Iranian Journal of Medical Education
Year:2014 | Volume:14 | Issue:2|Papers Count:11

Introduction: As the main pillars of universities, faculty members play an important role in quality of higher education. By identifying desirable characteristics of faculty members, the quality of education and its efficiency can be promoted. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of a capable university teacher from the viewpoints of Health Services Management faculty members in Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, study population included all full time faculty members of health services management discipline in all Iranian Universities of Medical Sciences. Sampling was carried out through census including all study population (n=45). Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire which its content validity and reliability were confirmed. The questionnaire included six main domains evaluated using a five point Likert scale. Descriptive and analytic statistics (independent t test) were used for data analysis.Results: The findings suggest that faculty members’ priorities are the areas of teaching methods (4.50±0.31) and educational regulations (4.26±0.54). Mean of female teachers’ viewpoints (3.99±0.31) and male teachers’ perspectives (4.24±0.30) showed a statistically significant difference (P=0.03). Total mean score for individuals older than 40 years (4.08±0.33) and younger than 40 years (4.30±0.25) also showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.03).Conclusion: The results demonstrated that regarding the viewpoints of faculty members of health services management, advantageous characteristics of faculty members in all areas under investigation, especially in teaching method, educational regulations, personal characteristics, and interpersonal communication are important factors in promotion of higher education and its quality.

Introduction: It is important to pay attention to educational satisfaction and approaches to study for learning and academic performance. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between nursing students' educational satisfaction and with approaches to study and academic performance.Methods: This descriptive co-relational study was conducted on 149 students of Nursing and Midwifery School of Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, selected by convenience sampling method during 2012-2013 academic years. The data were collected using standardized questionnaires of study approaches (ASSIST) and educational satisfaction which their validity and reliability were determined. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and independent t tests.Results: The mean score of students’ educational satisfaction was 51.9±10.9 (range of scores: 14-70), and the mean score of deep and surface approaches the study were 59.9±6.3 and 53.5±8.4 respectively (range of scores 16-80). There was a statistically significant correlation between educational satisfaction and academic performance (p=0.015, r=0.2). In addition there was a positive correlation between educational satisfaction and deep approaches to study (p=0.002, r=0.26); and a negative correlation between educational satisfaction and surface approaches to study (p=0.003, r=- 0.24).Conclusion: With regard to the association between students’ educational satisfaction and their academic performances, paying attention to the role of educational satisfaction seems to be necessary considering students’ further academic achievements in university level.

Introduction: Nowadays there is more inclination for using computer-based education for teenagers. With regard to the limited number of studies on the efficiency of these methods toward puberty hygiene education, this study aims to determine the effect of software on knowledge and performance of teenage girls toward puberty hygiene.Methods: This trial was carried out on 620 teenage girls who had experienced menarche and were studying in secondary school in Tabriz during 2012-2013 academic years. Twenty one randomly selected schools were paired/matched based on students' baseline performance score and were randomly and equally assigned in to the groups; booklet, software, and no intervention. Using a self administered questionnaires in two stages (pre and post intervention), data on knowledge and performance were collected with one month interval. Linear regression test was used to compare post-intervention scores in three groups adjusting for the baseline scores and the cluster effect.Results: Post-intervention knowledge score in the software group was significantly higher compared to booklet group (adjusted difference 13.1) and no intervention group (adjusted difference 16.3 and p<0.001). Considering individuals’ performance score promotion, no significant difference was observed comparing software group to booklet and no intervention group.Conclusion: Findings of this study showed that software can be used for promoting knowledge of teenage girls toward puberty hygiene. However, according to study limitations and lack of software efficiency on teenagers' performance, doing further studies in this area is recommended.

Introduction: Cross-cultural competence as a core component in professionalism has a unique role in medical sciences due to cultural diversity clients (especially university students and patients). Despite its importance, yet many aspects of this competence are unknown in our country. Therefore this paper presents a review of cultural competence, its significance in the medical community, and its position in Iran as well as how it is assessed and educated.Methods: In this review article, we searched in library and electronic resources such as Sceince Direct, Magiran, SID, PubMed, and Proquest. used were cross-cultural competence, assessment, education, and faculty members, both alone and in combination. All documents were reviewed. Then relevant documents were selected and the related content and information were extracted.Results: Out of 131 investigated articles in total, documents of 67 relevent and credible articles were obtained. With regard to the diversity of the aspect of this subject, articles were classified in three categories of “importance of cultural competence”, “cultural competency education, “and “cultural competency assessment”. Cultural competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together and enable the person to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. In the care area, there is an obvious link between the cultural competence, quality improvement, health outcomes enhancement, and elimination of ethnic inequalities. In the education area, a culturally competent school is a place wherein new opportunities are provided for students in support of individual development as well as different cultural groups. Therefore medical educators must have multicultural attitude, behavior, and knowledge to help different types of clients (especially students and patients) appropriately.Conclusion: Since cultural variables are affected by various factors in our country, it is necessary to investigate this phenomenon in our own cultural setting. Moreover, a comprehensive plan must be developed for its educational strategies and assessment among faculty members and students.

