Constructing a clinical curriculum evaluation tool based on community orientation strategy (A guide for application)

SPICES is an approach to assist curriculum planners while planning, reviewing or revising a curriculum. However, in the literature, there are few published papers describing the application of SPICES criteria for curriculum evaluation. The goal of this study is development of curriculum evaluation tool based on community-based strategy in SPICES model. This developmental study had two phases. The first phase was concept mapping and questionnaire development, which was performed as an extensive literature review and consensus in focus groups of experts. The content and face validity of questionnaire were checked by educational experts, and its reliability was checked by Cronbach's Alpha. The second phase was using the questionnaire to evaluate internal medicine clinical course in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Frequency of items selected by students was used to determine the location on the continuums. internal medicine clinical course were located in the traditional end of community-based continuum in terms of resources, teaching and learning methods, disease type, diagnostic and treatment approaches, course management and organization, assessment of knowledge, assessment of skills, levels of care in tests. Teaching preventive and rehabilitation approaches were placed out of the left end of continuums. Only teaching practical skills was found to be community based in internal medicine course. Such an evaluation can not only reveals the current location of medical schools on continuums but also reflects their future vision.