Strides in Development of Medical Education
Volume:10 Issue: 2, 2013

Pre-identification of practical educational objectives and provision of equal learning opportunities، corresponding to the objectives، for students are among the needs of the educational system that should be fulfilled using the clinical handbook (Logbook). The current research tried to assess the effect of using this handbook on the learning of the students of the department of obstetrics and gynecology.

This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 117 medical students composed of trainees and interns in the academic year 2010-2011. The students were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participants were trained with the help of the logbook while the control group''s training followed the normal established method. The skills of the two groups were evaluated at the end of the term through direct observation based on a checklist.

The average of the total scores of the trainees and the interns of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0. 05). However، with regard to a number of skills، there was no difference between the scores of the trainees of the two groups.

The Logbook is efficient but not sufficient for teaching clinical skills، and therefore، there should be an appropriate ground for a more efficient usage of the book.

After preparing the health scientific road map، universities of medical sciences should play their role in this regard. This study aimed to identify the main challenges of Kerman University of Medical Sciences، Iran، in achieving the goals of the health scientific road map.

This study was conducted as a qualitative study. The study population consisted of KMU`s top managers and experts. Purposeful and snowball sampling methods were used. 25 interviews were conducted in 2012. Using a semi-structured interview، the challenges of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in achieving the goals of health scientific road map were investigated. A framework method was applied for the data analysis.

At the end of this qualitative study، 10 basic concepts consisting of policy making and management، financing and facilitating processes، development and promotion of human resources، development and promotion of education، research، dissemination of knowledge، entrepreneurship، services provision، culture and norms، and facilitating communication، and 46 subgroups of challenges were identified.

Given the importance of achieving the goals of health scientific road map and the importance of medical sciences universities in this regard، Kerman University of Medical sciences must develop a comprehensive plan to reduce the challenges.

There are two basic learning approaches in academic education; deep and surface. If educational assessment is designed based on deep understanding it will lead to deep learning. This study aimed to investigate conventional methods of assessment in medical surgical courses and its relationship with learning approaches in nursing students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences، Iran، in 2010.

This is a descriptive analytic study. A questionnaire consisting of three sections including personal characteristics، assessment methods، and the revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) was completed by 198 nursing students. Data were analyzed using SPSS and by means، standard deviation، frequency، Student’s t-test، ANOVA، Pearson correlation، and Rho.

The most used assessment methods were multiple choice question (MCQ) and Direct Observation Procedural Skills (DOPS). The mean score of deep learning approach was 34. 27 ± 5. 006 and of surface learning approach was 31. 21 ± 5. 52. Regarding the relationship between learning approaches and assessment methods، results showed a significant difference (P < 0. 05). MCQ and DOPS alone resulted in the surface approach، but a combination of tests and projects in written، and DOPS tests lead to deep learning approach in clinical tests (P < 0. 05).

Using MCQ and DOPS without concentration on reflection and problem solving lead to surface approach. As common assessment methods in this study led to surface approach، using projects in written and clinical assessment for deep approach، lifelong learning، and student empowerment for their future responsibilities is suggested.

Introduction of modern methods of teaching has created challenges in education، especially in medical education. Each of these methods has an application، several advantages and disadvantages، and a position. The aim of this review was to examine the effectiveness of teaching methods in medical education.

This was a systematic review. SID، Magiran، IranMedex، IRANDOC، SCOPUS، Web of Science، and published Iranian magazines were searched by two people manually with the keywords teaching، learning، and medical sciences. They searched and selected articles by applying the quality criteria and research methodology. 32 interventional studies (experimental and semi-experimental) were selected. Sensitivity analysis was performed in respect to sample size، study design، and the impact of the intervention. Synthesis of articles’ quality and sensitivity analysis were performed.

Increased learning، satisfaction، interactions between learners، data retention، increase collaboration، receive feedback and ideas via group discussion، and themes such as professional communication skills، discover solutions، scientific knowledge، increase learning and student satisfaction popularity and acceptance skills، meditation and reflection on the problem، considering various solutions and choosing the best solution، a positive vision of their increase، rising inner motivation، creating interest in learning، enjoyment of learning، developing critical thinking، study skills، higher satisfaction، improving teaching quality، durability، and increased efficiency in learning resulted from problem solving techniques، metacognition packages، and concept mapping.

The new methods of teaching that consist of problem solving techniques، group discussion، concept mapping، and metacognition packages increase learning، student satisfaction، student participation، and the durability of learning.