Exploring Faculty Member's Perceptions about Socially Accountable Medical Education Challenges: A Qualitative Content Analysis

In recent decades, medical education has been expanding as part of the higher education system in the world. Due to the complexities of clinical education, the effect of various environmental factors on and changes in clinical environment, the importance of accountability to society and patients, and socially accountable medical education (SAME) challenges, the exploration of faculty members’ perceptions about SAME challenges is necessary.
Thus, the aim of this study was to explore faculty members’ perceptions on the challenges of SAME.
This qualitative study was conducted using qualitative content analysis in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2014. Knowledge obtained through qualitative content analysis is based on the unique views of the participants and actual data of the text. The participants were 8 faculty members who provided the most data on the fundamental factors effective on SAME (purposive sampling). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants and they were asked to describe their experiences of and views on SAME. Data collection was continued until achieving data saturation. Data collection and analysis were carried out simultaneously through consideration of trustworthiness.
The main themes extracted in this study were "defective education which is not community-based", "lack of adequate commitment of teachers as role models", "lack of motivation in students", and "management problems and lack of resources".
The results of the present study illustrate the necessity for fundamental and comprehensive modification of training programs and improvement of their processes, so that they can accommodate the community’s requirements. Moreover, there is need for strategies to increase motivation among teachers and students.