Explaining the concept of faculty members’ competency from professors’ point of view: a qualitative study

In the education process, instructors and students are in constant interaction with each other. Faculty members play a significant role in students’ education process. This study aimed to explain the concept of competency among faculty members of Guilan University of Medical Sciences.

In this qualitative study, using the content analysis method, 16 faculty members of Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2018 who were willing to participate in the study were selected through the purposive sampling method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and their experiences and viewpoints were surveyed until data saturation was reached.

In this study, five categories were extracted: individual characteristics, individual skills, scientific knowledge, using new technologies, and receiving internal and external organizational support. Furthermore, ‘The competent faculty member: a perfect human with all qualifications necessary for education’ emerged as the main theme.

Based on the results, faculty members considered all the necessary qualifications for a professor in the education process as the criteria for competency. Consideration of the qualifications stated by the faculty members can help the managers and those involved in the field of education in enhancing and promoting faculty members’ competency. The results of this study can be used as enlightenment for further studies in this field.