Future of Medical Education Journal
Volume:4 Issue: 4, Dec 2014

Course plan is among the useful tools to improve the quality of education. This study is conducted to analyze the content of course plans presented by teachers in the School of Health of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. In this cross - sectional study, 98 out of 102 course plans of second semester of the academic year 2012-2013 were evaluated. The data was collected using a checklist containing 11 dimensions. Data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The average score of evaluation was 23.2 ± 3.2. A significant correlation was observed between faculty gender, employment status and evaluation scores of their course plans (P<0.001). The greatest shortcomings were related to dimensions of educational assistance tools (64.3%), objectives (51%). The dimensions of Goals in the lesson plans (92.9%), outline (90.8%), gained the highest scores. Most of the course plans contents were in an acceptable level although there is a room for improvement in the quality of the course plan content.

Evaluation of students’ educational progress is one of the main goals of universities. One of the most important means to this end is the final test. In this study, the results of the final residency tests for dermatology, ophthalmology and Gynecology and Obstetrics of Medical University of Mashhad in (Tir 1391) have been examined. in this applied study, the population consisted of the answer sheets of residency students of dermatology, ophthalmology and Gynecology and Obstetrics of Medical University of Mashhad. The analysis of 113 answer sheets was performed through the classic model, which includes the credibility, level of difficulty and the coefficient of question determination; by the level of difficulty we mean the ratio of correct answers and by the coefficient of question determination, the two-point correlation of the question with the total score. More often than not, the questions included in the final test are the ones with a satisfactory level of difficulty, compatible with the target group and a remarkable coefficient of determination. The exams which lead to issuing the residency certificate are called summative tests. Such tests depend on questions at either extremes, on the one hand, and the discriminant index of questions, on the other, in the classic model. the questions at either extremes were introduced. The vague questions or the ones lacking the discriminant index as well as other incompatible questions were excluded; the rest of the questions were regarded as the basis for decision-making and ranking of the test takers. 1) the ranking of test takers, being influenced by group changes was studied 2) All the questions of each test are compatible regarding both form and content so that all of them share a common feature 3) The questions were screened out through certain formulae and the final test questions were determined 4) The questions are chosen so as to make the test taker produce an answer rather than to pick an alternative from among others 5) Those questions which were left in the final test reflect a general scientific progress rather than a certain course belonging to that particular science.

For medical students, the selection of a specialty is one of the most critical decisions to be made. On a personal level, it determines lifetime career achievements and, for the community, it directly affects the outcome of public health programs. The aim of this study was to investigate which factors were more important among Iranian residents when considering a specialty. A total of 354 residents from 19 specialties answered the questionnaire which explored their views on nine factors which could have a possible impact on their decision. These factors were selected based on a preliminary discussion with residents and a review of related articles. The first three most common specialties were internal medicine (12.2%), surgery (10.2%) and cardiology (9.6%) for men and obstetrics and gynecology (17.9%), internal medicine (12.6%), and pathology (9.3%) for women. The highest score was related to the personal scientific interest, with a mean of 82.62±19.07 and the lowest score to government regulations and aims, with a mean of 14.90±26.11 in both genders. After that, among females, the role of family (p=0.002) and controllable lifestyle were considered valuable. The second most important factor among males was financial reward (p=0.006). Personal interest, knowledge about a specialty, controllable lifestyle and financial reward are the most common reported factors among participants. Considering such influential factors is critical for producing motivated specialists and successful health care planning.

The aim of this study was to investigate the education board of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences on the EDO and EDC, and their awareness of, attitude towards, and satisfaction with these centers. In this descriptive study, all the members of the education board of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the basic and clinical departments were taken as the target group. The data was collected through a researcher-designed questionnaire. On average, 37.22 % of the board had a thorough knowledge of the mission, goals, and activities of X; another 42.17% of them were familiar with these centers to some extent, and 20.6% knew nothing about them. Regarding the attitude, 39.7% of the board had a positive view about the activities and the necessity of the existence of such centers. Another 40.2% had a rather positive attitude. On the other hand, about the rate of their satisfaction, 13.03 % were satisfied with their activities, and 60% were fairly pleased.In deductive analysis of the data, results indicated no strong correlation between the awareness and satisfaction scores of the board with their academic rank. Nevertheless, there is a significant correlation between attitude scores and their rank. According to the findings, the board of education in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences did not have an appropriate attitude toward EDO and EDC; in other words, the position and activities of these centers have remained unknown to them.

