Strides in Development of Medical Education
Volume:11 Issue: 4, 2015

The main objective of medical education is the training of competent and qualified personnel to maintain and improve public health. In this regard, education development centers (EDC) for medical sciences have been established to provide and assess the quality of education. Therefore, due to the need for these centers, this study aimed to examine their challenges and provide strategies to improve their performance. An applied and qualitative study was carried out in 2013. The study population was 288 members of the managers and personnel of study centers and development offices of faculties, educational deputies, heads of universities, and faculty members. Data was collected during a 2-day scheduled conference in the form of 5 key lectures, 3 panels, and 6 Focus Group Discussions. Data analysis was performed using framework analysis. In the correct establishment of the centers, 7 key challenges and 18 sub-challenges were identified. Within the framework of the educational governance and leadership, components such as policy making, monitoring, evaluation, and predisposing components of implementation like structure, manpower, and processes were identified. The relationship between policy making, evaluation, and sub-components is defined by two key factors of knowledge management and communications. EDC centers have been challenged because of moving away from the original position of knowledge management and communications in the field of governance to ensure and improve the quality of education. The 3 trends of integration of education and service delivery, privatization of services, and lack of clarity of interactions between public and private sector have exacerbated these challenges.

For greater success of the discipline of medical education and recognition of its weaknesses and strengths, performing a comparative study and utilizing the experiences of successful universities is necessary. This study was performed to compare the elements of the curricula of medical education discipline in the universities of Dundee (Scotland), Calgary (Canada), and Maastricht (Holland) with Iran.

Data were gathered by searching university websites and communicating with them. The 3 universities of Dundee, Calgary and Maastricht, which had a high ranking in the medical education major, were selected as the study sample. The research model used in this study was the Beredy model that specifies the four stages of description, interpretation, proximity, and comparison in comparative studies.

The universities of Dundee, Calgary, and Maastricht, in stating the general characteristics of curriculum, have clearly focused on education in the field of medical sciences. Elements of mission, vision, and value were not observed in their curricula. In the universities of Dundee and Maastricht, educational strategies and the reason for their application, and the manner of course presentation had been explained. All 3 universities enrolled bachelor students. The course of research in education was emphasized by all universities.

Based on this comparative study the curriculum of medical education in Iran seems complete and comprehensive. However, for quality improvement, the revision of goals and strategies of the discipline is necessary. Moreover, the presentation of courses in two forms of virtual and traditional education, admission of bachelor (BSc) students, replacement of compensatory course with prerequisite courses, and emphasizing of research method in education courses are recommended.

Students are faced with many problems that can be associated with irreversible damage and devastating effects. Psychological pressure is caused by changes in living conditions, separation from family, economic and financial problems, marriage, employment while studying, and consequently educational problems including academic failure, unnecessary transfer and changing of field of study, and lack of scientific competence and dropping out, reduced performance, poor educational achievement. All these show that the authorities have a grave responsibility in recognizing, controlling, and preventing educational damages. Thus the aim of the present study was to identify student's academic problems and the role of lecturers and counselors in resolving these problems from the view of students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. The present research is a cross-sectional study. The data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting of 4 parts; demographic characteristics, the opinion of students about the counseling duties of lecturers, student's problems, and the role of lecturers in reducing problems. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were determined using content validity and test-retest (r = 0.78), respectively. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. Our findings indicate that of the 500 students studied, 351 were female (70.2%) and 149 (29.8%) male. The average age of the participants was 21.7 years. The mean and standard deviation of the students ' psycho-emotional problems was 14.4 ± 6.29, educational problems 97.11 ± 11.51, social and communicative problems 98.6 ± 7.96, and financial and economic problems 23.4 ± 6.1. Based on the view of students, the mean and standard deviation of the role of counselors in the mentioned academic problems was 98.2 ± 33.46. The majority of the problems expressed by students were related to social and educational issues, which can cause problems for the students in respect to their educational and professional goals. As a result of these problems, students may require guidance and counseling services. Students ' inadequate knowledge of consulting services may be the cause of their lack of use of these services for solving their problems. With careful planning, and updating and expanding counselor's activities and knowledge, more effective steps can be taken to reduce educational problems and promote the academic status of students

Hidden curriculum is one of the new topics presented by scholars of curriculum development during recent years. In this study, the criteria for selecting a supervisor were studied through experiences gained by PhD students. This research is a qualitative and a phenomenological study. The study participants consisted of 54 graduated PhD students from both medical and non-medical state and Azad universities. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi method. Moreover, simple random sampling method was used. Thus, the present study focused on the hidden experiences of PhD students on selecting a supervisor. In this study, 12 main categories were extracted from 123 common factors of this investigation. These categories consisted of behavioral and ethical characteristics, executive positions, scientific positions, being well-known or famous, and having access to supervisors, skill and mastery in research and statistics, specialty and expertise in a specific field, access to senior students, and limitations and constraints,, gender, supportive ability of supervisors, and the anticipating the future. The results showed that hidden factors such as ethical and behavioral characteristics of supervisors or professors, their academic and scientific ranks, governing laws on the universities, guidelines and regulations of the universities, informal networks, and the possible supports and limitations can affect the selection of a supervisor.

