A Survey of Medical Students’ Views of Tehran University of Medical Sciences about Clerkship Programs during the Covid-19

The curriculum as the heart of the educational system is one of the effective factors in achieving the goals and mission of the university and its evaluation is of particular importance. Since medical education deals with human life and clerkships also play an essential role in shaping the professional abilities of medical students, this research was conducted with the aim of determining the desirability of clerkship programs from the point of view of medical students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences during the Covid-19 pandemic based on the nine elements of Francis Klein.

In this study, a descriptive-survey method was used. The statistical population was 487 medical students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, who were undergoing the clerkship stage at the time of the research, and the questionnaire was provided to them in the form of a census. The number of samples was determined based on Morgan’s table of 215 people. The research tool was a standard questionnaire, the validity of which was confirmed by professors in the field of educational sciences, and its reliability was calculated using the Cronbach’s alpha method of 0.794. Descriptive statistics (including statistical tables, graphs, central and dispersion indices) and inferential statistics (including one-sample t-tests and independent two-sample t-tests) were used for data analysis.

The results showed that clerkship programs from the point of view of medical students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences during the covid-19 disease, considering that the t-statistic of all research variables is less than 1.96 (educational objectives t=-4.735, educational content t=0/666, learning activities t=-7.812, teaching strategies t=-4.246, educational materials and resources t=-0.970, grouping of learners t=-5.223, learning space (place) t=-4.029, learning time t=-5.043, and learning evaluation t=-7.348) were not desirable in terms of all elements. It was also found that there is no significant difference in attitudes between male and female students regarding the desirability of these programs except for the element of educational goals.

According to the results of the research, the medical clerkship programs of Tehran University of Medical Sciences are facing challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a program that is compatible with the conditions and can meet the educational needs of the learners.