Strides in Development of Medical Education
Volume:13 Issue: 4, 2016

Educational institutes have different approaches to the evaluation of their activities. Many factors in the teaching process affect the learning process. This study investigated the attitudes of dental students in the School of Dentistry of Kerman University of Medical Sciences (Iran) toward the current educational condition and learning atmosphere using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM).
This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 205 dental students in 2013. DREEM includes questions on demographic information and 50 questions in 5 subscales (students’ perceptions of learning, student's perceptions of teachers, student's academic self-perceptions, student's perceptions of atmosphere and student's social self-perceptions). The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS software.
The mean of the achieved scores in the 5 subscales was 152.23 ± 15.63 out of 250 among men and 164.64 ± 18.80 among women. Amongst the study population, 9% found the educational conditions highly undesirable. Statistically significant differences were observed only for the learning subscale between the 3rd-year and 4th-year students.
Students’ attitudes toward the learning environment of Kerman University of Medical Sciences were mostly positive, but there were some inconsistencies. It seems that stress, fatigue, and lack of feedback from teachers has caused negative emotions among students.

The plan of integration of medical schools into the health system was adopted in 1985 and one of its consequences was the creation of the teaching hospital. The aim of this study was to investigate the problems and challenges of managing teaching hospitals.
This qualitative phenomenological study was conducted through interviews with 16 health experts about the integration of medical education and the problems of the management of teaching hospitals in 2014. In this study, the data gathering tool was interviews. In order to approve the credibility and confirmability of the text, it was transcribed and the resulting analysis was distributed among the professors participating in this study and their corrective recommendations and comments were applied. Data were analyzed through the analysis framework techniques.
The findings of this study included 6 main codes and 20 sub-codes regarding the problems of teaching hospitals. The main codes included the weaknesses of the integration of education and health, the strengths of the integration of education and health, management problems of teaching hospitals, weaknesses of the separation of education and health, strengths of the separation of education and health, and organizational communications.
Management of teaching hospitals, compared with treatment hospitals, is very difficult. Many of the problems in hospitals are due to the lack of sufficient power of the director and the head of the hospital. Thus, these problems can be reduced by the delegation of authority to the hospital managers.

The exam night phenomenon is a phenomenon observed among Iranian students in recent years. This means that students study the lessons offered during the term only on the night before the exam. The aim of this study was to investigate students’ views and reasons regarding the exam night ýphenomenon of night.
This qualitative study was conducted through phenomenological method and purposive sampling. The participants consisted of BSc students of Babol University of Medical Sciences (Iran) who had completed at least two half semesters and had experienced the exam night phenomenon. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using open coding and a deep coding.
The 3 main themes of personal problems (mental preoccupation, lack of motivation, student’s personality, working while studying, and study methods), educational issues (teacher, textbooks, interest in courses and the field of study, and compact classes and the resulting fatigue), and implicit issues (university atmosphere, family, and the influence of friends) were effective in the exam night phenomenon.
According to the results, the exam night phenomenon and its effective factors is an important issue which affects the students’ study method, final score, and many other issues.

There has been growing recognition that medical students, interns, residents, and practicing physicians across many specialties are prone to burnout, with recent studies linking high rates of burnout to adverse mental health issues. The aim of this study was to examine factors affecting academic burnout among medical students and investigate the association between achievement goals and its dimensions, academic self-efficacy, and academic procrastination in the form of a causal model.
For this purpose, 174 students (98 in the clinical stage and 76 in the preclinical stage) of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (Iran) were selected based on Cochran’s Formula and through simple random sampling. The data collection tools consisted of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), Achievement Goal Questionnaire (Elliot and McGregor), Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (Midgley et al.), and Academic Procrastination Scale (Savari). To analyze the data, path analysis and the Pearson correlation coefficient were used.
The resulting path models indicated that academic burnout had significant negative relationships with mastery achievement goal, performance-approach, and academic self-efficacy, but it had significantly positive relationships with academic procrastination and performance-avoidance. It was also found that achievement goals had impact on academic burnout through academic procrastination and self-efficacy. The explained variance of academic burnout was 0.61.
It was found that achievement goals and academic self-efficacy had significant effects on academic procrastination and burnout. Thus, it is suggested that those involved in education provide the students with situations in which they can achieve a higher sense of empowerment in learning, so that they become more engaged in their academic work and be less likely to experience burnout.

Self-medication is one of the chief health problems and educational programs on its prevention are very important. An educational program can be considered effective, if it can make the necessary changes in participants’ knowledge and behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate the educational prevention program of self-medication in women using the Kirkpatrick model.
This evaluation study was carried out on 88 women. The cluster sampling method was used. The data collection tools consisted of the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (ýDREEM) and a researcher-made questionnaire based on the Kirkpatrick model, the validity and reliability of which were measured. The experimental group attended the educational program for 1 month. The effectiveness rate of the course was calculated based on significant differences in learning, reaction, and behavior scores of the case and control groups during the pre-test and post-test. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS statistical software using descriptive and analytical statistical tests.
The mean scores of desirability rate of participants’ reactions in terms of students’ perception of learning environment, students’ academic self-perception, students’ social self-perception, students’ perception of atmosphere, and students’ perception of teachers were 44.81 ± 7.06, 31.50 ± 4.11, 22.50 ± 3.54, 43.10 ± 7.46, and 41.37 ± 5.20, respectively. After the educational intervention, t-test results showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in mean score of knowledge change and attitude change in the second evaluation level, and also between mean score of behavior change in the third level (P According to the Kirkpatrick model, the educational prevention program of self-medication resulted in favorable outcomes in the three evaluated levels of reaction, learning, and behavior, and showed satisfactory efficiency.