Today, new technology has provided the visually impaired with equal opportunities for education and access to essential information. The use of these technologies by students with visual impairment is vital. The purpose of this study was to design an application for health training of the visually impaired and assess their views about its advantages and disadvantages. This was a qualitative study in which a list of mental health information essential for the visually impaired was provided as a result of interviewing 15 blind individuals with different education degrees. Subsequently, this information was recorded in audio files by a person with appropriate voice and presented in the form of a multimedia compact disc. Finally, their views were evaluated. The results of this study showed that the blind were generally satisfied with the quality of the software and believed it improves their learning. However, some of the participants believed its content must be better and present more complete information about diseases. They believed that this application should be designed for other health information necessary to them. Considering the role of information technology and e-learning tools in improvement of learning in the visually impaired and the necessity of health information for them, trainers and training managers must consider designing and implementing of such tools to educate essential health issues.

Universities use different tools to evaluate their own teaching practices and many factors are involved in the education process that may affect learning. This study aimed to evaluate educational environment from the view of clinical psychology student of the Science and Research Branch of the Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, based on the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) model.

This descriptive study was conducted on 30 female students of clinical psychology in Islamic Azad University. The subjects were selected through convenience sampling method. Data were collected using DREEM and analyzed using SPSS software.

The majority of samples were 18-23 years old and 76.7% of them were single. The mean and standard deviation of students ' perception score in the 5 domains of learning (total score = 60), teachers (total score = 55), academic ability (total score = 40), educational environment (total score = 50), and social conditions (total score = 35), respectively, were 40.99 ± 13.52, 37.07 ± 10.76, 23.64 ± 8.89, 39.17 ± 14.74, and 22.20 ± 8.78. No statistically significant difference was observed between demographic information and mean educational environment score (P < 0.001).

An important characteristic of the social status of the university is that it directly impacts education. Thus, the improvement of this status must be prioritized by officials. In this respect, holding training and retraining classes in order to gain learning skills and improve educational environments, consulting students, and designing problem management methods may be effective in the educational empowerment of students.

The present study presents a model of effective factors in the intention to use information technology (IT) in teaching and learning among students of Payame Noor University and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. This was a cross-sectional study performed using Krejcie and Morgan ' s (1970) formula and by considering unreturned questionnaires and eliminating incomplete questionnaires. The 120 questionnaires from students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and 317 questionnaires from Payame Noor University of Fars province were analyzed using path analysis and AMOS software. The results show that the impact of perceived ease of use on student's intention to use IT is higher in Payame Noor University students (0.338) than Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (0.204). The impact of perceived usefulness on intention to use IT was higher among Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (0.280) than Payame Noor University students (0.218). Moreover, the impact of goal achievement on perceived ease of IT use was higher in Payame Noor University students (0.356) than Shiraz University of Medical Sciences students (0.255). No significant differences were observed between the students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Payame Noor University in other paths. The data showed acceptable and favorable fitting with the model. Based on the confirmed hypothesis, the causal model presented in this study is an appropriate model for universities and other educational institutions that apply technology-based learning as an important strategy in their virtual courses.

One of the most important factors in the evaluation of specific performance indices of each university is the professional maintenance and promotion of faculty members. This will result in more desirable output results from this system. The aim of this study was to explore, describe, and interpret faculty members ' experiences of the academic promotion process and its obstacles and problems.

A phenomenological approach was used in this research. The study population consisted of 22 faculty members of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, who were selected through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the van Manen method

The main theme of "passing the academic promotion marsh" and 5 sub-themes emerged from data analysis. The subthemes consisted of problems related to administrative processes, problems related to the performance of committees, problems related to general competence, problems related to the academic promotion guideline, and motivational factors.

Our findings emphasize the problems and barriers of the promotion process. Quality assessment, homogenization of processes, and the use of experts in college committees are some of the factors that affect the promotion process. The findings of this study can assist policymakers and administrators of Medical Sciences Universities at different levels in decision making and finding solutions to facilitate the academic promotion process and rectify its problems and obstacles.

Clinical efficacy plays an important role in clinical knowledge and skill application. One of the ways to increase self-efficacy is using experience, and results of clinical research. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of evidence-based education on nursing student's self-efficacy.

This experimental study was conducted on 48 nursing students in their 3rd semester in Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The study subjects were selected using convenience sampling and randomly divided into 2 groups of intervention and control (n = 24). Considering the students ' training in the orthopedic ward, the intervention group participants were divided into 8 groups. Students in the intervention group were trained in evidence-based education in 2 sessions each lasting 2 hours. Self-efficacy was evaluated before and after training in the control and intervention groups using the generalized self-efficacy (GSE) scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and chi-square, t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon test. Data were analyzed using confidence interval of 95 ± 2%.

