Medical Graduates’ Viewpoints on the First Big UME Reform in Iran

Abstract

Background: Shahid Beheshti General Medical Degree Curriculum (2004) is the first big reform program in Iran with more than 10 major educational interventions. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the graduates’ viewpoints about the program. Methods: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional graduate survey in 2018, in which 194 medical graduates from 2011 to 2014 participated with a response rate of 51.3%. The authors prepared a questionnaire with a four-point Likert scale based on the stakeholders’ viewpoints. The questionnaire contained 121 questions in seven domains: Job status, undertaking social responsibility, self-improvement, competency, effects of interventions, adequacy of educational facilities, the impact of faculty members, and reform book effectiveness. In data analysis, the authors combined the positive ratings of "I agree" and "I strongly agree" and negative ratings of "I disagree" and "I strongly disagree.” Results: More than 88% of the respondents were specialists, medical residents, or were preparing for the medical residency entrance exam. More than 94% of the graduates evaluated themselves as competent in clinical skills, health promotion, and self-improvement, but 48.9% were competent in health advocacy, 43.3% in rehabilitation, 38.6% in the knowledge of diseases, and 29.4% in cognitive skills. The organ system approach (99%) and the approach to the presentation (87.1%) were the most favorable aspects of the program; but, communication skills education (60.8%), problem-solving sessions (64.3%), and professionalism education (66%) were the weak aspects. Bedside clinical teaching (83%) was more effective than outpatient education (79.4%) and didactic education (74.2%). Among the participants, 64.4% assessed the educational facilities as desirable, and 78.4% of them, the educational hours. Besides, 77.8% of the respondents agreed with the positive effect of clinical faculty members, and 45.9% agreed with the basic faculty members. Moreover, a difference was observed between the effects of student textbooks (80.4%) and study guides (60.3%) on enhancing students' learning. Conclusions: Overall, the program has shown effectiveness in many areas; however, it has a few weaknesses that should be considered in curriculum revision.