Search

Background & Objective: Clinical education stands as a critical domain for enhancing clinical skills. Evolving global demands, marked by an information explosion and dynamic shifts in disease patterns, coupled with deficiencies in clinical training and its disconnect from theoretical knowledge, pose significant challenges in patient care. This study aims to explore the obstacles and challenges associated with applying theoretical knowledge from the general medicine course in clinical practice. Materials & Methods: This qualitative research employed a conventional content analysis approach. Twenty participants, each with a minimum of one year of clinical education experience, were purposefully selected to ensure maximum diversity. Data were collected and analyzed through individual semi-structured interviews. Results: The data analysis identified five main categories as the primary challenges in applying theoretical knowledge in the clinical environment. These include "weakness of inputs," "weakness of policy," "ineffective training and novice practitioners," "ethical lapses, unprofessional conduct," and "challenges while studying." Additionally, 14 subcategories were derived, collectively representing the main challenges faced. Conclusion: The application of theoretical knowledge acquired in various aspects of clinical education is hampered by diverse challenges. These challenges manifest at different levels, encompassing management, policy, infrastructure, and human and material resources. Prioritizing identified issues and implementing corrective actions based on existing capacities is the initial step in overcoming these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a formative evaluation, we were supposed to find whether an innovative program has some merits to be continued or not. We also determined the critical points of the program. The evaluated program was a clinical pre-clerkship curriculum launched for departing to a less stressful medical clerkship. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the information contained in the students' logbooks. Using Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure standardized questionnaire, we also assessed the students' perception of learning environment within six clinical departments. Results: Totally, 64% of expected patient contacts, and teaching of more than 71% of required skills at 4 departments were carried out and students had more positive than negative perspective of their learning environments. Conclusion: The evaluand is a worthwhile program to be continued, though it needs some considerations for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ambulatory education has a great role in improving the abilities of medical students to encounter with common cases and according to Ministry regulations half of clinical education should be conducted in ambulatory setting.. This study is aimed at measuring quality of ambulatory education in Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. It can help to increase educational quality by recognition relief of current challenges. Method: This study is a descriptive, cross sectional research. It was conducted by designing a questionnaire and completing it by 180 clerkship students and interns. The questionnaire consist of six areas: attending physicians teaching quality, residents quality of teaching, physical environment and facilities, patients affair, intern presence in ambulatory setting and duration of ambulatory teaching. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by educational experts and its reliability was measured through a pilot study ( =0.92). Findings: The conclusions in group of interns were as following: The mean score of attending physicians teaching quality, residents quality of teaching, physical environment and facilities, patients affair, intern presence in ambulatory setting and duration of ambulatory teaching were: 55.2, 52, 54, 61.5, 62.7 out of 100, respectively. Corresponding of scores for was 42.3, 42.7, 45.2, 56.6, 36.1, respectively. By the way, in both groups, interns and clerkship students, the mean suitable number of patients refer to clinics with the best educational output was estimated about 10 persons per day. Discussion: In conclusion, to improve ambulatory education, attending physicians should come to clinics on time and stay for longer duration than past. In addition, physical environment and facilities of clinics should be modified according to number of stagers and interns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Various studies show that Log book can be also used in evaluation of medical course curriculum in clinical level in addition to evaluation of students' achievement and their level of competencies. This article was to investigate the applicability of this new usage of Log book . Methods: Logbooks were designed by faculty members through various sessions in clinical departments in six sections of introduction, outcomes and essentials of learning, disease exposure case reports, communication skills evaluation, procedural skills learning in the morning and at the time of shift. Logbooks were filled by students and returned.Then, frequency of observed cases by students and the fields used by the departments were calculated. Results: The students had not observed 5 diseases (26%) in orthopedic Dept., 6 diseases (50%) in neurology Dept., 15diseases (68%) in infectious diseases Dept. and 1 disease (6%) in toxicology Dept. But, all diseases had been observed in ENT Dept by students. Log books in Dept. of internal medicine were so incomplete that their data were not usable. Departments of orthopedics and neurology from outpatient clinics, Department of infectious diseases from hospitalization ward, Department of toxicology from emergency had the highest usage. Discussion: If students, faculty members and residents in educational departments know well about the importance and role of logbook and observe its function results, logbook can be used for evaluation of educational curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Identifying the educational needs is an essential step in planning faculty development and plays an important role in promoting the quality of education. The aim of this study was determination of the educational needs and its prioritization of faculty members in medical school of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was developed using the indices identified in an opinion poll, reviewing the literature and similar foreign and Iranian studies, and a guideline about six areas of faculty members' job description. The questionnaire was sent to all basic faculty members of school of medicine (n=70). The items were scored from one to 20 according to the importance of the educational need. