Developing standards for clinical training of medical emergency diploma course

Today, moving towards optimal and efficient education is essential in educational systems. This requires adaptation in educational, research and management programs with professional development, producing knowledge and the standards. The aim of this study was to develop the standards for clinical training of medical emergency diploma course. This qualitative study was performed in four steps during 2013-14. Firstly, local and foreign standards related to the clinical education and intermediate emergency medical technician (EMT) training obtained from the web. In the second step, 108 standards within 6 domains were designed in accordance to the comments of the supervisor and advisors, and 6 of officials in medical emergency centers as well as department faculties of medical emergencies. In the third step, a list of open-ended questions was sent to 14 faculty members in emergency medicine and 10 officials in medical emergency centers based on purposive sampling method to assess the quality and feasibility of standards, using the Delphi method. In the fourth step, quantitative data were analyzed by calculating indices of central tendency and dispersion and qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. According to the comments and feedbacks, all necessary changes in the standards were addressed and then the results were sent back to the experts for final review. The final version of the standards was prepared after consensus. One hundred and five standards within 6 domains were developed for clinical training of medical emergency diploma course in Iran including faculties and clinical instructors (14), students (3) educational program (25), resources and facilities (16), activities of teaching - learning (24) outputs and outcomes (23). According to the experts’ views, the majority of the final standards were important, clear, measurable, and feasible in different universities. It’s expected that operationalization of the developed standards makes clinical training of medical emergency diploma course more scientific and effective in Iran.