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

Assessing the Evaluation Domain of Ambulatory Care Training in Firoozgar Hospital, Iran, Based on Iranian National Standards of Undergraduate Medical Education in 2013

Background & Objective: In the present study, the evaluation domain of ambulatory care training in Firoozgar Hospital, Tehran, Iran, was assessed based on the Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education using the Baldrige scoring matrix. It also offered some suggestions for the promotion of education quality by use of the gap analysis method between the current condition and these standards. Methods: This descriptive analytic study was a kind of evaluation research performed using the standard checklist published by the undergraduate medical education council. Document evaluation, survey, and observation were performed based on the Baldrige excellence model. After the confirmation of validity and reliability of the checklist, the establishment level of national standards was evaluated in the clinics of Firoozgar Hospital in the evaluation domain. Data were analyzed according to the national standards of the domain of ambulatory education and the Baldrige scoring matrix. Finally, the quality of the current condition was determined as very satisfactory, satisfactory, medium, weak, and very weak. Results: In the clinics of Firoozgar Hospital, 25.50% of the national standards related to ambulatory education in the evaluation domain were observed and this domain was at a medium level. Conclusion: Due to the medium level of the evaluation domain, it is suggested that ambulatory education authorities provide the necessary facilities and reformations by considering the national standards of ambulatory education in the domains that were determined as weak and need quality promotion. Keywords: Quality; Ambulatory training; Evaluation; Iranian national standard

The Experiences of Healthcare Professional Students about the Educational Impacts of Mobile Learning

The role of mobile devices in learning processes is growing rapidly and it is imperative to assess the effect of this technology. This paper explores the experience of healthcare professional students with regard to the educational impacts of mobile learning. We conducted a qualitative study using a conventional qualitative content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman (2004) method to collect and analyze the experiences of 23 healthcare professional students. Two themes, each with subthemes, emerged from the findings: (1) perceived benefit in learning process, and (2) reflective self-assessment. The results revealed that mobile learning has a positive impact on both the process and the outcome of learning in healthcare professional students. Therefore, creating a supportive condition to promote mobile learning is recommended

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 Interacting Role of University Ranking and Globalization of Education

Background: Based on the plan of revolution and innovation in medical education that was issued by the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the extensive role of such programs in the qualitative promotion of universities, The academic ranking of world universities is of great importance, since the qualitative and quantitative implementation of academic ranking can influence the realization of the university’s goals. Hence, the current study aimed at collecting data about the academic ranking of world universities as well as its criteria and indices and their relationship with globalization. Methods: To gain access to reputable databases in university ranking, an extensive search was performed in Google Scholar. Thereafter, after getting access to reputable databases such as Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), Times higher education world University ranking (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds world University rankings (QS), Webometric, and Islamic world science citation center (ISC), data were collected and classified. Results: Based on the collected data, the history of university rankings and ranking systems, as well as criteria and indices pertaining to the academic ranking of world universities, was derived, and the specificities of the criteria and indices were discussed. Conclusions: University rankings are usually performed on a combination of performance-associated indices and criteria. Efforts to achieve a desirable position based on the criteria and indices of the ranking system play an important role in the promotion of educational quality and globalization. Keywords: International Ranking System, Universities, Index, Globalizatio

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

The educational effects of mobile learning on students of medical sciences: A systematic review in experimental studies

Introduction: The demand for mobile learning in the medical sciences educational program is increasing. The present review study gathers evidence highlighted by the experimental studies on the educational effects of mobile learning for medical sciences students. Methods: The study was carried out as a systematic literature search published from 2007 to July 2017 in the databases PubMed/ Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters), Educational Resources and Information Center (ERIC), EMBASE (Elsevier), Cochrane library, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. To examine quality of the articles, a tool validated by the BEME Review was employed. Results: Totally, 21 papers entered the study. Three main themes emerged from the content of papers: (1) improvement in student clinical competency and confidence, (2) acquisition and enhancing of students’ theoretical knowledge, and (3) students’ positive attitudes to and perception of mobile learning. Level 2B of Kirkpatrick hierarchy had been examined by all the papers and seven of them had reported two or more outcome levels, but level 4 was not reported in the papers. Conclusion: Our review showed that the students of medical sciences had positive response and attitudes to mobile learning. Moreover, implementation of mobile learning in medical sciences program might lead to valuable educational benefits and improve clinical competence and confidence along with theoretical knowledge, attitudes, and perception of mobile learning. The results indicated that mobile learning strategy in medical education can positively affect learning in all three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy

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

Validation of Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF): A pilot study

Fieldwork education is an integral part of the educational process in occupational therapy and assessing student competency at the end of fieldwork is important. The aim of this study was to design and conduct an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) based on the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) for occupational therapy students on Level II fieldwork in Iran. A seven-station OSCE was designed and conducted with 13 students. Face and content validity of the exam scenarios and grading checklists was assessed via faculty review. The correlation between scores from each station and total OSCE scores were obtained to assess construct validity. Inter-rater reliability between two independent examiners at each OSCE station was determined. The participants’ (including both students and examiners) reactions to and learning from the exam was assessed using a self-report questionnaire that included participants\u27 attitudes, satisfaction, and emotional response to the OSCE. Finally, a focus group of 12 examiners was conducted to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the exam. It was ascertained that the OSCE had good and acceptable face, content, and construct validity as well as inter-examiner reliability. All students reported that the exam was stressful, and most students (n=8, 61%) and examiners (n=5, 42%) reported there was not enough time for each station. Strength and weaknesses of the exam as related to the exam condition, exam content, students, and examiners were reported. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results, in order to use OSCE as a method of evaluating occupational therapy students, some changes should be applied

Evidence-Based Medicine in Iranian Schools of Traditional Medicine According to Experts

Background & Objective: Most experts of Iranian traditional medicine believe that it is absolutely necessary and inevitable to update the field to utilize evidence in education of Iranian traditional medicine students and treatment of its patients. In this regard, this study attempted to evaluate utilization of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in the curriculum of School of Iranian Traditional Medicine. Methods: In this qualitative study, semi-structured, individual, and face-to-face interviews were done to collect Iranian traditional medicine expert’s point of views in regard to EBM. Content analysis was done to analyze the data. Results: The study findings were classified in two major categories including EBM in the curriculum of Iranian traditional medicine, and EBM application in Iranian School of Traditional Medicine. The sub-categories were also mentioned. Conclusion: Although some sections of PhD program in traditional medicine are related to evidence based medicine, it is not satisfying yet. Therefore, the concept and principles of evidence based practice should be included in theory and practice. Keywords Evidence-based medicine Iranian traditional medicine Curriculu