University Teachers’ Point of View about Educational Environment in Major Clinical Wards in Educational Hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences, Based on Modified DREEM Model

Background & Objective : Educational institutions use different tools for evaluating their own activities. In this study, DREEM (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure) model was used as a diagnostic tool to evaluate curriculum problems and efficacy of change in education. Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted in four major clinical wards including internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics &gynecology and general surgery in four educational hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. A questionnaire including 35 questions concerning three domains of students’ learning, teachers, and educational atmosphere was distributed amongst 53 clinical teachers in the aforementioned wards. Results : The mean score was 116 out of 140 which was interpreted as very satisfactory. Regarding all three domains of learning, teachers, and educational environment, the highest mean score belonged to pediatrics ward whereas the least belonged to internal medicine ward. There was a significant difference between clinical wards concerning educational environment (P=0.042). The internal medicine ward’s score was 39.3 while pediatrics ward got 46.2. Conclusion : According to the mean score, it seems that the university teachers consider learning and teaching to be suitable. As for the least score which was given to educational environment in internal medicine ward, it seems that problems in appropriate communication between teachers and learners in this ward have led to a stressful environment. Since DREEM model is suitable for educational changes, comparing teachers and learners’ points of view and planning to solve problems in internal ward could be useful. Keywords: Educational environment, Clinical wards, Educational evaluation, Teaching and learning, DREEM model

Evaluating the relationship between serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and A (IgA) anti-cagA antibody and the cagA gene in patients with dyspepsia

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

How to develop clinical reasoning in medical students and interns based on illness script theory : An experimental study

Acknowledgments Authors would like to acknowledge Iran University of Medical Sciences for providing financial support. Extend thanks to medical students and interns for their participation in the study. Funding The present study was financially supported by Iran University of Medical Sciences, for partial fulfillment of Ph.D. dissertation, (Grant No: 6784). The funding organization did not play any roles in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Challenging script concordance test reference standard by evidence : Do judgments by emergency medicine consultants agree with likelihood ratios?

Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge Dr. Amir Nejati for his contributions in collecting data for this study. Sources of funding This study was the M.D. thesis of SK and was funded by Iran University of Medical Sciences. The authors have not received fund from any other source.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

La Paradoja de la Aceptación y el Rechazo: La Percepción de los Estudiantes Profesionales de la Salud sobre la Aceptación del Aprendizaje Móvil en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Irán

Objective: A qualitative study was conducted to explore the perception of healthcare professional students about mobile learning acceptance. Method: The study was performed using a conventional content analysis method. The subjects were the students of medical sciences in Iran University of Medical Science. Sampling was based on a purposeful sampling method. Twenty-three students took part in semi-structured interviews until data saturation was reached. Results: The main theme was “the paradox of acceptance and rejection” with three categories; (1) perceived attraction (sub-categories: learning with the excitement of entertainment, the attraction of multimedia learning environment and enthusiasm for electronic learning); (2) perceived ease (sub-categories: easy access to information anytime and anywhere and easy and effortless use); and (3) perceived conflict (sub-categories: teachers’ contradictory behavioral patterns, contradiction about value of online information, friends’ contradictory behavioral patterns, and digital gap between generations in family). Conclusion: The three categories found in the study placed the students in a dilemma of using or not using mobile learning. They had doubts about accepting mobile technology as a legitimate educational tool. Taking these factors into account and managing them can pave the way for mobile learning in the students.Se realizó un estudio cualitativo para explorar la percepción de los estudiantes profesionales de la salud sobre la aceptación del aprendizaje móvil. El estudio se realizó utilizando un método de análisis de contenido convencional. Los sujetos fueron estudiantes de medicina en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Irán. El muestreo se basó en un método de muestreo útil. Veintitrés estudiantes participaron en entrevistas semiestructuradas hasta que se alcanzó la saturación de datos. El tema principal fue "la paradoja de la aceptación y el rechazo" con tres categorías: (1) atracción percibida (subcategorías: aprendizaje con la emoción del entretenimiento, la atracción del entorno de aprendizaje multimedia y el entusiasmo por el aprendizaje electrónico); (2) facilidad percibida (subcategorías: acceso fácil a la información en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar y uso fácil y sin esfuerzo); y (3) conflicto percibido (subcategorías: patrones de comportamiento contradictorios de los docentes, contradicción sobre el valor de la información en línea, patrones de comportamiento contradictorios de los amigos y brecha digital entre generaciones en la familia). Las tres categorías encontradas en el estudio colocaron a los estudiantes en un dilema de usar o no el aprendizaje móvil. Tenían dudas sobre la aceptación de la tecnología móvil como una herramienta educativa legítima. Tener en cuenta estos factores y gestionarlos puede allanar el camino para el aprendizaje móvil en los estudiantes

