Challenges of Medical Education at Islamic Azad University, Iran, from Faculty Perspective: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Medical education is one of the most important challenges facing Iranian medical authorities. Meanwhile, Islamic Azad University as a non-governmental authority for medical education has its own challenges and problems. This study aimed to assess faculties’ perception to identify the challenges in this area to improve the achievement of educational goals and the quality of health care.
In this qualitative study in 2014, the conventional content analysis was done for 10 semi-structured interviews with the faculty member of Islamic Azad University with experience, interest and authority in medical school. After implementation of interviews, reviews were done several times. The open coding system was used to generate initial categories for analysis.
Analysis of data obtained from interviews with participants resulted seven themes including the public system abandoned the university, despite the general acceptance, ignoring students’ positive and negative characteristics, problems of clinical faculty, challenges of research area, challenges in clinical education, problems related to the field of interaction with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and improving strategies. Each theme consisted of several sub-categories and described the specific aspects of the challenges in this area.
It is expected that the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the Stewardship of Health and Medical Education, consider the clinical education in Islamic Azad universities in terms of planning and policy-making. Islamic Azad University officials also should consider strategies within the organization.