Journal of Medical Education
Volume:5 Issue: 2, May 2003

The use of the ionizing radiation in the medical practice has evolved since its beginnings. Their benefit for the patient is considerable in term of comfort, diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness. It is estimated that 30% to 50% of critical decisions in medical approaches is based on x-ray examination. Using the X-ray as a diagnostic means by clinicians requires appropriate and accurate knowledge about its advantages and negative biologic effects.

to evaluate the knowledge of medical students in clinical courses in Birjand University of Medical Sciences on ionizing radiation hazards.

In this cross-sectional study, knowledge of medical students (in clinical courses) on 3 categories ( of basic principles of radiobiology, radiation protection and practical issues in radiation protection) assessed by a 20-item questionnaire which its reliability and validity had been well established. chi-square and independent-t tests were employed toanalyze data gathered via these questionnaires.

Total number of medical students involved in this study was 100. Mean knowledge score was 9.07+!-2.1 (for clerkship students,p <0.05) and 10.13+/-2.73 (for interns p <0.05).Of clerkship students 51.4% and of interns 25.4% obtained good scores (p<0.03) in the radiobiology. But in the other categories (radiation protection and practical aspects of radiation protection) no group achieved good scores.

The results indicate that despite the importance of radiation and its consequent hazards, knowledge of medical students is not adequate. It is suggested that the content relevant to radiation and radioactive hazards in medical curricula should be revised, including quantitative and qualitative aspects of the subject. A reasonable step tomore effective education regarding radiation and relevant issues is to integrate safety practices in clinical courses.

There are two main methods employed for the evaluation of the reading comprehension ability of students of ESP; one using specialized English texts, and the other with general English texts.

To determine whether or not there is a correlation between the two methods.

In the regular 1998 examinations for admission to PhD courses for 18 different medical disciplines, in which 30 subject-specific English test items were given to the applicants of each discipline, all of them were alsoevaluated using a set of 30 general English test items (n=201 0).

There was a positive correlation of71% between the scores of the examinees in the two tests, the highest and the lowest correlation being respectively in the scores of the applicants of Epidemiology (84%; n=118), and environmental health (56%; n=70).

Our finding seems to warrant the use of EGP test as an adequate measure of English language competency for academic purposes.

One of the main missions of higher education is to train the professional manpower the society needs. Higher education institutes should know the fate of their students after graduation and that how they use their expertise.

To determine the occupational status of the graduates of Semnan Nursing School.

The graduates of thefirst 11 years since thefoundation of the school were included in this study. The datagathering tool was a questionnaire consisting of 7 demographic questions and 10 questions about the place of occupation, nature of the job, continuing education and scientific activities. The questionnaires were mailed to the study group addresses and the data were analyzed after receiving the answers.

Of the respondents, 60.22% were female. Most of them were working in hospitals and 43.01% were practicing in fields other than nursing. Only 24.72% of the respondents were unemployed for one ye9r after graduation. Most of the graduates did not continue their education, 2.61% have continued their study infields other than nursery and 6.45% have changed their field of profession. The majority showed no interest in research and writing or translating books. Also, 77.42% have not tried to publish an article in any journal and 80.64% have not participated in any scientific conference. Of the respondents, 80.64% had no contact with their prior university and only 17.2% were employed in university-affiliated hospitals.

Long-term unemployment after graduation, unstable occupational status, practicing infields other than nursing, showing no interest in continuing education or participating in research projects, having no contact with scientific centers and not participating in national or regional health programs indicate that the enrol/ment of students in nursing schools is not consistent with their personal interests and capabilities. It is recommended to interview the students in order to determine their occupational interest before entering the universities. To reduce the nurses' unemployment rate, they could be employed in positions that are compatible with theirfieldofeducation,as rural nurses, school nurses orfactory nurses.

Continuing education is one of the most effective methods to empower the employees for challenges they face on their jobs. Dramatic advances in medicine, rapid cultural and social changes, increasing cost of health care, development of diagnostic technology and a transition in the pattern of diseases, highlight the necessity of continuing education in all medical groups.

To evaluate the effectiveness of continuing medical education (CME) programs in Shahr-Kord Medical Universityfrom 1996-2001.

This cross-sectional study is based on the questionnaires available in Continuing Education Office, which werefilled by the participants in CMEprograms.

In the past five years, 44 CMEprograms were conducted in this university (18planned program programs, 13 seminars, 6 conferences, 5 workshops, and 2 symposiums). Symposiums and workshops were the most appreciated programs. Of 3357participants, 1712 (50.9%)filled the questionnaire. Of these participants, 73% believed that CME programs have strengthened their previous knowledge, 64% noted that the contents of theseprograms were consistent with their job needs and 61% believed that CME programs have encouraged professional self-study. Despite theimprovement of Shahr-Kord Medical University ranking among 8 peer universities, the participants' satisfaction had a declining trend.