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using the mean and standard deviation statistical indices. Results: Different areas of educational needs were respectively prioritized as administrative and executive activities, personal development, research, and education, specialized activities outside the university and health services and health promotion. Conclusion: Faculty members need all these six major areas specially the area of administrative and executive activities. The area of education was not fully regarded as expected. It is recommended to determine the weight development of all these six areas using a standard method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Using multiple choice question tests, as an objective testing method, is the most common students evaluation procedure , and it is very important to design these tests properly.This study aimed to assess clerkship tests of general medicine courses in the training group of dermatology, psychiatry, gynecology, ophthalmology and neurology of medical college of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences both quantitatively and qualitatively. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on the latest tests of clerkship courses of general medicine including dermatology, psychiatry, gynecology, ophthalmology, and neurology in 2008. The quantitative and qualitative indexes of 15 previously held tests were extracted by using valid and reliable checklists used for determining questions with inappropriate question discrimination index, difficulty coefficient, question with 3 choices of zero, reliability coefficient, question distribution based on the announced topics, the scope of questions based on the objectives, the question types based on taxonomy. Data were analyzed through SPSS software using descriptive statistics. Results: Among the quantitative indexes, mean of questions with inappropriate discrimination index was 24%, difficult questions 4.1%, and questions with 3 choices of zero was 12.9%. The average of questions distribution based on the announced topics and the reliability coefficient were 98% and 77.92%, respectively. among the qualitative indexes, the highest relative frequency of questions were in the field of signs and symptoms with 30.75 % and the first taxonomy with 59 %. Conclusion: Considering the importance of using standard questions (which are according to the rules for designing multiple choice question) for holding appropriate exams, continuous review of test questions and administering training courses on test questions designing , creating question banks and putting emphasis on preparing two dimensional tables for tests before giving exams are effective on improvement of the quality of the questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Curriculum assessment is part of educational systems. In the absence of an assessment of present situations, any intervention would be futile. This study was done to determine achievement rate of medical students in advanced clerkship (externship) courses through using logbooks. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was done on medical students' logbooks between June and December 2010 in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The students were passing their externship courses. Random sampling was done and 30 logbooks from departments of orthopedics, ENT, neurology, anesthesiology and toxicology, infectious diseases, and internal medicine were analyzed; descriptive statistics and SPSS were used for data analysis. Results: 180 logbook tables were analyzed. Average number of skill performances supervised once or more were found to be : 8 (out of 10) skills in anesthesiology and toxicology, 5(out of 11) skills in infectios diseases,7(out of 20)skills in internal medicine, 8 (out of 13) skills in orthopedics, 11 (out of 11) in ENT, and 10 (out of 10) in neurology. Conclusion: Findings showed that actual skills achievement is far from ideal in the studied departments. Therefore, interventional measures such as involving residents in instruction, more practical instructions in CSLC, using instructional films,arranging hospital shifts for interns, applying OSCEs, etc. should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate the process of advisor and teaching assistant (TA) to increase the quality of cascade training in principal educational groups, presenting the obstacles and problems of this educational intervention and introducing them to educational planners., Methodology: This applied developmental research was conducted in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2017-2018 in principal educational groups (internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, gynecology, and cardiology). For this purpose, a working party called TAs was composed of managers, faculty members, and active and interested assistants, including 24 people. The action plan, bylaws, job description, and logbooks were completed by the method of the focus group. Getting the report, monitoring the activity, exchanging the ideas, and drawing up the various plans were continuously done through bi-monthly in-person meetings, and the virtual group was organized for monitoring, starting a training logbook, and doing semi-organized interviews to evaluate., Results: In a total of 1131 h, various educational activities were conducted such as cooperating with the advisor, teaching some part of a class, holding a workshop, contributing to question design, preparing the educational resources, and organizing an educational round., Conclusion: Improving the knowledge, attitude, and practice of assistants in cascade training, regulating their activities, learning the teaching skills, and exercising them with the teacher were some of the most significant opportunities of this study., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Journal of Education and Health Promotion.)

Background: Advantageous times for different people are different to some extent, considering the effective physiological changes during the circadian rhythm, in terms of the peak time of physiological activities. The goal of this study is to compare the educational achievement of students, with different morning-evening habits, in completing difficult and easy courses., Materials and Methods: This research is a retrospective descriptive-analytical study, which has been conducted on students of the fifth semester of General Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The morning-evening habits of the students were determined by the Horne-Strauss 19-item questionnaire. The students were asked to determine the courses that were 'difficult' and 'easy,' using a researcher-made questionnaire. The students' scores in the considered courses during the five semesters were obtained from the Education Department of the Faculty and analyzed using the descriptive t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the multivariate regression test in the SPSS software., Results: Sixty-three students (67% girls and 33% boys) participated in this study, of whom 11, 60, and 29% were morning, morning-evening, and evening students, respectively. The mean scores of the difficult courses in all five semesters were reduced in the evening pattern compared to the morning and morning-evening patterns. Reduction of the mean score in the difficult courses, in the evening group, compared with the morning-evening and morning groups was observed in all five semesters among girls, but in three semesters among boys., Conclusion: This study showed that evening students experienced academic failure in difficult courses, which required a more cognitive performance. It is recommended that difficult specialized courses be presented at hours when all student groups have a better cognitive performance.