Journal of Medical Education Development
Year:2016 | Volume:8 | Issue:20|Papers Count:12

Background and Objective: Studies on factors which affect the faculty members' evaluation score by students have shown conflicting results. On the other hand, recognizing effective factors in student evaluation of faculty members can reveal the strengths and weaknesses of this method. This study was carried out to determine the effective factors in evaluation score of faculty members by medical students of Qom University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: All medical students who were in their first academic semester in 2014-2015 at Qom University of Medical Sciences participated in this study. Evaluation questionnaire and information about students (final score, grade point average and gender) and faculty members information (Sex and academic ranks) were also analyzed.Results: A total of 1028 questionnaires were evaluated. Faculty members' evaluation scores of female students were significantly higher than males. There was no significant correlation between faculty members' evaluation scores and students’ final score and grade point average. The mean of faculty members' evaluation scores in female faculty members, associate professors and professors were higher than other teachers.Conclusion: This study revealed that factors related to student and student gender had an impact on evaluation results and also female faculty members and teachers with higher academic degrees had higher evaluation scores. In contrast to some previous studies that demonstrated the impact of student's grade point average and final score on faculty members' evaluation results, this study did not show any correlation among these factors.

Background and Objectives: Clinical education is an important part of nursing and midwifery curriculum and is a main basis for clinical skills and professional competencies of students. Improvement of clinical education requires awareness of clinical environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate quality of clinical education in teaching hospitals affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences from the viewpoints of nursing and midwifery students.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 100 nursing and midwifery students who were studying in their second and third academic year and were selected by census method at Zanjan University of Medical Science in 2012- 2013. A two-part questionnaire was used to collect data. The first part assessed demographic data and the second part evaluated clinical education status which included 33 items in following five domains; purpose and educational curriculum, instructor characteristics, educational environment characteristics, quality of interactions between students and other staff, and supervision and evaluation. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and t- test using SPSS ver.17.Results: Results showed that among five domains of clinical education, goals and educational planning and instructor’s characteristics were reported as moderate or high levels. But the quality of interaction with students, characteristics of educational environment and supervision and evaluation were reported as moderate or low levels. There were no significant differences on domains of clinical education between nursing and midwifery students.Conclusion: Although some aspects of clinical education were estimated as moderate or high level, but there were still some weak points that disrupted the integrated chain of clinical education. Therefore, it is necessary to give clinical education consideration in order to strengthen the positive aspects and modify the weaknesses to improve its quality.

Background and Objective: The exact design of the residency exams (standards-based) is very important.The purpose of this study was Quantitative and qualitative indicators evaluation of residency exams in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences and study of the relationships between taxonomic levels by quantitative indicators.Materials and Methods: All questions of residency exams from 7 Medical Specialties of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences in 2012 and 2013 were studied. Taxonomy of questions in three levels: remembered, understanding and judges were determined. Discriminating power was studied in four groups as good, fair, poor, and negative. Difficulty was classified into 5 levels of easy, medium, hard, very difficult and extremely difficult. SPSS v.19 software was used for the calculation of the T-test and ANOVA.Results: A total of 2100 questions, 38 percent of the questions reminded taxonomy, 24.1 percent of the level of understanding and 37.9 percent level were judges.24.9 percent of questions had negative discriminating power, 34.1 percent had poor, 22.5 percent had average and 18.5 percent had good discriminating power. For the degree of difficulty, 22.1 percent simple questions, 22.6 percent average, 24.5 percent difficult, 17.5 percent very difficult and 13.2 percent was extremely difficult. A significant association was found between taxonomic questions and differentiation factor, taxonomy remembered had less differentiation index and questions, taxonomic understanding and application had differentiation index higher (p<0.0001).Conclusion: The results showed increased levels of taxonomic questions can enhance the discriminating power test questions.Since questions designed the taxonomy of two and three were lower than the standard (80%), teachers were recommended design more questions higher taxonomy in residency exams.