Providing up-to-date scientific and practical information and considering adult learning theory, especially performing need assessment before conducting educational programs, will improve the quality of CMEprograms.

Measuring content validity of instruments are important. This type of validity can help to ensure construct validity and give confidence to the readers and researchers about instruments. content validity refers to the degree that the instrument covers the content that it is supposed to measure. For content validity two judgments are necessary: the measurable extent of each item for defining the traits and the set of items that represents all aspects of the traits.

To develop a content valid scale for assessing experience with computer usage.

First a review of 2 volumes of International Journal of Nursing Studies, was conducted with onlyI article out of 13 which documented content validity did so by a 4-point content validity index (CV!) and the judgment of 3 experts. Then a scale with 38 items was developed. The experts were asked to rate each item based on relevance, clarity, simplicity and ambiguity on the four-point scale. Content Validity Index (CVI) for each item was determined.

Of 38 items, those with CVIover 0.75 remained and the rest were discarded reSulting to 25-item scale.

Although documenting content validity of an instrument may seem expensive in terms of time and human resources, its importance warrants greater attention when a valid assessment instrument is to be developed.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the present educational programs in terms of students' achieving problem solving, decision making and critical thinking skills, reliable, valid and standard instrument are needed.

To Investigate the Reliability, validity and Norm of CCTST Form.B .The California Critical Thinking Skills Test contain 34 multi-choice questions with a correct answer in the jive Critical Thinking (CT) cognitive skills domain.

The translated CCTST Form.B were given t0405 BSN nursing students ojNursing Faculties located in Tehran (Tehran, Iran and Shahid Beheshti Universities)that were selected in the through random sampling. In order to determine the face and content validity the test was translated and edited by Persian and English language professor and researchers. it was also confirmed by judgments of a panel of medical education experts and psychology professor's. CCTST reliability was determined with internal consistency and use of KR-20. The construct validity of the test was investigated with factor analysis and internal consistency and group difference.

The test coefficien for reliablity was 0.62. Factor Analysis indicated that CCTST has been formed from 5 factor (element) namely: Analysis, Evaluation, lriference, Inductive and Deductive Reasoning. Internal consistency method shows that All subscales have been high and positive correlation with total test score. Group difference method between nursing and philosophy students (n=50) indicated that there is meaningfUl difference between nursing and philosophy students scores (t=-4.95,p=0.OOO1). Scores percentile norm also show that percentile offifty scores related to 11 raw score and 95, 5 percentiles are related to 17 and 6 raw score ordinary.

The Results revealed that the questions test is sufficiently reliable as a research tool, and all subscales measure a single construct (Critical Thinking) and are able to distinguished the persons with different level's CT.

Growing national concern about distortions in the size, specially composition, and availability of the physician workforce -especially after "cultural revolution n- has evoked challenges in Iran.

To determine various factors that influence medical graduates choices for residency program.

All applicants for residency program in Mazandaran university of Medical Sciences and Health Services completed the Medical School Graduation Questionnaire, and rated each factor using 0 to 4 Likert-type scale. Factors' ratings were also compared across applicants of different residency program, and demographic variables.

The top two factors rated as having strong influences were ones related to interest in helping peop1e (rated 3.07), and intellectual content of the specially (rated 3). Malpractice insurance cost has the least influence (rated 0.98). Most of men preferred independence, whereas most of women preferred predictable working hours. Opportunity to make differences in people's l(fe influenced the specially choices of usual participants. whereas those who used war veterans quota paid more attention to independence and exercise of social responsibility. Patientcontact factors were less important to graduates who chose diagnostic speciafties. Also, there was a significant association between the participants' age and four factors.

These graduates based their specially preference heavily on the opportunity that the specially affords to help people, and intellectual content of the specially. Knowing the hierarchy of influences on graduates' motivations should help education strategists determine what experiences and perceptions must change if a different mix of specially decision is to result.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic is spreading and what is a serious concern is that there is mounting evidence that the HIV that causes AIDS is spreading rapidly among teenagers worldwide. If this fast spread is to be halted, the knowledge, attitude and behavior of them should change.

To understand Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) of minority youth

A sixty one point questionnaire, grouped into three main subscales was used to collect data from the target group of sixty-two freshmen students. It was designed to gather data about the students' knowledge, opinion, behavior about HIV/ AIDS and their perception of their vulnerability to HIV infection.

The respondents were very knowledgeable about the sources of HIV infection, its modes of transmission, sexual preferences that lead to infection, condom use, and the physiological manifestations of the disease

The students' lack of knowledge of the sexual behaviors of their friends, and their perception of invulnerability to the virus may be contributing to the increase in the prevalence of AIDS in the minority community.