Future of Medical Education Journal
Year:2020 | Volume:10 | Issue:4|Papers Count:9

Dear Editor: Every country has its own unique program for development of emergency medicine (EM) and Pakistan is not an exception. The authors completed 5 years EM residency training in a private tertiary hospital of Pakistan which was the first of its type. . .

Background: A learning style is a unique way of acquiring knowledge and skills obtained through study and experience. It is one of the most effective factors in learning, as well as the most important goal of an educational system. This study aimed to analyze the learning style of Zahedan general dentistry students in 2019-2020. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, the research population included all dentistry students of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences who were selected by using the enumeration method. The VARK Questionnaire was employed to collect data and the results were then analyzed through the chisquare and ANOVA test in SPSS 23. P < 0. 05 was considered significant. Results: Eighty-two percent of the students were unimodal learners and the aural style with a frequency of %43. 32 was the preferred method among participants. Regarding the multimodal approaches, aural-read/write style with a frequency of %6. 8 was the most common method. The results showed no significant relationships between the test variables and the learning style (p≥ 0. 05). Conclusion: According to the results of the present research, the unimodal style was the most common learning style. In addition, the aural style was the most preferred learning style. None of the studied variables, even the educational stage, had any effects on the preferred learning style. Finally, the aural style was identified as the preferred learning style in all groups.

Background: Service quality (SERVQUAL) is a model that measures the quality through comparing the expectations and perceptions of recipients to identify gaps. Identifying the gap may provide valuable insights for improving services. The students are the main recipients of services in educational organizations. So, this study was conducted to assess the educational services from the perspective of students of Health Services management at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences by the SERVQUAL model. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2018. The participants were 85 students of various levels of Health Services management. The SERVQUAL questionnaire including dimensions of empathy, tangibles, reliability, responsiveness and, assurance was used for data collection. Descriptive analysis, T-test, ANOVA, and correlation (Pearson and Spearman) tests were used for data analysis. Results: The overall mean perceptions and expectations were 3. 02 ± 0. 58 and 3. 78 ± 0. 73 respectively. There was a negative gap in all dimensions of educational services (mean=-0. 76). The greatest negative gap was in the dimension of assurance (-1. 05). The other variables were ranked as the following order: Responsiveness, Empathy, Reliability, and Tangibles. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the students’ expectations and their educational level (P < 0. 05). Conclusion: Students’ expectations were higher than their perceptions based on the results; however, according to SERVQUAL model the quality of education was inappropriate. It is necessary to plan effectively, so that the quality of education in all dimensions, particularly in assurance domain, can be improved.

Background: Determining fetal head station is an important factor during labor progress. This study evaluated the agreement and correlation between professors and residents of obstetrics and gynecology in the determination of fetal head station based on a vaginal examination during labor. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, term pregnant women with cephalic presentation in an active phase of labor underwent vaginal examinations simultaneously by residents and professors of obstetrics and gynecology. Their examination findings regarding a fetal head station, cervical dilation and effacement were recorded both by professors and the residents. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16 using Spearman’ s correlation and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient tests between results obtained by two groups of assessors (residents and professors). Results: Our data analysis showed that the agreement between obstetricians and residents for cervical dilatation, cervical effacement, and a fetal head station was 0. 88, 0. 9, and 0. 67 respectively (P<0. 001). The correlation between obstetricians and residents for determination of cervical dilatation, cervical effacement, and a fetal head station was 0. 77, 0. 79, and 0. 52, respectively (P<0. 001). Conclusion: The agreement and correlation between professors and residents in obstetrics and gynecology about the determination of fetal head station are lower than those for cervical dilatation and effacement. Because of the importance of accurate determination of fetal head station in the first stage of labor, a new approach (new invented device for determine fetal head station) should be developed for determining fetal station.

Background: This study investigated the basic and transmitted information of medical students towards HIV/AIDS in clinical and preclinical courses, as well as the sources they usually use to get information. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was carried out on 220 medical students in preclinical and clinical course, using a stratified random sampling method in 2015-2016. The study instrument was extracted from a WHO questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the present participants was 22. 31+2. 97 years. Most of them were female 130 (65. 7%) and 154 (77. 4%) were single. There is no statistically significant difference in basic and transmitted information among preclinical and clinical students (22. 11+1. 66 vs 22. 08+1. 70, p value=0. 91). The most of the students reported that books (85. 85%) were their main source of getting information about HIV/AIDS, followed by friendship organizations (32. 82%) and television (29. 29%). Most students reported they need more treatment information (59. 59%), as well as information on prevention (42. 42%) and modes of transmission (39. 89%). Conclusion: The present study showed that medical students have some knowledge about HIV/AIDS, but there are some considerable misconceptions in their basic and transmitted knowledge that require more attention to revise the HIV educational curricula.

