Education Development Center

Problem statement: The aim of the present study was to determine the successful medical students' viewpoints on factors significant to their academic success assessed according to the students' grade point average. In this research the students with the grade point average (GPA) A (17- 20) were considered academically successful. Approach: The participants were 30 fifth year successful students (i.e. students

In the design of educational programs, much attention has been paid to teaching methods, needs assessment, an important part of the development of educational programs, generally is neglected. Another important aspect in educational program design is assessing effectiveness. The aims of this study were to design a formal needs assessment program to define the core contents of a faculty development program, and to determine whether participation in the faculty development program reinforced new teaching skills. A teacher-training program was designed at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences to help medical instructors boost their teaching skills. Needs assessment was done with nominal group technique followed by a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. The program, imparted in workshop format, covered effective teaching methods, feedback, assessing knowledge and time management. Instruction was in the form of lectures, group discussions, case simulations, video presentations and role-pl...

It has been found that the decision-making process in medicine is affected, to a large extent, by one's experience, individual mentality, previous models, and common habitual approaches, in addition to scientific principles. Evidence-based medicine is an approach attempting to reinforce scientific, systematic and critical thinking in physicians and provide the ground for optimal decision making. In this connection, the purpose of the present study is to find out to what extent the education of evidence based medicine affects clinical decision making. The present quasi-experimental study was carried out on 110 clinical residents, who started their education in September, 2012 and finally 62 residents filled out the questionnaires. The instrument used was a researcher-made questionnaire containing items on four decision-making approaches. The questionnaire was used both as a pre-test and a post-test to assess the residents' viewpoints on decision making approaches. The validit...

Ways are needed to effect quality improvement in medical education research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). This study aimed to determine the principle themes and to draw up a list of priorities in medical education research in EMR. Using the nominal group technique with a group of 30 experts, a list of major themes in medical education research was prepared. In a 2-round Delphi survey the list was sent to another 47 experts in the Region with a questionnaire that included open questions about change and reform in medical education. In the final list of 20, the 5 highest priorities identified were: training physicians to be effective teachers; community-driven models for curriculum development; clinical teaching models; education about professionalism and ethics; and education for evidence-based medicine. Themes determined by this survey can help researchers in EMR to focus on priority areas in research.

To improve the quality of research, it is necessary to understand the obstacles to undertaking research. This study aimed to identify: I) internal obstacles to research as considered by faculty members at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences; ii) differences between their viewpoints by gender and professional variables; and iii) the effect of these obstacles on research activity. Six types of obstacle were considered: financial, facility-related, occupational, managerial-organizational, scientific and personal. The study sample consisted of 240 participants selected from all 550 faculty members of the University. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire; the response rate was 91%. All 6 types of obstacle were considered to affect research activities by most of the respondents, with 90% identifying financial obstacles. There were significant differences by gender, scientific rank, field of study, and holding executive responsibilities but not for durations of work expe...

This report describes a unique experience of Second National Medical Science Olympiad that was held in August 2010 in Shiraz, Islamic Republic of Iran. The history of medical science Olympiad in Iran and the development, process and domains in the Olympiad and the way for future will be discussed.

Introduction: The scholarship domains based on Boyer’s definition includes discovery, teaching and learning, application, integration and engagement, but it is a main question that which criteria must a scholarship activities have? In this research, the characteristics of scholarship activities have been studied using a qualitative approach based on higher education experts’ viewpoints from four domains [humanities, engineering, basic sciences, and medical sciences] Method: The method of this research was based on qualitative approach using a semi- structured interview in 2013. The sampling method was objective and 14 faculty members participated in the research. Data were analyzed using the expert’s viewpoints. Results: The analysis of the experts’ viewpoints showed differences, infra-discipline characteristics. All of the experts reported that creativity, defining the correct problem and scientific reasoning were the first preferences and then necessity for sharing knowledge with ...

The global expansion of access to higher education has increased the demands for information on academic quality, leading to the development of university ranking systems and accountability in many countries worldwide. Universities should introduce systematic evaluations of education at departmental, faculty and university-wide levels. Statistical performance indicators can improve the reliability of evaluations performed. This study is a descriptive evaluation research, focusing on the performance assessment-productivity and quality-of academic departments in Shiraz Medical School, Iran. There was an attempt to identify departmental performance regarding input, process and output areas. In this study, program evaluation theory and management-oriented systems model were used as the evaluation approach. In this approach, the CIPP/O model which emphasizes comprehensiveness in evaluation within a larger framework of organizational activities was applied. This model as a conceptual framework directed the research strategy (what to look for) and helped the researcher to identify the performance dimensions of academic departments and select appropriate performance indicators. According to the teachers and students' points of view, the curriculum content of basic sciences departments and their objectives are clear and useful; however, the students' views about the department of biochemistry varied. The most problematic areas in the basic sciences courses (programs) are related to the time organization of the course, type of examinations, and available educational resources. High pass percentage in these four departments showed that the programs have had a comprehensive impact on the students. The consistently high percentage of students who successfully completed the basic sciences courses during 2005 to 2007 indicated that the process and inputs are stable and institutionalized.

Clinical learning occurs in the context of a dynamic environment. Learning environment found to
be one of the most important factors in determining the success of an effective teaching program. To
investigate, from the attending and resident's perspective, factors that may affect student leaning in the
educational hospital setting at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). This study combined
qualitative and quantitative methods to determine factors affecting effective learning in clinical setting.
Residents evaluated the perceived effectiveness of the university hospital learning environment. Fifty two
faculty members and 132 residents participated in this study. Key determinants that contribute to an effective
clinical teaching were autonomy, supervision, social support, workload, role clarity, learning opportunity,
work diversity and physical facilities. In a good clinical setting, residents should be appreciated and given
appropriate opportunities to study in order to meet their objectives. They require a supportive environment to
consolidate their knowledge, skills and judgment.
© 2013 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Introduction: One of the most important issues in every country is attention to educational levels without sexual discrimination. Education is the fundamental aspect of every society that leads to an increase in knowledge, investment, health indicators, and safety. As such, this study aimed to determine the trend of progress and challenges in females' education in Iran. Method: This is a descriptive study conducted using the systematic review and library study in Iran Ministry of Science, Education and technology, World Bank, and UNESCO. Findings: The most significant progress has been made at the primary education level, where the gender parity index in the gross enrolment ratio increased from 0.90 in 1990-1991 to 0.96 in 1999-2000, and the secondary education level, where the Gender Parity Index (GPI) increased from 0.73 to 0.92 during the same period. Conclusion: The study of various educational indicators, including access to early childhood care and education, participation in primary, secondary and higher education, and adult literacy rates indicates a considerable progress made towards gender equality in Iran during the last decades.