Background and Objective: Midwifery students should consider both maternal and fetal health. Hence, this study was conducted to compare the effects of simulation video education with lecture on midwifery students’ knowledge and self-confidence regarding cardiopulmonary assessment.Materials and Methods: In this quasi experimental study, 28 midwifery students randomly allocated to two groups of simulation video education and lecture. Data was collected using a three section questionnaire consisted of midwifery students’ demographic characteristic, knowledge and self-confidence in cardiopulmonary assessment. Data was collected before and after training methods and was analyzed using SPSS19 software and independent t-test and paired t-test.Results: The mean score of knowledge and self-confidence before and after intervention in both groups of simulation video education and lecture was not significant (P<0.0001). Besides, results indicated that, mean scores of knowledge 9 (±1.24) and self-confidence 26.14 (±3.32) in stimulation video group were more than the mean scores of knowledge 5.78 (±0.75) and self-confidence 15.57 (±4.11) in lecture group. This difference was statistically significant (P<0.0001).Conclusion: According to the findings, using simulation methods such as video approach might be more effective in improving students’ knowledge and self-confidence regarding cardiopulmonary assessment than lecture. Thus, video simulation approach could be used as a substitute or supplementary method to improve students’ learning and to achieve mastery

Background and Objective: The importance of education and its role in achieving modern society goals is clear. Appropriate education and student satisfaction can lead to the development of a modern society. The Aims of this study was to evaluate the educational service quality gap among students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014. Statistical society was students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and a sample size of 246 students was selected randomly.Survey instrument was a SERVQUAL questionnaire of 27 questions. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 93% and the test - retest reliability was 86%. Data was analyzed through SPSS software and t-test, t-paired test and ANOVA.Results: The gap in quality of educational services in aspects of assurance, accountability, empathy, reliability and tangibility was -1.375, -1.640, -1.497, -1.332 and -1.994 which was statistically significant (p< 0.001). The gap between the students' perceptions and expectations of quality of educational services was -1.570 which was statistically significant (p<0.001).Between perceptions and expectations of students and gender there was not a significant relationship (p>0.05). The relationship between age of students and their perceptions of the quality of education was significant (p=0.015).Conclusion: Due to the wide gap in the field of tangibility and accountability, it seems that policy makers' attention to these two areas will lead to improved quality of educational services.

Background and Objective: Religious rules can help patients to improve their recovery speed. Anxiety may be caused by neglecting patients' religious orders which have negative impacts on the course of remission and may prolong length of stay in hospital and successively have adverse psychological effects. The present study aimed to assess the need for religious care of patients.Materials and Methods: This cross - sectional study consisted of patients who stayed in teaching hospitals and were selected through census method. Data collection instrument was a two-section questionnaire which the first part was the demographic characteristics and the second part was researcher-made questions on the need for patients' religious care. After obtaining consent, patients were asked to complete the questionnaire.Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA were used and finally data was analyzed through SPSS software.Results: Chi-square test showed a significant difference in aspect of religious care (p<0.05) and one-way ANOVA also indicated a significant relationship between age and job and the need for religious care.Conclusion: According to the results of this study, considering the religious care of patients is very important and necessary. It is recommended that officials and educational planners put religious care as a part of clinical care in medical curriculum.

Background and Objective: Advanced educational systems in modern countries continuously revise their scientific objectives and activities to develop the students’ competency which in turn leads to provision of a more accurate and ideal care for patients in the real world environment. The aim of this study was to determine the neonatal subspecialty students’ perceptual experience of developmental care in their educational course.Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was carried out on 10 neonatal subspecialty students at Medical Universities of Tehran. The data was gathered through semi-structured interviews. After obtaining written consents, the interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed through an inductive approach of content analysis. The strategies for results validation included continuous observations at the field site, and supervision and review of the analysis procedures by a research team.Results: The main themes were found as sufficiently qualified to admit the course, structural and functional constraints of education, challenges to curriculum, lack of structure and procedure of developmental care in health systems.Conclusion: It is suggested to revise the educational programs in the field of neonatology and perinatal conditions and provide appropriate educational programs to help graduates in getting ready for their new roles in developmental care.

Background and Objective: The purpose of this project was applying IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) as an educational intervention for the medical trainees, interns and pediatric residents in approach with sick children.Materials and Methods: In this educational intervention all of the trainees, interns, and residents at Golestan Medical Sciences University in 2010-2011 participated in the research. The procedures of implementation and evaluation were documented. In order to study the participants' experiences and perspectives (faculty members, students, mothers of children) semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data was analyzed using content analysis method.Results: The MANA Program was a practical approach in educational programs for the medical students in pediatrics wards. The analysis of participants' experiences revealed five themes "usefulness of IMCI teaching method", " IMCI implementing problems", "algorithmic thinking", and "feasibility". The analysis of care receivers' experiences indicated two main themes "satisfaction" and "sometimes boredom".Conclusion: To get the best results in implementing IMCI Program in clinical pediatrics courses, modifications and changes in the current health care settings and also integrated and continuous coordination is highly essential.