Background: Integration is accepted as an important strategy in medical education and its final results depend on organizing different topics. In this method, the subjects (based on content) which are often included separately in a curriculum, are integrated in order to link and combine the content of the curriculum to create a cohesive learning experience. Development of this method is among the objectives of the medical education reform. Methods: The present applied cross-sectional study was performed on a statistical population (n=602) consisting of general medicine students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences at the level of basic sciences. The participants were selected using the census sampling method and included 150 and 130 students who were admitted in February 2017 (the reformed curriculum) and in February 2016 (the conventional curriculum), respectively. The curriculums were compared in terms of learning outcomes and the number of vulnerable students. Moreover, the research hypotheses were tested using the independent t-test and chi-square test in SPSS software (version 22). Results: Based on the findings, with 95% confidence, the learning outcomes of the students who followed the reformed curriculum were better than those of the students who followed the conventional curriculum. According to the analysis of the collected data, the mean learning outcomes for the conventional and the reformed curriculum groups were 14. 30± 3. 28 and 16. 76± 2. 80 for the subject of anatomy, 14. 10± 2. 62 and 15. 13± 2. 93 for the subject of physiology, and 14. 35± 3. 13 and 15. 44± 2. 85 for the subject of biochemistry. However, no significant difference was observed in the number of vulnerable students in two groups. Conclusion: Based on the findings, basic sciences curriculum reform in medical education can improve the academic achievement of the general medicine students.

Background: Designing a model based on human capital retention with an organizational support approach is one strategic issue for university staff. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the effective components to design a model for human capital retention with an organizational support approach in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Methods: The present study is in the category of developmental-applied research and was conducted by Delphi method in 2018-2019. A total of 32 experts, including specialists and faculty members of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were selected by purposive sampling method. At first, the dimensions and components related to the retention of human capital and organizational support were obtained through extensive review of databases and research background. Then through several sessions, the dimensions and components were codified in three rounds based on the consensus of the members. Results: The suitable model for the human capital retention with an organizational support approach was finalized with 8 dimensions and 53 components. These factors included personal, organizational, jobmotivational, environmental, organizational activities, job properties, organizational justice, and job stress dimensions. Results of Cohen's Kappa Coefficient for identified factors was 0. 78 for the second phase of Delphi technique and 0. 86 for the third phase of Delphi, which indicates a strong and acceptable agreement of panel members in relation to the factors of the conceptual model of research. Conclusion: According to the findings of the implementation of three stages of Delphi technique, the effective factors identified for the human capital retention with an organizational support approach in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences are eight factors which were mentioned above, and through explaining their current status, an effective step can be considered in this prominent university in Iran, and also its results can be used for other medical universities in the country.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis leading to lockdown in many countries. Many countries have closed schools, colleges and universities all over the world. Computers and smart phones have remarkably changed the learning and teaching environment. The distance learning is the learning method where teacher and students are not present at the same place. Methods: The present study was conducted to compare the views of distance learning technique with traditional classroom teaching in 3 rd MBBS medical college students. Data were collected by pre-structured and validated questionnaire from 270 medical college students who were selected through random sampling method. Data were analyzed with basic descriptive statistics and the percentage has been used. Results: In our study we found that 89. 62% of medical students believe traditional classroom teaching is more effective. Only 10. 37% of medical students felt distance learning is better than traditional classroom teaching. Without attending classes, 34. 44% students were able to understand the topic. Using distance learning without attending classes, only 36. 66% students were able to understand the topic. Conclusion: From our study results we conclude that traditional classroom teaching is better than distance learning. In the COVID19 lockdown period we need to develop new methodologies and pedagogy to improve distance learning methods.

Background: The aim of this study is to organize the educational materials of basic medical sciences by integrating anatomy and physiology courses in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study focusing on the views of professors and students of the basic medical sciences in February 2018 and September 2018 in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, on the presentation of anatomy and physiology courses in the form of system organ and integration. 241 students, who passed their lessons as Integrated, were selected by simple random sampling method. The study instrument was a researchermade questionnaire that its face validity has been used for validity. Results: The average of the professors' opinions about integrated teaching indicated that according to the sign test, which is related to non-parametric statistics, the median of 2. 893 with a standard deviation of 0. 52 was obtained, so the results of the professors' views were significantly higher than the median score. Also, according to the results of students, the statistical number of T was 5. 287 and the significance level was assigned less than 0. 05. Conclusion: Overall, according to opinions of professors and students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, it can be said that their satisfaction with the integration of basic medical sciences lessons in anatomy and physiology is above average.