Introduction: Professional confidence is a desirable characteristic of health professionals and midwives as the first persons in contact with the clients. As a result they should have enough knowledge and skills to offer clinical services. This study aimed to determine the level of professional confidence among midwifery students and clinical midwives in year 2013 in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we assessed the professional confidence of all midwifery students and a proportionate sample of clinical midwives in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences using Professional confidence questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed using content validity index and factor analysis and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: 101 (63.9%) midwifery students and 57 (36.1%) clinical midwives took part in this study. The mean score of professional confidence was 135.77±25.27 for second-year students, 149±26.36 for third-year students, 141.03±27.53 for fourth-year students and 158.94±27.53 for clinical midwives out of a total of 210 points. The result of one-way Anova test showed a significant difference between these four groups (P=0.001).Conclusion: Educational programs were successful in creating professional confidence in second and third-year students at a desirable level but the professional confidence in fourth-year students didn’t have an appropriate level. Professional confidence score among clinical midwives was higher compared to students as expected. Along with increase in students’ capabilities in senior years, a supportive clinical environment should be created which nurtures students’ professional confidence development. Assessing and exploring, factors reducing professional confidence is suggested for further research.

Introduction: Extensive changes in the health field have compelled many organizations of health sciences education to seek for the most effective educational approaches. Meanwhile, interprofessional education as a novel and efficient approach has recieved attention internationally. We conducted this study for introducing interprofessional education with a focus on its backgrounds and formation in health sciences.Methods: This integrative review study was performed during years 2012-2013 using an integrated search in PubMed, CINHAL, Ovid, and Science Direct databases. Moreover, google search engine was also used for searching in various information sources such as validated journals and conference proceedings and reports of educational organizations and assemblies, using main key words such as interprofessional education and interprofessional learning, limiting the results from 1995 to 2013 and mainly in English. We obtained more than 2000 titles including original articles, reports, web pages, letters to editor, and books. Having titles and abstracts assessed, 120 documents that were more appropriate and directly related to the study question were selected and analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Then the text contents were retrieved and final results were categorized and managed by MAXQDA software.Results: Two themes were obtained indicating the formation of interprofessional education in the health system. The challenges theme containing 4 categories: dynamic changes in all aspects of human society, poor quality of care services, staffing crisis, and failures of uniproffessional education. The second theme named constructive strategies containing 4 categories: improvement of interprofessional interactions, promotion of interprofessional collaborations, patient centered team care, and changing in professional socialization process of health sciences students.Conclusion: Interprofessional education with focus on interprofessional interactions and promotion in professional socialization process of health sciences students provides necessary competency and ability for developing interprofessional collaborations and comprehensive patient-centered team care among graduates for addressing challenges in health systems.

Assessment is an essential and integral part of medicine. In addition to validity and reliability, a desirable method for student evaluation should leave a positive effect on student’s learning and be feasible and acceptable by students and teachers. Hence, this study aimed to survey students’ and teachers’ satisfaction with DOPS examination.Methods: This experimental study used a single group post test study design in which a total of 60 medical internship students of emergency ward of 22 Bahman and Arya educational hospitals participated. After obtaining testimonial from students, in an emergency course, they were trained for one month on how the DOPS evaluation is run. The assessors (n=23) included clinical teachers and other professionals such as nurses. Expert panel selected seven basic medical skills and provided assessment checklists. Students selected two skills out of seven and performed through DOPS. A researcher-made questionnaire in Likert scale (0-3 points) was developed to investigate students’ and assessors’ viewpoints in areas of feasability, educational effects, and satisfaction that and its validity and reliability was confirmed prior to utilization. Data was analyzed using students’ one-sample and paired samples t test.Results: From students’ viewpoint, feasibility, educational effects, and satisfaction rates were significantly higher than 50 (average expected grade). Meanwhile, educational and learning effects showed the highest points (78±14.8) among them. From the assessors’ viewpoint also, satisfaction in the mentioned areas was significantly higher than fifty. Satisfaction with examination showed highest score (76.7±11.6) among all domains.Conclusion: According to the compliance of DOPS method with the performance objectives of medical curriculum and students’ and assessors’ viewpoints regarding its acceptability, feasibility, and educational impact in the existing clinical centers, as well as their satisfaction with this method, it is recommended to assess senior medical students’ clinical performance using this method.

Introduction: Study of academic failure can be helpful in identification of students at the risk of academic defeat and consequently leads to the prevention of material and human resource loss. As a result, this study was performed to determine the trends of academic failure and the determinants affecting it in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, all undergraduate medical students’ (n=894) data including educational and demographic characteristics were collected through Student Recording System (SAMA), for a 19 year period. Then the association between demographic attributes and academic failure determinants was tested using Binomial logistic regression analysis. Descending and ascending trends of probation and failure were determined using ARIMA statistical test.Results: In total, 28.2% of students have experienced academic failure annually. The number of students and accordingly academic failure showed a reducing trend during the years 1991-2000 but students’ admission and dropouts have had a growing trend during the following decade. The most significant explanatory variables affecting academic failure are age, gender (male), and prior qualification criteria such as quota system.Conclusion: Trends of academic failure have been affected by admission rates of medical students during the last two decades and the main determinants are educational variables and university admission criteria. Considering policies for plans to increase the number of medical students during last years, the rates of academic failure without supportive measures focused on vulnerable students, will not be avoidable.