Journal of Medical Education
Volume:6 Issue: 4, Nov 2004

Introducing RCTM (Research-Centered Teaching Method) by the author, showed the method provokes enthusiasm and anxiety, correlated with cognition. By linking the broaden-and-build theory and emotional intelligence theory, it becomes apparent that the knowledge and use of positive emotions constitute an important skill set for effective functioning. To investigate the effects of provoked students motivations on their learning and recall was the purpose of this study. Renal Physiology was actively taught to 70 medical students, instructed to answer thoughtful questions asked by the lecturer and other students in class. It was emphasized that participation in the acid-base balance session is of great importance, due to the complexity and its management. Reinforcing them by few grades and assuring them to be skillful physicians when they face such problems in future.Before the midterm exam, a questionnaire was distributed, asking to write down the topic they recall most precisely, and choosing the reasons. The final exam was held one month later. Acid-base balance was the mentioned topic, and teaching method was the most correlated factor among the reasons of their recollection (r <0.773). The grade for ‘ Students’ Questions” was the highestamong the questions categories. In the final exam the grades of acid-base balance questions were raised significantly (p<0.015). The improvement of students academic achievements were possibly due to the context of reinforcing their positive emotions in class.

Current knowledge suggests that students approach their study in surface, deep or strategic manners.The knowledge of students’ approaches to study, and the factors that affect their choice are important for curriculum planners as well as nurse and midwife educators.The aim of this study was to investigate the approaches to study of nursing and midwifery baccalaureate students at Fatemeh School of Nursing, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students.A questionnaire containing a number of questions regarding the demographic characteristics and the validated Persian translation of the inventory was administered to all nursing and midwifery students. A significantly higher numbers of students adopted deep approach. There was a significant negative correlation between the stage of study and the use of surface approach by midwifery students.Moreover. There was a significantly positive correlation between the level of interest in the field of study and the use of strategic approach for nursing and midwifery students. The grade point averages of nursing students were positively correlated with their use of deep or strategic approaches. This study showed the majority of nursing and midwifery students were using deep approach to learning. It also showed that in higher years these students tended to use deep or strategic approach. Moreover, it demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between students’ levels of interest or grade point averages and the adoption of deep or strategic approaches.

Medical students'' thesis is equal to six units, which is mandatory for graduation. The purpose of preparing thesis is to familiarize students with research process, methodology, and scientific report writing skill. The objective of this study is to determine the relation between executing of thesis policies and medical students'' theses quality in type 􀈱 medical faculties of Iran To perform this study first, we randomly chose 36 (Total sample=396) medical students'' theses in each 11 medical faculties, which completed in 1998-99 academic year. The original theses were evaluated by using a questionnaire. Second, for evaluation of operationalization of thesis policies we use four criteria including, the presence of performance regulations, the proposals approving process, finalapproving course and presence of a defence session to evaluate thesis in the same medical faculty. In medical faculties that thesis policies were completed, the score of theses was high. In contrast medical faculties with weak policies had low students’ theses scores. Thesis policies are considered as one of the ways to improve the quality of thesis. it is advise at the same time as we should be plan to provide the effective factors for improvement quality of thesis consider strongly the regulations related thesis should be considerate.

The objective of this study was to determine the viewpoints of faculty members and students of lorestan, Hamedan, and Ahvaz universities of medical sciences about reform in GP educational program. In this descriptive – analytic study 268 subjects including 170 interns and 98 faculty members teaching basic sciences and psychopathology courses were chosen randomly from the students and faculty members of lorestan, Hamedan, and Ahvaz universalities of medical sciences. The too for collecting data was a two-part questionnaire which was validated by (?) method. the majority of students thaught reform is necessary in basic sciences, physiopathology and apprenticeship sections and also the majority of faculty members believed that reform should be carried out in apprenticeship section.Both students and faculty members believed that the basic disciplines of microbiology, anatomy, and physiology have a high application in clinical education periods and parasitology, general pathology, and immunology have a moderate level of application. The level of application of lessons embryology, biochemistry, biophysics, mycology, biostatics, genetics, general health, epidemiology, and nutrition wasassessed as low from the viewpoint of students and high from the viewpoint of faculty members. (P= 0.000) Both faculty members and interns agreed that for the purpose of better education in apprenticeship period more emphasis should be put on common regional diseases and on practical skills, a few should be considered for apprentices, and reports should be written in patient’s files. The majority of interns and faculty members believed that a GP does not own enough competencies in the fields of communication, medical ethics, health and prevention knowledge, research skills and patienteducation.There was no significant difference between the viewpoints of students and those of the faculty members in three universities studied. the results of this study show that most of the students and faculty members believe that reform s necessary in medical education. Also absence of significant difference among the students andfaculty members view points of three dissimilar universities indicates the problems present in medical education.

