نشریه راهبردهای توسعه در آموزش پزشکی
سال نهم شماره 4 (پیاپی 22، زمستان 1401)

Creditation of medical universities is a proper method for improving the quality of medical education. Since accreditation programs help improve the quality of education for future healthcare providers, it is of particular importance. The goal of these accreditation programs is to ensure the achievement of minimum standards in various dimensions of education and research in medical sciences. In this process, decisions are made based on data extracted from comparison with standards.

Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has attracted the attention of many scholars in the world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artificial intelligence can be an integral part of dental education, and thus dental curricula in universities need to be updated so that students can use its benefits, including better diagnoses, fewer mistakes, more correct treatments, and less time and cost. Its integration into dental education depends on its effectiveness and the willingness of universities and students.

Background:

 The learning problems in the basic sciences field of study can cause further learning problems at higher levels and even in the future career. This study aims to evaluate the educational performance of medical students in basic sciences at Semnan University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) during a ten-year academic period.

Methods:

 This is an analytical study with a cross-sectional design that was conducted in 2021. All students of SUMS, who participated in the basic science comprehensive exam from 2011 to 2020, were selected by a census method (n=316). Their information was collected using a a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed by descriptive statistics and Paired t-test in SPSS software, version 16.

Results:

 Of 316 students, 62.3% were males. Most of them had exams in September 2017 (n=32), while the least had exams in September 2016 (n=3). The best status was related to those had exams in March 2017 (Average grade: 145), and the worst was related to those in September 2017 (Average grade: 100). Overall, the average grade of students in the March exam (128.8) was better than the average grade of September exam (114.2). The highest grades were observed in the courses of pathology, bacteriology, physiology, and immunology, while the lowest grades were observed in the courses of medical physics, embryology, and public health. Overall, there was no significant relationship between the average grades of the groups March and September (P=0.073). The basic science comprehensive exam grades had a significant relationship with grade point average (P=0.033) and gender (P=0.42).

Conclusion :

The educational performance of students in basic sciences at SUMS has not changed significantly in ten years. Long-term educational evaluations of students are recommended to university managers and officials for proper planning.

Background :

One of the educational design models emphasizing learner participation is the ASSURE model. The present study aims to design, implement, and evaluate the effect of an empowering program based on the ASSURE model on medical students’ participation in teaching and classroom activities.

Methods:

 This is a descriptive study that was conducted on 62 undergraduate students in public health at Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2021. The program was designed and implemented based on the 6 phases of the ASSURE model. The data collection tool was a researcher-made student satisfaction and attitude questionnaire based on the 6 dimensions of the ASSURE model. The data was analyzed in SPSS software, version 16.

Results:

 In this study, 91% (n=53) of students were female and 9% were male. The students’ interest to participate in teaching was reported to be 80%. Their satisfaction with the analysis of learners (first phase) and the statement of educational objectives (second phase) was 75% and 89%, respectively. For the use of materials and media (third phase), 68% reported favorable satisfaction, and 23% had moderate satisfaction. In addition, 84% were satisfied with the way of participation in teaching and classroom activities, and 65% were satisfied with the evaluation method (last step).

Conclusion :

The empowering program designed based on the ASSURE model is effective in increasing public health students’ participation and interest in teaching and classroom activities. This program can be used in other universities in Iran to improve educational objectives and effective learning.

Background:

 The quality of teaching is strongly related to the characteristics of teachers. Evaluating the performance of teachers, based on the students’ opinions can be beneficial for teachers and education. This study aims to survey the perceptions of dental students about the characteristics of a good dental professor.

Methods :

This is a qualitative study using the content analysis approach conducted in 2021. The opinions of 18 students from the Faculty of Dentistry in Yazd, Iran, were surveyed using a semi-structured interview. After recording and transcribing interviews, the coding and theme extraction were done. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method based on Colaizzi’s seven-step method.

Results:

 According to the results, three main themes were extracted; Personal characteristics, scientific characteristics, and clinical characteristics. Personal characteristics had four sub-themes of teaching, manner, personality, and communication), while scientific characteristics and clinical characteristics had two sub-themes of teaching and manner.

Conclusion :

According to the opinions of dental students, a “good dental professor” is a teacher who has good personal, scientific, and clinical characteristics together, in interaction with each other. Further studies to define the characteristics of a good professor in other medical fields are recommended.

Background:

 The quality of performance in healthcare centers is important due to its effect on the health of society. This is highly dependent on the quality of clinical supervision over the activities. This study aims to investigate the effects of proper clinical supervision on the performance of Iranian nurses in special care units (ICU, CCU) to further optimize the quality of healthcare provision. 

Methods :

This is a qualitative meta-synthesis research that was conducted using the seven-step method of Sandelowski and Barroso. The meta-composite team members included one physician, three curriculum planning experts, and one expert in meta-synthesis research. Relevant studies were found from five international databases and two national databases. The initial search yielded 20 studies, of which 12 were finally selected for the analysis. Data analysis was done using the thematic content analysis method. The quality of the studies was examined by using the credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability criteria.

Results:

 The thematic analysis revealed three main themes: psychological achievements, organizational achievements, and cognitive achievements.

Conclusion:

 To improve the performance of Iranian nurses in special care units, clinical supervisors and nurses should mutually cooperate to ensure that nurses use their maximum effort, experience, expertise, and knowledge to improve patient care in these units.

Background:

 An important characteristic of higher education in the last four decades is the rapid expansion of higher education institutions in developing countries, including Iran. Consequently, it is important to evaluate their educational services. This study aims to investigate the satisfaction of medical interns with the quality of clinical training in the internal emergency department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran.

Methods:

 This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2022 on 100 interns from the internal emergency department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital who were selected by a convenience sampling method. The data collection tool was Masoomi and Dastgiri’s satisfaction scale. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software, version 16.  

Results:

 According to 56% of interns, the quality of clinical training in the emergency department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital was at a moderate level, while 38% perceived it as favorable. In terms of the domains of satisfaction with the quality of training, the highest level of satisfaction was related to the quality of training in performing main medical procedures (71.3%), followed by the quality of teaching basic skills (69.9%), the quality of time spent in the emergency department (64.8%), and the teaching quality of professors (59.1%).

Conclusion:

 According to medical interns, the quality of clinical training in the internal emergency department of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan, Iran, is at a moderate level. It is important to improve the quality of clinical training in this department for medical interns in compliance with the guidelines stipulated by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.