DETERMINING THE CURRENT, EXPECTED SITUATION, AND THE GAP IN QUALITY OF CLINICAL EDUCATION AMONG MIDWIFERY STUDENTS OF JIEROFT UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Clinical education is considered as the primary source of learning and shapes the professional identity of medical students. The aim of this study was to determine the current and optimal condition and gap in quality of clinical education among midwifery students at Jieroft University of Medical Sciences

This descriptive study was conducted among undergraduate students of midwifery at Jieroft University of Medical Sciences in 2014-15. The data collection tool was a two-part questionnaire (4 questions about demographic information, 22 questions about the Current and Optimal Condition). Validity and reliability were confirmed (Using the test-retest and correlation coefficient 0/87). All statistics were computed using the SPSS17 software, using statistical descriptive tests and t-test. p<0.05 denoted statistical significance.

Findings showed that the mean age of participants was 21/4 ± 1/8 years. Most of the current status and expected average scores were related to the students' attention to what other employees say (3/42 ± 0/98) and help coach students in clinical practice (4/82 ± 1/02). The lowest mean score gap was related to attention coach to feelings of students (-1/01). Largest gap relates to providing new and innovative activities for students (-3/25). (p=0/00).

Based on the results, the quality gap in all aspects of clinical education between the current and the expected situation is significant. The basic planning is needed to improve the quality of clinical training .