Faculty development programs have received considerable investment of resources from medical institutions, though the effect and output of them has been infrequently studied. This study was design to measure the effect of the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences’ faculty development workshops. Three faculty development workshops on educational research were conducted to improve the skills of medical instructors. The Kirkpatrick evaluation model tailored to our program was used to assess the outcomes. We asked participants to evaluate their satisfaction with the program at the end of the session. The changes in the participants’ knowledge were studied with a 15 question questionnaire at the beginning and end of the program. On the third level, we compared the number of educational project which were submitted by participants after the workshop to assess participants’ application of learning in the workplace. The participants highly rated the quality of the program and felt that the workshop had a positive impact on their abilities. Assessment showed that the increase in the participants’ cognitive knowledge between the pre-test and post-test was a significant (p=0.005). Seven educational proposals were submitted by participants, which indicate a significant increases in the application of learning. Our faculty development workshop appears to have positive effect on medical faculties’ educational research performance, and we suggest that our educational intervention is effective in achieving its aims.

Testing and teaching are interrelated in education process; using various kinds of tests, teachers are able to anticipate the strong and weak points of learning in students, their progress and their accomplishment. The influence of test on teaching and learning is commonly referred to as washback. Testing washback is a twisted concept that becomes even more complex under a various interpretations of the washback phenomenon on teaching and learning. This study aimed to describe the effects of washback on behaviors of students, in the low stakes testing in English for Specific Purpose (ESP) environment in two-fold. The effects of different formative tests on the medical students’ English reading comprehension was assessed using Michigan test.. The effects of washback on the students’ attitudes toward English reading comprehensionwas measured by the English Reading Attitudes Questionnaire (ERAQ). Data were analyzed by paired t-test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test. Formative tests did not significantly affect on students’ reading comprehension achievement in an ESP environment with (Mean =71.77±12.3 for experimental group vs 67.59±10.3 for control group, p>0.05]. But they showed significant effects on students’ English reading attitudes (Mean = 38.05 for experimental group vs 21.67 for control group; p<0.001). Findings from this study indicate that although formative tests do not significantly affect students’ reading comprehension achievement in English for Specific Purpose environment, they have significant effects on students’ English reading attitudes.

Presentation of course plan were advised but presentations of lesson plans were useful too. These items can introduce the course and lessons of each session to students. The objective of this study was the determination of the effects of educational planning on learning of occupational diseases. This study was a semi experimental study which was conducted by using the curriculum of ministry of health, occupational disease course were taught with presentation of course plan and lesson plans for group A and course plan only for group B, then students'' grades or data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5, mean, standard deviation, t-test with P. The mean grade of occupational diseases in group A was 17.24±0.01 and in group B was 16.64±0.001with t =60 and P. According to the grades, educational planning may be useful for learning.

Awareness of dental students’ views from the clinical departments will help on developing strategies for qualitative and quantitative improvement of clinical skills. The purpose of this study was an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the clinical departments of Babol dental school, from students'' views point, to provide feedback for improving of clinical skills training.. In a cross-sectional study, all of dental students of Babol dental school in one educational year (1390-91) were asked to fill a questionnaire with 16 standard questions. The questionnaire was about student’s satisfaction from teachers, nurses, equipment and facilities of clinical setting, student’s self-steams and satisfaction of their action in clinical practices. The data was analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and Chi-square. There was significant difference between students'' satisfaction from different departments. The lowest satisfaction scores were obtained from the Department of Orthodontics and Radiology While there was no significant difference between the other departments. The results showed that the overall satisfaction scores were obtained for the different sections (acquisition of over half of the score), satisfaction of students from different departments was relatively favorable. Results showed that despite the differences between the different departments, students'' satisfaction level was relatively appropriate. Nevertheless, the present situation can be improved by upgrading the facilities of some departments and creating confidence in students for treatment of patients during dental education.