Journal of Medical Education
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Feb 2004

Reviewing the rate of journal use is a known and conventional way of studying the cost effectiveness of the most expensive sources of the libraries in the educational centres. This process is routinely carried out in the libraries of the developed countries. To assess the usage rate of the periodical "international journals" by faculties and others, and their related costs (in $US) in the libraries of four educational and research centres in Tehran. In a descriptive cross – sectional study, the rate of international scientific journal use by the faculty members and others was studied. Depending upon the rate of journal use in one month, three groups were classified:Group 1: with use of 1 journal /month; Group 2: with 1-3 journal usage/month; and Group 3: with 3 and more journal usage/month. The mean monthly journal use and the related costs of the three groups were measured. Among the entire journals in the studied libraries, 87 (27.6%) belonged to group 1, 121 journals (38.4%) placed in group 2 and finally 107 journals (34%) were in group 3. Cost per use for each journal in Masih Daneshvari, Labbafinezhad, Rasool-E-Akram and Imam Hospitals were 10.52, 14.42, 14.84 and 13.35 $USrespectively. According to our findings, about 2/3 of the journals were used less than three times per month. The same situation exists with little difference in the rest of the medical and non-medical educational centres of the country. To improve the present situation, we can not only exclude those journals which are used less frequently but alsoencourage the professors to use the journals themselves and to persuade the students to take advantage from the relevant journals during their education. It is also recommended that the journals in group 1 and 2 (less frequently used journals) to be purchased and stored by a National Library Centre only and journals of group 3 by individual educational centres. Regarding the increasing facilities of electronic journal usage, it is recommended to use not only these types of journals, but also to preserve the more frequently used journals, in order to improve the present situation.

Background. Recently the Government of Islamic Republic of Iran has considered radical changes and innovation in the structure of medical education at all levels. Therefore the “Accreditation and Evaluation Plan of Medical Universities in Iran” is approved and emphasized in the Third 5-Year Development Program. Method. The Educational Deputy (ED) of Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) considered threemain plans: (1) Goal-based internal evaluation, and external evaluation of educational departments of medical universities based on internal evaluation. In 1995-6 ED began the internal evaluation, defining quality as fitness for purpose; and in 2000 started the external evaluation in some medical schools as a pilot study, based on previousinternal evaluation. (2) Collaboration with World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), according to International Standards for Basic Medical Education Pilot Studies. Shiraz Medical University was co-opted by WFME to collaborate in the first stage; three medical universities (Tehran, Shahid Beheshti and Ahvaz) are accepted for the second stage. (3) The project of “Standardization of Medical Education in Iran for Achieving International Accreditation”. This process is being performed in several steps: (a) Study of three different sets of national (Australia, US and Mexico) and international (WFME) standards; (b) Collection of the experts’ viewpoints specialized in medical education inthis regard; (c) Development of the first action plan; and (d) Conduction of this project as pilot study in a number of medical universities.Results. Having primary results disseminated, motivated many other medical universities so that some announced their readiness to begin internal and external evaluation or standardization process.Conclusion. Regarding the importance of quality improvement in medical education, it is expected that even if this process would not lead to international accreditation acquisition, it will result in improvement and essential changes in basic medical education.

The most valuable element in a medical university is its faculty members and one important function of them is teaching,, but one major problem in university education is the lack of effective teaching criteria to assess this main function of faculty members. To identify the most important feature of effective teaching from students point of view A self-administered questionnaire assessing the effective teaching criteria from the students'' point of viewwas developed. It was filled by the students and the result was analysed with SPS. Of all participants 51% were female. The average age was 22.1􀁲2.46 for females and 24.6 􀁲4.6 for males. 72% of the population were single, 27% were married and the remaining were divorced "being knowledgeable" with 86.6 percent was the first priority in "knowledge seeking" feature (P<0.01). In "Communication ability" feature, 39.7% of the students mentioned “promoting students participation in discussions" to be the most prominent character. In "Personality" feature, 28.8% of the respondent believed that" fluent explanation" was the most essential character. Students decided that "Teaching method", "communication ability", "knowledge seeking" and"personality" were the required features for effective teaching in the descending order. Our results showed that students considered “teaching method" as the most essential feature of a professor''s effective teaching, but similar studies in other universities of medicine shoed other factors personality. Further study seems reasonable since students as one major component of education will produce better outcomes,personally and professionally, they are satisfied with their teachers.

