out by adolescents under supervision about their smoking experience, related factors and whether the students were affected by their teachers' smoking behaviour. After descriptive and comparative analysis of the data, a logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Among the 560 participants, mean age was 13±1.08 (11-15). The incidence of a smoking experience at least once was 12%. At least one of the teachers was observed while smoking by 83.8% of the students, and 16% of them declared they were negatively affected by their teachers' smoking behaviour. Among the factors related to smoking experience, the teachers' smoking status (being a smoker) increased the risk of smoking significantly, according to the regression analysis (p=0,008;OR 7,476;95% CI 1,703-32,826). Conclusion: Adolescents are influenced by teachers' smoking at school. We think that the extent of this influence will decrease after the legislation (section number 5727, to take effect on July 19th 2009) prohibiting smoking in doors is passed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]