Student's participation in educational activities: A new experience in medical education

Medical education is an important priority in health ministry of Iran. Satisfaction of education has an impact on scholar improvement and helps students to get better grades in their lessons. The aim of this study was to assess the role of student's participation in education.120 undergraduate health students in faculty of health affiliated to Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences took part in this study which was performed from 2004 to 2006. Sixty students by current method (teaching and evaluation only by the teacher) and 58 students by offered methods were educated. Students participated in education (offered method) in the course of communicable diseases control by lecturing and evaluation their classmates. At the end of course, satisfaction of students was assessed using questionnaires with reliability and constancy of 82% and 87% respectively. Mean of student's grades were compared by t-test and satisfaction by chi square test. Satisfaction rates with offered method were 62.1% and with current method was 30.7%. There was significant difference between two groups (P<0.05). Mean grades achieved by students in final evaluation in group educated by current method was 13.7± 3.4 and in offered method was 17.1±2.8. Difference between two group was significant (p<0.05). Student's participation in education results in satisfaction and is effective in scholar improvement.