Journal of Medical Education Development
Year:2013 | Volume:5 | Issue:9|Papers Count:8

Background and Objective: The 360-degree evaluation is a method which is used to assess performance of medical students. It is important for instruments such as questionnaires for 360-degree assessment to be reliable and valid. This study has been designed with the objective to assess validity and reliability of 360-degree questionnaires.Materials and Methods: At first, some questionnaires were developed based on an extensive literature review and expert panel views. Then they were distributed among a sample of faculty members, medical students, nurses, and patients. The collected data was analyzed with spss 15 software. Mean scores of the respondents in each category were calculated. Cronbach.s alpha was run to examine the internal consistency. Factor analysis was used to clarify the factorial structure of the data. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was computed to examine the correlation between the evaluators' scores.Results: The instruments' content and face validity were acceptable. Factor analysis confirmed the factor structure of the questionnaires. However, no significant correlation was found between the questionnaires.Conclusion: Based on this study, 360-degree assessment tools are reliable and valid measures for evaluating performance of medical student.

Background and Objective: Promoting clinical education quality requires continuous assessment of the current situations in clinical education fields, identifying the strengths, and improving the weaknesses. The aim of this study was to consider self-efficacy and its role at Ghazvin Nursing and Midwifery School from the viewpoints of its faculty members.Materials and Methods: This study which is a description of current situation in clinical education fields was carried out during the second semester of 2010 academic year. The study population included clinical education teachers of school of nursing who were selected by census sampling. The data gathering tool was a questionnaire consisting of two parts: clinical teachers' demographic data and self- efficacy and role playing questionnaires.Results: Controlling students' unacceptable behavior in the class was the strongest aspect of nurses' role in clinical education (score=51). Helping students' families was the weakest aspect (score=34). Nurses' roleplaying was rated low in terms of inappropriate environment for work and authorities' lack of knowledge (score=47).Conclusion: Although some aspects of clinical education were acceptable, enhancing positive aspects and modifying the weaknesses may be an effective step in promoting clinical education quality with regard to self - efficacy and role playing promotion.

Background and Objective: The purpose of this research was an analysis of the relationship between negotiation styles and managers' conflict management strategies at Kashan University of Medical Sciences. The research questions were set forth on the basis of such styles (factual, analytic, normative and intuitive) and conflict management strategies (problem solving, control and avoidance of confrontation).Materials and Methods: The research method was descriptive. Correlative. Statistical population included 95 managers of Kashan state and Azad University. 84 managers were selected as the statistical sample utilizing classified random sampling. Data was collected by 2 close ended negotiation skills and conflict management questionnaires on the basis of Likert 5-grade scale. Reliability of the questionnaires was estimated to be 0.90 and 0.88.Results: The results indicated that the most common negotiation style used by managers was the factual style, and the least was analytical negotiation style.

Background and Objective: Assessing clinical and theoretical education and presenting feedback to educational planners and managers is very important. In assessment, we can rely on conclusions of the collected information if the tools are valid. The purpose of this study is preparation and calibration of valid indexes for assessment of clinical education situation in rehabilitation courses.Material and Method: This study is a qualitative research. Data was collected with library studies, systematic review and focus group. The data was analyzed with content analysis method.Results: Assessment indexes of clinical education situation in rehabilitation courses include 5 themes (student, teacher, management of clinical education, field of clinical education and evaluation of clinical education) and 57 indexes.Conclusion: Obtained indexes provide valid and reliable tools for assessment of situation of clinical education in rehabilitation courses.

Background and Objective: Pharmacy faculty members at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences have observed that pharmacy students enter this profession highly motivated, but later develop the attitude of just learn what is necessary to pass the exam. As they progress through the curriculum. For pharmacy students to become a lifelong learner having a motivation to make an effort towards educational goals is a must. We sought to evaluate pharmacy students' motivations in selecting pharmacy career and track factors which may affect their incentives through the curriculum.Material and Method: A researcher- made questionnaire developed according to existing resources and previous studies. Cronbach's alpha was used as the measure of reliability for Likert type scales questionnaire and it was validated by a panel of experts and pharmacy students.Results: Two hundred and seventy students were enrolled in the study, 128 of them were girls and 83 were boys. Six students did not return the questionnaire. The first and most important motives for choosing the pharmacy field was the social status pharmacists have in the community. Suitable salary, getting a degree, giving service to the community, interest in chemistry courses, family and friends' recommendations, and extensive areas for research were the next motives. Scores on the survey instrument indicated that all of the pharmacy students initially had high motivation for pharmacy field; however, this was declined as the course progressed.Conclusion: Overall, the majority of students were satisfied by choosing this field and believed that they would reach their predetermined goals.

Background and Objective: The evaluation of educational institutions' performance is an appropriate benchmark for making functional modification and improving the efficiency in such institutions. In order to achieve this important target, the researchers conducted a survey in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences to explore students' viewpoints as the recipients of educational services to find out the department's strengths and weaknesses.Materials and Methods: This is a survey research. A questionnaire was used to gather data. Sampling was based on a census method.Results: Availability of the faculty was rated high, but their flexibility, interactivity, sensitivity, and their ability to transfer knowledge was considered average by the students. Furthermore, the Friedman test confirmed the differences of the results (99% confidence level).Conclusion: Active physical presence, availability and sensitivity to human relations from the students. Points of view were assessed to be very good. This can be enhanced by holding journal clubs and hospital CPC sessions regularly as well as recruiting new members for the Department.

Background and Objective: Effective teaching is a set of teacher's behaviors that causes educational goals to be obtained and the quality of education to be improved. Students' feedback on teaching as the main stakeholders with tangible information for evaluation of teachers provides special information for the teacher who can take advantage of it to be more effective and improve his or her performance. Therefore, we decided to study the characteristics effective teaching based on viewpoints of medical students at Yazd Shaheed Sadoqi University of Medical Sciences.Material and Methods: The study is descriptive-analytical. The population consisted of 256 students studying at Yazd Medical Sciences University. Data collection instrument was a questionnaire whose reliability and validity were confirmed in previous studies. A multi-staged stratified sampling method was used to collect data. SPSS, Chi square test, ANOVA and T-test were run.Results: The survey results indicated that the priorities for effective teaching were teacher personality, teaching skills, personal attributes, assessment of skills, and observing educational rules. On the whole, according to the students, the most important characteristics of effective teaching are student mastery of the course (2.76), teachers' politeness (2.73) and their respect for students (2.7).Conclusion: Based on students' views, holding appropriate and targeted workshops and training courses, empowering teachers with new and effective teaching methods, and research-based instructional strategies are vital. Also, teaching communication skills as well as good evaluation techniques are important.