Background & Objective: The majority of surveys have demonstrated the inadequate success
rate of continuing education programs in Iran from the viewpoint of participants. However, no
studies have been conducted on the viewpoints of lecturers (influential individuals and
beneficiaries in this issue) in this regard. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the
problems of continuing education programs and their solutions from the perspective of lecturers.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in 2015 on 15 university faculty members who
had previous experience of lecturing continuing education programs. The participants were
selected using purposive sampling (n = 15). Data were gathered through focus group discussion.
All discussions were recorded on audiotapes, transcribed, and then, analyzed through inductive
content analysis.
Results: Data analysis led to the extraction of 3 main themes (problems), 12 categories, 42
subcategories, and 68 suggested solutions. The main themes included the reduction of incentive
to participate in programs (4 categories), low effectiveness of implemented programs (5
categories), and the ineffective evaluation of programs (3 categories).
Conclusion: The main motivation for general practitioners to participate in these programs must
be the correction of professional practice. It seems that intervention in the implementation and
assessment fields are more likely than participants’ motivation. Providing teaching methods
workshops for faculty members, improving awareness of the goals and timetable of workshops,
holding workshops rather than lectures, evaluating performance instead of satisfaction, and
providing feedback on the assessment results are effective factors in the efficiency of programs.
Key Words: Effectiveness, Continuing education, General practitioner, Evaluation, Qualitative
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