Self-esteem is one of the fundamental factors in academic performance of students and recognizing the variables which impact it may help its improvement. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of factors such as demographic and academic variables, inclination toward lifelong learning, and learning style on self-esteem among health sciences students.
In the present study, 209 students of the School of Health of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran) were selected to participate in the study using stratified random sampling. Data collection tools consisted of a demographic and academic information questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES), Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory (KLSI), and the Jefferson Scale of Lifelong Learning. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation test, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS software.
The mean age of participants was 26.7 ± 8.4 years and most (94%) of them were men. In bivariate analysis, factors such as gender, daily study time, some domains of learning style, as well as constructs of lifelong learning were significantly associated with self-esteem. In multiple regression analysis, variables of gender, daily study time, abstract conceptualization from learning style domains, and beliefs of motivation toward learning (a lifelong learning construct) predicted student’s self-esteem. Approximately 38% of variance in self-esteem was explained using variables included in the regression model.
Considering that variables such as gender, daily study time, some learning style domains, and inclination toward lifelong learning may be associated with self-esteem, to improve students’ self-esteem, in the line with enhancing their academic performance, appropriate planning should be undertaken considering these factors. Moreover, further studies are necessary in this regard to gain more understanding of these factors.

Evaluation is a process that identifies and describes the effectiveness of all aspects of education. The use of logbooks as an aid in education and assessment might provide the possibility for a more uniform training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of logbook on students’ perspective in each of the 10 departments of dental school.
In this cross-sectional survey, a questionnaire consisting of 16 standardized items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 to 4), was used. From among the collected forms, 50 completely filled questionnaires were entered into the study. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a group of 10 experts and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s α (0.94). Tukey’s test and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis.
In all departments, there was agreement between the students’ logbook scores and final grades. In addition, the ability to find learning weaknesses via logbooks had the lowest score, whereas clear statement of learning objectives for each subject and requirement obtained the highest score. Usefulness of written clinical procedures in logbooks had the highest score in the Departments of Endodontics, Removable Prosthodontics, Fixed Prosthodontics, and Pediatrics.
The logbook is a practical and useful assessment tool for evaluating students and achieving learning objectives. It clearly states the educational objectives and clarifies the minimum requirements for each department. However, there is a need for the mutual cooperation and commitment of both the students and educators, which requires time and the better establishment of this method.

The morning report is a common, useful, and valuable clinical ýtraining method in the world. This method, when applied on the basis ýof evidence-based medicine (EBM), plays a more effective role in learning among medical ýstudents. This study aimed to determine the impact of EBM on medical student's skill in ýpresentation of morning report and its quality.ý
This study was operations research and 80 students were selected through simple random sampling ýfrom among, all medical practitioners of Shahroud University of Medical ýSciences (Iran). The selected participants took part in the 3-day workshop of introduction to ýEBM, with emphasis on morning report presentation. Data were gathered using a researcher-ýmade questionnaire which was validated by experts and its reliability was approved using ýCronbach's alpha coefficient. Questionnaires were distributed among the students before and after ýthe study and the results were compared. Data were analyzed using chi-squared test and t-test in ýSPSS software.ý
Of the 80 interns participating in the study, 22 individuals (27.5%) were men and the rest were female. Average ýtime of internship training for the interns was 10.5 ± 6.5 months (range: 3-16 months). The mean quality ýscore of morning increased significantly from 90.3 ± 25.6 at baseline to 132.8 ± 30.3 (P ýý= 0.001). Significant changes were observed in broadband facilities , computer ýfacilities , and the emergence of new and accessible scientific resources , the ýaverage number of interns participating in the meeting , average attendance of those on ýduty the night before , regular attendance of teachers , regular participation ýof interns, the regular and timely attendance of those managing the discussion, active participation of interns in discussions, role of teachers in the meeting , the selection of patients, the method of discussion about different parts of the ýpatient, follow-up of previously introduced patients, and the positive role ýof group administrators before and after EBM training.ý
Morning reports presentation based on EBM during internship at this ýUniversity was desirable, which can effectively result in the ýimprovement of the quality of education, regular and more beneficial attendance of teachers, ýespecially on-duty specialists, and more active participation of students, and thus, improve care ýtraining and update clinical teachers’ information. However, due to students’ and professors’ lack ýof knowledge regarding EBM, holding training courses on ýthis topic seems necessary.ý

With the presentation of topics related to social capital, the attention of scholars has been drawn to the ability of curriculums to develop social capital and its components (trust, participation, and solidarity). The current study aimed to present a teaching model for curriculum development for medical students in order to improve their social capital.
This qualitative survey was carried out based on grounded theory. Data were gathered through interviews with 18 professors of medical curriculum planning. The subjects were selected through purposive sampling. Open, axial, and selective coding approaches were used to analyze the data.
Teaching method was recognized as the main context of the present paper. Then, barriers to, strategies, and outcomes of the main context of the study were separated and plotted within a research paradigm and the final model of the study was created.
In the planning of the curriculum for medical sciences students, factors effective on social capital promotion must be considered in the development of teaching methods.