The paradox of acceptance and rejection: The perception of healthcare professional students about mobile learning acceptance in Iran University of Medical Sciences

Objective: A qualitative study was conducted to explore the perception of healthcare professional students about mobile learning acceptance. Method: The study was performed using a conventional content analysis method. The subjects were the students of medical sciences in Iran University of Medical Science. Sampling was based on a purposeful sampling method. Twenty-three students took part in semi-structured interviews until data saturation was reached. Results: The main theme was “the paradox of acceptance and rejection” with three categories; (1)perceived attraction (sub-categories: learning with the excitement of entertainment, the attraction of multimedia learning environment and enthusiasm for electronic learning); (2)perceived ease (sub-categories: easy access to information anytime and anywhere and easy and effortless use); and (3)perceived conflict (sub-categories: teachers’ contradictory behavioral patterns, contradiction about value of online information, friends’ contradictory behavioral patterns, and digital gap between generations in family). Conclusion: The three categories found in the study placed the students in a dilemma of using or not using mobile learning. They had doubts about accepting mobile technology as a legitimate educational tool. Taking these factors into account and managing them can pave the way for mobile learning in the students.Se realizó un estudio cualitativo para explorar la percepción de los estudiantes profesionales de la salud sobre la aceptación del aprendizaje móvil. El estudio se realizó utilizando un método de análisis de contenido convencional. Los sujetos fueronestudiantes de medicina en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Irán. El muestreo se basó en un método de muestreo útil. Veintitrés estudiantes participaron en entrevistas semiestructuradas hasta que se alcanzó la saturación de datos. El tema principal fue "la paradoja de la aceptación y el rechazo" con tres categorías:(1) atracción percibida (subcategorías: aprendizaje con la emoción del entretenimiento, la atracción del entorno de aprendizaje multimedia y el entusiasmo por el aprendizaje electrónico); (2) facilidad percibida (subcategorías: acceso fácil a la información en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar y uso fácil y sin esfuerzo); y (3) conflicto percibido (subcategorías: patrones de comportamiento contradictorios de los docentes, contradicciónsobre el valor de la información en línea, patrones de comportamiento contradictorios de los amigos y brecha digital entre generaciones en la familia). Las tres categorías encontradas en el estudio colocaron a los estudiantes en un dilema de usar o no el aprendizaje móvil. Tenían dudas sobre la aceptación de la tecnología móvil como una herramienta educativa legítima. Tener en cuenta estos factores y gestionarlos puede allanar el camino para el aprendizaje móvil en los estudiantes

Components of Professional Development of Heads of Departments of Medical Sciences: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Medical universities need more than ever competent and effective managers and leaders to face the threats and challenges of the modern world. The aim of this research was to review the studies on the components of professional development of medical education heads of departments. Methods: This systematic review examined the studies related to the components of professional development of medical education heads of departments published in Persian and English from 1990 to 2016. The keywords “professional development, department chair, department head, program director, educational leadership, and leadership development” were used to search through the databases of Cochran Data Base of Systematic Review, Eric, Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Sage, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, ProQuest, SID, Iran Medex, and Magiran. The initial search yielded 1065 articles. Having the articles screened and qualitatively evaluated, final synthesis was performed on 35 articles. The data analysis method was framework analysis. Results: Synthesis of the related articles in two categories of higher education and medical education identified the components of professional development of medical education heads of departments in six themes including managerial development, leadership development, personal development, educational development, research development, and clinical development. Conclusion: The six themes derived from this systematic review can be used as an effective model for designing professional development programs for medical education heads of departments and have useful results to improve the quality of medical education