A comparative study of training in the field of environmental health engineering based on professional capabilities and the real needs of the health system

Given the significant impact of appropriate evaluation on gaining confidence in the practical skills of students in a real-world environment, this study was conducted to investigate the comparative practicum in the field of environmental health engineering based on professional competencies and the actual needs of the health system.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted through a census method on 16 environmental health engineering practicum students, 9 health center experts, and 4 faculty members involved in the practicum at Arak University of Medical Sciences in the academic year of 2021-2020. Data sources included surveys of target groups, as well as the curriculum of environmental health engineering. The data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS16.

Hydraulic workshop (7.80±22.8) and facilities (81±21) were the most productive practicum fields, while the lowest mean evaluation by students was observed in fields such as food materials laboratory (55±21) and microbiology (75±22). Moreover, the hydraulic workshop had the highest effectiveness (78±24), while the GIS workshop had the lowest effectiveness (58±21). From the perspective of faculty members and health center experts, the practical implementation of the practicum lacked the necessary efficiency to foster creativity and technology in students.

It is necessary to strengthen skill-enhancing workshops in the practicum period and provide the necessary facilities to achieve job-related, professional, and human resource development goals in this field. An implementation in other universities, considering the existing potential and strengthening these tools, is recommended to ensure the quality of the practicum program.