Future of Medical Education Journal
Volume:5 Issue: 2, Jun 2015

Over the past decade, new dynamics have emerged in each of the key domains of higher education, research and innovation; therefore, considering effective factors on performing research activities is so necessary. The aim of the present study was to determine the factors influencing on postgraduate students’ interest and participation in research activities. This cross-sectional and descriptive–analytical study was performed in all postgraduate students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (75 people). The researchers-made questionnaire has been used for identification the effective factors on performing research activities among the postgraduate students. In this study we used a Likert Scale based questionnaire (Very Low=1, Low=2, Average=3, High=4 and Very High=5). The Cronbach''s alpha coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. Data analysis was done Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests for variables for 2 or three groups, respectively. Also One-Sample T-test and Friedman test have been used for identification of effective factors and priority order of these factors. The results show that the viewpoint of students in different schools, different age groups and between students with and without research experience has significant difference in relation to the role of effective factors on research activities (p<0.05). The efficiency level of these factors was related to: educational and research facilities, organization support (university), research and scientific experiences, other factors and finally the role of professors (p<0.05), respectively. Based on students'' viewpoint, educational-research facilities and organizational support play an important role in conducting research activities. Therefore access to internet with appropriate speed, different databases, equipping the research labs for scientific research and providing the advanced laboratory devices, financial support of university research unit and encouraging the postgraduate students in different ways, can strengthen the participation of students in conducting research activities.

The graduated dentists who are working for the community health services are considered to be better judges to comment on the educational needs in accordance with the society prerequisites. The aim of this study was to investigate the educational provisions of the department of pediatric dentistry from the viewpoints of the graduated dentists of Shiraz dental school. A total of 100 questionnaires, were distributed among 100 graduates composed of three sections. The main part assessed the quality of the proposed process (clinical, theoretical or none) that they had learnt in their study years. In the final part they were posed a key question to evaluated their ability to perform pediatric treatments in the current practice A small percentage of them (%31.7) were able to perform pediatric treatments in their current practice despite the high score they have reported for their skills in routine dental procedure in their study years. There was no significant difference between acquired skill of students and their ability to perform pediatric treatments after graduation. Since performing pediatric treatment is somewhat obstinate, student tends to treat adult patients with more enthusiasm. Therefore, they gradually forget their skills in pediatric dentistry “Slippery slope of clinical competence”, it is named. Recommend the ministry of health and human resources to give exclusive bonus, such as increasing salary and better facilities to the dentists practicing pediatrics.

Understanding some part of the human body such as serous membrane, peritoneal cavity, lesser sac and proper mesentery is difficult for medical students. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of animal dissection on improving medical student knowledge and view related viscera and serous membrane anatomy. In YUMS in 2011, sixty eight medical students were randomized to the animal dissection and usual teaching (group I) vs usual teaching alone (Group II) in thoracic anatomy. In abdominal part the position changed for both groups and in pelvis anatomy all student access to the both usual teaching and animal dissection. Post intervention knowledge and attitude questionnaires were completed. Independent t-test was used to analysis the data. The group I had significant increase and decreased knowledge in thoracic and abdominal anatomy, respectively (15.8±3.1 and 15.1±1.4) in compare with the group II (14.1±1.1 and 16.1±1.4) (P<0.01). The result of exam in pelvic anatomy for group I (17.7±1.2) comparing to the group II (17.4± 1.8) was not significant (P=0.43). The result of the questionnaire demonstrated, 82% of the students believed that these methods could cover enough of serous anatomy knowledge and 96% stated that they understood the anatomy of the serous membrane and viscera. Also, 90% perceived that this method can create better situation for communication and help to the other medical students. It seems that the dissection of animal is very important in the education of anatomy practical course and could improve medical student knowledge and attitudes.

According to the important role of Health Care Apprentice Program on medical students’ performance, especially in relation with Social Accountability of Medical Education, it is attempted to assess efficacy of Health Care Apprentice Program on the level of medical students’ knowledge and skills in the context of Primary Health Care at Babol University of Medial Sciences In this interventional study, the level of medical students’ theoretical and practical knowledge was evaluated in the context of primary health care before and after Health Care Apprentice Program. The study population includes 80 medical students attending two consecutive semesters that were introduced to Department of Social Medicine. The data were collected via a questionnaire designed by the researcher including 38 questions in the following fields: health education, controlling communicable and indigenous diseases, vaccination, maternal and child health, health food, environmental sanitation, safe drinking water supply, and occupational health. students’ mean score was 2.1 ± 2.4 and 26.7 ± 5.3 in pre-test and post-test, respectively (p>0.01). In post-test, the female students’ mean score was 27.5 ± 5.3, and the male students was 25.7 ± 5.2. Among male students, average rating of practical skills in sound level measurement and measuring chlorine in water was 86.3 & 81.3% which was higher than female students (64.3 & 75.7%). However, the female students’ skills in communication and health systems management were slightly higher than male students. The influence of Health Care Apprentice Program on increasing the level of medical students’ knowledge and skill in the context of primary health care was noteworthy. However, it appears that emphasis on increasing practical skills is essential due to future professional needs of medical graduates.