PBL, as a teaching method, has a basic role in promoting education level and combining the theoretical and practical knowledge. But there still exist serious obstacles to implementing this educational method To recognize the impediments an obstacle preventing PBL method implementation. The Subjects studied in this research are all the tutors who taught basic and clinical courses in the faculty of nursing and midwifery in the first and second terms of the year 2001-2002. Choosing subjects was done by using census method and the number of subjects was 33 basic course teachers and 20 clinical course teachers. Aquestionnaire developed based on the studies’ goals was the tool used for collecting data. Data was analysed by means of SPSS/Win 10 Soft ware using descriptive statistics The 95% of basic course teachers and 93.9% clinical course teachers think of the conditions and facilities needed for implementing PBL as of medium level. Tutors believe that most of the impediments are related to student''s lack of group work skills, and the skills needed for making correct communication, and the need for students practical participation in PBL for making them ready and receptive. They also relate most of the strong points to PBL''s being efficient in training community – oriented students. The tutors state that performing PBL does not decrease their motivation at all, due to the change in their role from lecturer to facilitator. The Although findings of this research indicate that the conditions needed for implementing PBL exist at present, still there are many obstacles to its performance such as student''s lack of group work skills and their disability in making correct interaction, costliness of beginning and marinating PBL, large number of students and lack of tutors

In recent years, explosion of knowledge and internet access seriously challenged the traditional language of teaching and learning methodologies. Most teachers and experts recognize the need for a teaching method using Information & Communication Technology (ICT) facilities. To assess and compare the students'' English for Specialized Purpose (E.S.P.) learning in two approaches of traditional text-based and internet–based articles. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 second-year students of medicine having ESP course. They were assigned into two groups based on their average scores: one group attended a class of which materials were chosen from the latest published medical articles in internet and the other attended a traditional text-based class. Care was taken to select texts of the same level of legibility. The language proficiency of the students was measured by English Language Battery Test (ELBA Test). The students achieved better results with internet-based medical English articles, compared to the traditional text-based method. The students were mostly satisfied with the former method (77.2%); 72.3% were willing to continue with that method, and some 75% of them achieved good scores in final exam. Instruction based on ICT specialized articles is a more effective method for teaching ESP to the studentsof medicine linguistically and methodologically.

In recent years, explosion of knowledge and internet access seriously challenged the traditional language of teaching and learning methodologies. Most teachers and experts recognize the need for a teaching method using Information & Communication Technology (ICT) facilities. To assess and compare the students'' English for Specialized Purpose (E.S.P.) learning in two approaches of traditional text-based and internet–based articles. This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 60 second-year students of medicine having ESP course. They were assigned into two groups based on their average scores: one group attended a class of which materialswere chosen from the latest published medical articles in internet and the other attended a traditional text-based class. Care was taken to select texts of the same level of legibility. The language proficiency of the students was measured by English Language Battery Test (ELBA Test). The students achieved better results with internet-based medical English articles, compared to the traditional text-based method. The students were mostly satisfied with the former method (77.2%); 72.3% were willing tocontinue with that method, and some 75% of them achieved good scores in final exam. Instruction based on ICT specialized articles is a more effective method for teaching ESP to the students of medicine linguistically and methodologically.

The first step in human resource development is educational need assessment. A sound knowledge of managerial roles and skills is vital for a successful management in the educational system. To determine the educational needs of managers and directors of Mashad Medical University in filed of educational management and leadership. A survey of a 40-person sample of the university managers including deans and vice deans for education of the faculties and the heads of educational groups the data were analyzed with SPSS. The mean age of the sample was 47.2(􀁲 7.5) and the mean duration of serving in managerial positions were 5.4(􀁲3.6).The most needed items to be taught were identified as strategic planning in management, setting educational goals, deciding whether the ability to be a manager is inborn or must be acquired, main problems ineducational planning and surveillance techniques, educational guidance, system analysis and educational evaluation. Characteristics of educational advisors were also of great importance. Our study showed that educational managers were aware of their need for further development of a sound basis of managerial knowledge.

A 51 hour (3 credit) lecture course entitled pharmaceutical biotechnology is outlined which details the biochemistry and biotechnology of biological drug products. It is designed to equip students undertaking Pharmacy program with an understanding of concepts, both academic and applied, directly relevant to working in the biotechnological products sector. In addition to the course, a bank of relevant resource material is provided