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To investigate the incidence and accountable factors for the potential dropout thoughts among Saudi medical students. A cross-sectional survey questionnaire based study was conducted among Saudi medical students enrolled at the College of Medicine, King Saud University. A total number of 587 (39.13%) medical students out of ∼1,500 filled the questionnaire. Among them 302 (51.4%) reported incidence(s) of dropout thoughts at least once. However, only 17 (5.6%) have thought of dropping out very seriously. The majority of the students (67.5%) thought for withdrawal only on stressful days. The first year of the medical school was the most common year for all the students (49.3%) for thinking of dropout and academic problems were the most common reasons behind dropout thoughts (37.8%). The students, whose decision for entering in the medical school was influenced by the surroundings were at higher risk of dropout thoughts than their peers ( OR = 1.912, CI 1.33–2.75). A significant amount of dropout thoughts was prevalent among Saudi medical students, but serious thinker about dropout were less in numbers. A well-structured academic guidance program supported with psychological teaching method must be designed and offered to diagnose the symptomatic students before actually they get affected with dropout thought which might lead to actual dropout.

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Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is a major cornerstone in preventing hospital-acquired infections. The recommended six-step alcohol-based hand rubbing (ABHR) technique has not been qualitatively evaluated amongst young healthcare workers (HCWs) before. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study at an academic hospital was conducted in 2018; data collectors observed HCWs voluntarily perform ABHR, observing for the quality of the six steps of HH and recording the duration, and if they performed accessory removal then recorded total qualitative scores. Results: Three hundred and seventy-seven young HCWs were qualitatively observed, the mean age of participants was 24.1 years, 49.1% were female, only 10 (2.7%) completely fulfilled all six steps, 97.35% of HCWs had inadequate hand surface coverage and 69.23% did not achieve sufficient timing. The median scores, out of 12, for 3rd-, 4th- and 5th-year medical students, were 6.4, 7.2 and 7.5, respectively, while medical interns scored 7.4 and medical residents scored 7.5 (P = 0.016). Participants with previous HH training sessions scored higher with mean scores of 7.4 versus 6.3 (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The quality of ABHR practised by young HCWs lacked the appropriate coverage of full hands surface coverage and inadequate duration of time, special training and follow-up on the quality of ABHR technique for HCWs early in their career is warranted.