Nowadays, due to the emergence of new and advanced technologies, methods of medical education have undergone several changes. Because students often spend many minutes per day using mobile phone and its features, and this is a great attraction for them. This study was an attempt to assess the capabilities of the mobile phone technology to be used for teaching the key points of pediatrics. this study is a survey research. The population of this study includes medical students in the 93-92 school year who were selected in three different course of pediatrics. Available samples were selected from extern students (n = 85) and interns of pediatrics department (n=37). In this study multiple-choice questions were designed according to selected topics of courses which were taught during the period of externship and internship. Every day for 30 days one question was send via short message service (SMS) to students of pediatrics department. Students read the question and sent back the correct answers by text message as soon as possible. At the end of the course, also a researcher-designed questionnaire was used to assess the student's attitudes toward the usefulness of this method. To assess the validity of the questionnaire, content validity was used and the reliability was assessed with Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.80. Data were analyzed using SPSS16. Data analysis was performed in two levels of descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation (SD)) and inferential statistics (One-Sample and independent t-test). Mean (± SD) score of the questionnaire for extern students and interns were 4.44±0.56 and 4.45± 0.59 respectively, and given that these means were significantly higher than 3 (cut-off point), this shows a desirability of the project of sending short messages from the perspective of medical students of pediatrics department. The difference between the average scores of extern students and interns in level of α=0.5 was not statistically significant (p= 0.92, t=0.08). This study showed that the usage of short message service in the educational system has a positive effect on medical students learning, furthermore, students and interns believed that continuing this educational program has a good efficiency for their future career.

Nurse Educators have an important role in clinical learning that can reduce nursing student's stress. However, a few studies have been conducted on the relationship between nursing students’ tension and clinical educators 'role in such situations, in Iran. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between nursing students’ stress and perception of nurse educator’s effectiveness in clinical settings in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences- 2010. This is a descriptive and correlational study. All of the 181 students who had to pass clinical subject in Tabriz Nursing & Midwifery faculty were selected. Data collection instruments were demographic questionnaire; scale subset nursing clinical experience, and The Nurse Educator Effectiveness Questionnaire scale. Then, they were measured by Likert scale. Results showed that the mean of student's stress and nurse educators’ effectiveness were (M=57.09±16.97) and (M=71.62±11.56), respectively. There was negative significant correlation between them in clinical setting. The results of the study presented that the students’ tension decreases when their perception of nurse educators’ effectiveness increase It is suggested that all nursing faculties provide an applicable educational plan in order to resolve all problems and educational difficulties in clinical settings, specially they should identify and provide solutions for stress makers in clinical settings.

Child health improvement is one of the most important indexes in health programs among all countries. One of the eight millennium development goals for 2015 is reduction of child mortality. Based on WHO recommendation Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) is one of the most effective strategies to reduce under five mortality rates. In this study, we tried to compare knowledge and clinical skills about most common childhood illnesses among medical students after IMCI training with control group. We performed a control trial on two medical intern student groups who were training in pediatric department. Our study was done in Zahedan University of Medical sciences in 2014.We evaluated 18 students in first group (control) and 19 students in second group (intervention). Control group was trained based on routine program education and intervention group educated both routine program and IMCI guideline. We observed significant differences in knowledge score between control and intervention group (P<0.001). Also skill score about management of danger signs in intervention group was significantly higher than control group (P<0.001). IMCI training can be a logical way to improve education quality in pediatric department. Medical students can improve their knowledge and skills effectively through this training.

Electronically -Learning has created a new horizon in the world of education. The purpose of this is improving the quality of education and conserving (saving) time for teachers and students; this training can facilitate and strengthen the process of review. Since Mashhad University of Medical Sciences trains the applicants for family medicine as MPH virtually, we decided to study the efficiency of this method of trained students in this study. This is a cross-sectional study on primary and secondary students of MPH family medicine in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2013. The questionnaire contains personal information and factors related to the structure and content of education, training method and references page design, was set up. Then, validity of questioner using content validity method and its reliability using test to test were calculated. After collecting all the questionnaires, statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS-16 software. A total of 53 students were enrolled MPH family medicine. 68% (36 people) of students had a record of participation in virtual learning courses. 45% (25 people) considered taking courses virtually has influenced choosing this major. 89% (47 people) out of all certifies the course content provides their expectations. Besides, 77.5% (41 people) confirms the course material covers the expected goals. 74.0% (39 people) considered the course structure desirable and 57% (31 people) wanted to have similar virtual educational materials. There wasn’t any meaningful difference effect of virtual presentation between male and female students in their chosen field (p = 0/58). There wasn’t any meaningful relationship between having the ICDL skills and choosing this major (p = 0.09, r = 0.07).