Iranian Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Curriculum: Updated Version

Educational evaluation is a broad concept that is related to all elements of the educational system. This concept is the result of the interaction of all values that are implemented with different titles and forms inside and outside the educational system to increase the performance of the educational system. The field of pediatric hematology and oncology is one that is constantly evolving due to extensive and numerous researches in various fields. These changes must be in line with changes in the health care delivery system. In this study, among the decision models, the CIPP model which is an evaluation model for curriculum evaluation given by Stufflebeam in 1983 which includes four elements: C- Context, I- Input, P- Process and P- Product., was selected to evaluate the educational curriculum of Iranian pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship.

The present study has two quantitative and qualitative aspects and a quantitative cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. This analysis was conducted in 2021 by the strategic group of the Iranian pediatric hematology and oncology association. Its statistical population consisted of members of this association. Most members have a degree in pediatric hematology and oncology. The research was conducted by census method. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. In general, the training course was examined in 4 areas of education and research, hardware facilities of the training and current environment, and professional abilities other than the content of the course. The efficacy of the evaluation questionnaire of the Pediatric hematology and oncology fellowship course was a combination of open and closed questions based on the “Kirk Patrick evaluation model”. This questionnaire had 20 questions. The internal evaluation based on Cronbach’s alpha was 0.92. The items surveyed in the questionnaire were: learning modern medical principles such as evidence-based medicine and clinical reasoning, learning the principles of medical ethics, study skills, understanding of legal procedures, ability to electronically research and adequacy of educational subjects. Satisfaction of the faculty members, students ‘satisfaction and the need for supplementary courses, the current method of evaluating students’ communication skills, the scientific ability of the eligible faculty in teaching current topics and participation in educating the students were among the other items of the questionnaire.

In the internal validity study, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.92 was obtained for the current situation and 0.96 for the optimal situation. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and one-group and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. Findings indicated that there was a significant difference between the current and desired status of free and absentee university exams in the areas of purpose, design, implementation, modification and feedback and the three components of each of these axes. According to the obtained results, changing the current educational curriculum of the subspecialty fellowship in pediatric blood and cancer is necessary and inevitable.

Corrective suggestions for writing a new curriculum in accordance with modern sciences and medical needs of the country were extracted and applied in the new curriculum.