Medication errors are among the most important medical errors. Considering the current trend of poly-pharmacy and a high average number of drugs in prescriptions, drug interactions are of great significance. To evaluate the effect of educational interventions including face-to-face, audit feedback and educational notes, among Gorgan physicians. With an initial estimation of 8% severe drug interactions (95% confidence level, 7% accuracy), the sample size was calculated to include at least 5600 prescriptions. After classifying the observed interactions and identifying the physicians, a questionnaire was prepared and completed attending their offices. Training was provided using face-to-face conversation, audit feedback and educational notes. Aftertraining on the severe interactions, physicians’ prescriptions were reviewed again after three months and the number of interactions was compared with that observed at baseline, to evaluate the effect of training. Data were classified, computerized and analyzed with SPSS-10 using Chi-square and McNemar tests. The interactions’ clinical importance was also evaluated using relative test. Overall prevalence of drug interactions was 8.93%, of which 6.55% were major, 65.58%moderate and 27.87% minor. Interactions were mostly seen among male doctors. Th physicians with an average drug number of more than 4 had significantly more interactions in their prescriptions. The majority of physicians with major drug interactions did not know their clinical significance. After training,there was a significant reduction in major drug interactions, but none in moderate and minor interactions for which no education was provided. Drug interactions are common medical errors in Gorgan province and training can decrease their rate.

The skill to perform physical exam (ph/ex) is a vital aspect of clinical skills needed by physicians. In traditional curricula of medical schools little attention is paid to students'' practical skills and more emphasis is put on the cognitive domain of learning. To study the effect of training clinical skills as a part of reformed curricula on the medical students'' practical competence. In this cross sectional study of 150 medical students who had started their externship after passing the clinical skill course, 50 were randomly selected. A self-assessment questionnaire with Likerts’ scale type items was distributed among the students. Data was analyzed by SPSS and measures of central value and dispersion wereutilized for discussion. The mean for standardized score for the effect of training in the clinical skill course (CSC) on gaining the skill of ph/ex was 51.51(± 23.13) with a median of 50.69, and a range of 83.33-29.17. The value of 25th percentile for the score was 41.66 and the 75th percentile was 58.68. Integrating the training in CSC with the current curricula in medical schools, will provide the students the opportunity to perform the ph/ex completely and gain an acceptable and high quality professional function which will end in improving the patient satisfaction and reducing the costs of health and treatment services for theindividuals, the families and the community.

The use of students rating in order to improve faculty teaching has increased during last 25 years, and some universities rate all faculties teaching by students. To study the influence of some instructor contextual variables in evaluating faculty teaching such as, gender, age, rank, teaching experience and status of employment of faculty. The available data from evaluation of 3 semesters (2001, 2002, and 2003) for 91 faculty members of medical basic sciences were analyzed as the dependent variables, the instrument for this study was self administered Likert''s type questionnaire which administered in the last session of teaching. The effect of variable like gender, rank, teaching experiences, employment status are examined on evaluationscore of faculty. The statistical t-test, Leven''s and Pearson correlation were used to analyses the data. Of all participant 67% were men. 5.6%of them aged less than 35, 52.2% of subjects were between 35-50years old and 42.2%were older than 50. Of all faculties 16.6% were full professor, 23.4% associate and 56%were assistant professor.4% of the faculty were instructor. There was no statistical significantassociation between the mean score and variances of evaluation scores The finding of this study showed there were no statistically differences between the dependent and independents variables. However the weak negative correlation was found between age and teaching experience. It means young and less experienced faculty gets better score in student rating

Nowadays, clinical skills centers are important structural components of authentic universities in the world. These centers can be use for tuition of cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. In this study we have designed a surgical course, consist of 19 theoretical knowledge (cognitive skills) and 10 procedural skills. teaching and testing the designed course. This study has been conducted on 678 medical students at clerkship stage. Pre and post-self assessment technique has been used to assess learning progress. A multivariate statistical comparison were adapted for Judgments of learning achievement, Hotelling’s T-square has been used to ascertain the differences between pre and post tests score. For measuring the reliability of the test items. Cronbach''sAlpha has been used to measure the reliability of test item. The reliability of the test was 0.84 for cognitive skills and 0.92 for procedural skills. The two tailed test for comparing each pairs of score of 19 cognitive items showed a significant statistical difference between 13 items (P=0.000). For procedural skills the differences between the mean score of 9 items were significant (P=0.000). These results indicate learning achievements by students. This study suggests that, the ability of trainees in both cognitive and psychomotor skills canbe improved by tuition of basic surgical skills in skill Lab. (without use of patients).