Of the students, 33.3% were female and 66.7% male. Mann-Whitney test showed the self-efficacy of the intervention group students to be significantly higher than control group students (P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the control group.

Evidence-based education causes greater improvement in self-efficacy in comparison to conventional methods. Therefore, the use of this method is recommended in clinical education.

Factors effective in the continuous nursing education process may motivate nurses to participate in continuous education programs, and thus, result in knowledge promotion and improvement of skills in clinical practice and improvement of patient care. However, they may also prevent the achieving of these goals. The precise recognition of these factors can result in constructive modification in continuous education programs and achieving of the goals of continuous education (improving patient care). Thus, the aim of this study was to explain the factors influencing the successful implementation of the continuous nursing education process based on the experiences of nurses. This qualitative study was conducted in 2012. The study subjects consisted of 28 individuals, including nurses, nursing supervisors, and nursing managers. The participants were selected using purposive sampling method. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and field notes. In addition, data analysis was conducted using content analysis. From the data, 3 main categories of "advantage of compulsory education", "appropriate context for education", and "passive training" were achieved. The sub-categories of these 3 categories consisted of compulsory training regulations and gaining advantage from training, various sources of education, suitable educational conditions, educational willingness, commitment to education and educational competency, insufficient educational motivation of employees and managers, inadequate educational qualification of nursing managers, and passive educational supervision. The identification of motivational factors and barriers of the continuous nursing education process based on nurses ' experiences can assist continuous education program policy makers and planners and nursing managers in the development of continuous education regulations based on effective programs and activities.

Clinical teaching is an important process that prepares students for professional life. The present study aims to identify bachelor nursing student's viewpoints toward the effect of lectures ' behaviors on their learning during clinical courses. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants consisted of 145 nursing students. Data collection tool was a seven-point Likert scale that measured student's viewpoints toward the effect of lecturers ' behaviors on their learning during clinical courses. Finally, the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics methods, and SPSS software. Data analysis showed that mean effective behaviors was higher than the average limit (5.59 ± 1.21). Moreover, behavioral characteristics such as interpersonal relations, personality, teaching ability, evaluation, and professional competency obtained the highest scores, respectively. Professional and appropriated behaviors of lecturers during student's clinical courses can enhance their learning. Thus, the executive authorities and training providers in the field of nursing education must provide the necessary circumstance to enhance lecturers ' behaviors in clinical settings.

Exam anxiety is a significant problem among university students and can be accompanied by a decline in performance and severe psychological problems. This study was designed to investigate exam anxiety levels among dental students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2013. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on dental students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. The participants were selected using census method. The data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting of the 20-item standard Exam Anxiety Questionnaire (Spielberger), demographic characteristics, causes of anxiety, methods of decreasing exam anxiety, and exam method. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, and linear regression and Student ' s t-test. Of the participants, 56.57% were men, their mean age was 22.7 ± 2.18, and 37.71% lived with their parents. The mean score of the exam anxiety questionnaire was 47.29 ± 10.57, the maximum score being 80. The first activity during leisure time was exercising (30%) and fear of failure was the first cause of exam anxiety. Theoretical final exams were the cause of the exam anxiety in 54.90% of participants. Seeing friends was the most common method of decreasing anxiety. There was no significant correlation between mean exam anxiety score and sex, age, academic year, marriage status, and academic performance. A significant correlation was observed between area of residence and mean exam anxiety score. Based on our findings, dental students had varying degrees of exam anxiety. Thus, we recommend the training of exam anxiety reduction methods during the course of the term by professionals.

Academic performance is the most important factor in student evaluation. Self-esteem is related to self-satisfaction and perfectionism is the setting of high goals in performance. Achievement motivation is the willingness to gain success. Because these variables can affect academic performance, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between students ' perfectionism, achievement motivation, self-esteem, and academic performance. This was a correlational-descriptive study. Based on Morgan ' s table, 97 students were randomly selected from all last year nursing students of Kerman Branch, Islamic Azad University. Due to being incomplete 7 questionnaires were excluded. The data collection tools consisted of Ahvaz Perfectionism Scale (APS), Hermans Achievement Motivation (HAMQ) Scale, and the Coppersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI). Total average scores of students were considered as academic performance. Results showed a positive significant correlation between academic performance and perfectionism, achievement motivation, and self-esteem (P < 0.05). Perfectionism, achievement motivation, and self-esteem predicted 31% variances in academic performance. Nevertheless, investigation of the liner correlation of these variables showed that only the correlation between achievement motivation and academic performance was meaningful. It is seems that for the improvement of students ' academic achievement, perfectionism, self-esteem, and especially achievement motivation must be taken into consideration.