An evaluation study of Virtual Master of Public Health in family Medicine in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Master of public health (MPH) Course is designed for Increasing competency in family physicians employed in Iran''s health system. The Contents of this course is based on society needs for increasing managing and public health. This study was designed to evaluate the virtual education in MPH Course in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. This research was a qualitative and quantitative study. The evaluation was according Kirkpatrick''s Model. The study was done on 25 family physicians in Shiraz University of medical Sciences. We used questionnaire which included goal attainment، learning assessment، compact disc (CD) quality and Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. Data was gathered and then analyzed with SPSS software. Also، an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was designed in education development center for third level evaluation according to Kirkpatrick''s Model. For qualitative evaluation، we did a semi structured interview with teachers. Open questionnaires also were designed for students and data were extracted. 15 physicians full filled the questionnaires and 12 of them participated the OSCE. The most interested and practical lessons were about geriatrics diseases out patient management and epidemiology basics. The least interested lessons were about health promotion، case management and managed health cares. In OSCE، the best scores were for obstetrics – gynecology and the least scores for pediatrics lessons. According to participants'' viewpoints، the disadvantages of the course were low quality compact discs، future employment participants، compact course and assessment methods. The best advantages of this course were efficient learning and increasing knowledges of the students.