Background and Objective: In recent years, many efforts are made in education and development of evidence-based medicine at medical sciences universities. Many different methods are used in training and empowering clinical assistants, medical students and general practitioners in Iran and other countries, but despite their positive effects on increasing knowledge, skills, and attitudes of learners there are not notable and sustainable effects on evidence-based medicine establishment. The present study aimed to investigate the barriers to implementation and institutionalization of evidence-based medicine in clinical wards.Materials and Methods: This study was a qualitative approach using content analysis of clinical assistants and medical education experts’ viewpoints who participated in EBM courses. The current status of EBM implementation was determined using a questionnaire and then experts were asked to mention the barriers of applying the EBM in real environments. The viewpoints of a group of experts consisted of 10 clinical faculty members and clinical assistants who participated in focus group study were classified by quantitative and qualitative content analysis.Results: After analyzing the residents and faculty members' viewpoints, barriers to implementation of evidence-based medicine in clinical settings from their perspective were classified into 31 items and 7 components included facilities, quality of training, tracking and accountability, clinical environment, and factors related to faculty members and clinical assistants. A summary of 10 faculty members' viewpoints was classified into19 items and 5 factors.Conclusion: The development and institutionalization of evidence-based medicine is affected by environmental and individuals attitudes in clinical wards. However, developing this approach requires ameliorating hardware facilities, rules, management support, education and empowerment, responsibility and accountability which also affect one another.

Background and Objective: Nurses encounter many moral stresses during their professional career. Moral knowledge can be helpful in their moral decisions. This study aimed to discuss the effect of moral distress in nursing ethics.Materials and Methods: This experimental study consisted of a sample of 30 nurses from all civil hospitals in 2014 which was selected randomly and assigned to two groups of experimental and control. After 4 sessions (one session a week for 90 minutes for a month) nursing ethics were presented to the experimental group. In order to measure the dependent variable (moral distress), the post-test questionnaires of moral sensitivity were distributed to the both groups. The data was analyzed using SPSS V.20 software.Results: After the intervention there was a significant decrease in mean of moral distress in the experimental group. This means that there was a reduction in ethical distress following the implementation of moral principles training in nursing education.Conclusions: Ethical principles training can be considered as a factor to increase awareness of ethics in nurses and underlie the reduction of their ethical distress. So implementing ethics training programs in health centers as a way to reduce ethical distress among nurses should be considered.

Background and Objective: Clinical education is a ways that helps nurses achieve clinical competence. The role of competence in education has significantly grown, which determines the gap between theoretical and clinical education. Since no qualitative study has been conducted in this regard in Iran, this study aimed to investigate graduates’ perceptions of factors which affect clinical competence of the course.Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using Graneheim & Lundman conventional content analysis (2004). Participants were selected through purposive sampling; seven critical care nursing graduates participated in the study. Data was collected through a semi-structured interview. Peer-check and member-check were used to assess credibility and trustworthiness of the findings. Data collection and analysis were performed concurrently using content analysis.Results: The participants stated factors affecting clinical competence in three main themes: factors related to education including " professional skills", "unclear objectives of the course, " "employing inexperienced educators for teaching this course", motivational factors including "empowering students in education and research", " appropriate professional position after graduation", "changing perspective and insight after graduation", and individual factors including "communication skills", "inadequate self- confidence", " lack of attention to students’ interests at the beginning of the course", "clinical experience", "ability of decisionmaking and critical thinking" and "considering practical and humanistic ethics.“ Conclusion: With regard to participants’ viewpoints and novelty of this course in Iran, it is essential to consider factors affecting students’ clinical competence in order to promote this postgraduate course. Thus, authorities can plan necessary changes to improve the course outcome, and graduate students can acquire essential and sufficient competence in patients care.

Background and Objective: Learning based on new technologies has improved educational system deficiencies and brought about major changes in educational system. In order to implement this new method of teaching, this study aimed to determine students' readiness in Zanjan Medical Sciences University.Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, e-learning readiness of 120 students was investigated using random stratified sampling. Data collection instruments included demographic and Watkins standard elearning readiness questionnaire. Readiness was calculated in three low, moderate and good levels. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test.Result: By considering all the aspects of e-learning readiness, the results showed the majority of students had a good level of readiness. Readiness of students in 4 aspects of access to technology, motivation, ability to learn through media, online group discussions were moderate and in the aspects of communication skills, major factor of success in e-learning were good. Level of readiness significantly associated with students’course study (0.001) and educational level (0.006) while this relationship was not significant with the students’ sex, age, and semester.Conclusion: Despite the fact that the majority of students had a good readiness, the readiness of other elements such as organizations, managers, and teachers also should be considered. Regarding the relationship between demographic factors and readiness, the appropriate intervention to improve the level of readiness, especially among undergraduate students is necessary.