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Background: Learning a language has become more highlighted for medical students because it works as an approach for expressing and exchanging thoughts and feelings.Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the preferences of English as an international language among Iranian medical students.Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out on three different cohorts of language learners from Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. Four hundred students aged 18 to 46 were selected using the convenience sampling method. Exclusion of the upper-intermediate ones yielded 372 intermediate participants. The English Language Preferences Questionnaire was used to identify the factors on English language learning preferences. Frequency, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data using SPSS.Results: Speaking (42.8%) was the most preferred skill. Among participants, 83.1% preferred an English class of different activities, such as group work and projects. Also, 26.5% of students preferred to repeat what they heard, and 4.2% chose to copy from the board. Media and watching movies received a high percentage (81.2%). In addition, 47.8% of the participants preferred an immediate reflection on their errors in front of everyone, 56.5% showed interest in using both the native and English. Moreover, there was a statistically positive relationship between learning activities and task preferences among the participants (r =.39, p more...

Introduction: The growing recognition of regulation of motivation as an important part of the self-regulation with a direct impact on learning requires more careful assessment to aid the learning process and therefore, valid tools are needed. This study endeavored to explore Psychometric properties of Brief Regulation of Motivation Scale (BRoMS). Methods: The population of this cross sectional study was the students of Isfahan Medical University in the second semester of the academic years of 2019-2020, of which 400 student (155 boys and 245 girls) were selected by cluster sampling method and they responded to Brief regulation of motivation scale (BRoMS), Harter Educational Motivation Questionnaire (HEMQ) and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient of BRoMS was obtained through internal consistency method (.92) and by split-half method (.88) which shows appropriate reliability of test scores. Significant positive correlation was found at p more...

Background: Considering components of the hidden curriculum in medicine in the higher education system is a useful adjunct to the formal curriculum since the learning and function of medical students are strongly affected by these components. The current study compares the hidden medical curriculum of Tabriz state and non-state Universities of Medical Sciences from the students’ perspectives. Methods: In the current descriptive-comparative study, the statistical population included the total students of Tabriz state and non-state Universities of Medical Sciences. The statistical sample of the given study consisted of 400 students from senior and higher academic levels at the Tabriz state and non-state Universities of Medical Sciences based on Morgan’s table. Two hundred students from each university were selected using stratified random sampling. The data collection tool was a researcher-created valid questionnaire. The validity and reliability of the given questionnaire in respect to its components were 0.94 and 0.76, respectively. In the analysis of data, an independent inferential T_test was utilized. Results: The results of the analysis found that from the students’ perspectives, the mean scores of the hidden curriculum in medicine in the Tabriz state university of medical sciences ranked the following components higher than the Tabriz non-state university of Medical Sciences: (1) Education, including curriculum and goal-setting, clinical education and content, (2) Socialphysical environment, (3) Regulations and rules, including reward and punishment system, organizational structure, respect for rights and value system and (4) Relations, including moral behavior, approach, participation, and responsibility. However, in the fifth component of contexts and perspectives, including personal-environment/family context and professional financial perspectives, there was no significant difference between the hidden curriculum of Tabriz state and non-state Universities of Medical Sciences. Conclusion: The components of the hidden curriculum in medicine affect the learning richness and function of students and should be taken into consideration by universities of medical sciences, particularly non-state universities. more...

Introduction: The ability of students to efficiently use the learning environment leads to a better perception of and proper interaction with it. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of academic-professional skills training on students’ perception of the educational environment. Methods: This quasi-experimental research employed a pretest-posttest with a control group design. The sample included 24 students of faculty of nutrition and food sciences at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who were selected through random cluster sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 7 academic-professional skills training programs, while the control group received no intervention. Measurement tool was Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (MANCOVA). Results:The means and standard deviations of posttest scores in the experimental and control groups were as follows, respectively. For students’ overall perception: 125/22±16/07 and 123/17±15/51 (total score=200) (P more...

Background: Empathy is an important factor in the relationship between the therapist and the patient and leaves positive impacts on the health outcomes. Objectives: To investigate the level of empathy for patients among students of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was carried out in Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. A sample of 420 students was selected based on stratified sampling method. Jefferson Scale of Empathy was used to measure the level of empathy. Scores in the range of 20-60, 61-100, and 101-140 were regarded as the low, moderate, and high level of empathy, respectively. Data analysis was performed using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA in SPSS-16. Results: The total score of empathy of students was 103.5±16. The lowest and highest scores in empathy were obtained in dimensions of “standing in the patient’s shoes” and “compassionate care”, respectively. The mean score of empathy for male students (102.15±5.23) was lower than that of females (103.16±2.39). Scores of empathy subscales, except “perspective taking”, were higher in female students than male ones. In addition, there was a significant difference between male and female students in terms of the mean score of “perspective taking”, “compassionate care”, and “standing in the patient’s shoes”. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that the level of empathy for patients among the studied students is moderate and higher. However, given the positive impacts of empathy on treatment outcomes, it is recommended that students’ level of empathy be further improved through appropriate interventions more...

Introduction: Burnout is a negative state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, accompanied by a deep sense of work failure. Therefore, it is necessary to identify factors influencing it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the quality of learning experience and academic burnout and achievement among students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational research. The population included all students of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2014 from among 303 were selected randomly as the sample. Data collection tools were quality of learning experience and academic burnout questionnaires and the students’ GPA. A one-way ANOVA, independent samples t-test, post hoc test (Bonferroni and Dunnett) and Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Mean scores of quality of learning experience and academic burnout were 32.82±6.78 (out of 60) and 43.90±7.57 (out of 75), respectively. The GPA of the sample was 16.37±1.47. A significant difference was found between the quality of learning experience scores and academic failure dimension of academic burnout (P more...

BACKGROUND: The scientific Olympiad is an event that creates a competitive environment for student groups of medical universities across the country to solve problems that can help improve the health system. This study aims to explain the issues of the scientific Olympiad program of Iranian medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted using content analysis method, and the data were collected through 21 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with experts from December 2018 to April 2020. Participants were selected using purposive sampling methods. Twenty-one students, domain leaders, question designers, Olympiad executive experts, and teachers (11 males and 10 females) participated in the interviews. Data analysis was performed based on the steps of Graneheim and Lundman's method. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and subjected to a qualitative analysis by MAXQDA 2018 software. RESULTS: From the analysis of data, four themes, including inattention to context, inattention to input, inattention to process, and inattention to output, emerged. CONCLUSIONS: The scientific Olympiad can lead to interuniversity scientific exchanges and paves the way for the promotion of education and evaluation of learners in medical universities, but if not correctly implemented and the problems of previous periods are not solved, it will not help the health system and can impose considerable costs on the system. more...

Introduction: Due to the importance of holding effective scientific Olympiads for medical sciences students, this study aimed to evaluate experts’ viewpoints in regard to their necessity, costs, achievements, barriers and solutions. Methods: In this qualitative study, required data were collected using open-ended questions through self-development questionnaires, which were filled out by experts. Data were analyzed through content-analysis methods. To select participants, a purpose-based sampling method was applied up to the point of information saturation. Thus, this study was performed with 20 individuals. Results: The main necessity and philosophy of holding Olympiads expressed by the experts were: promoting health sector performance, extension of interrelationships between universities, development of scientific competition and incensement of students’ creativity. The majority of participants believed that the achievements of holding these Olympiads are negligible versus their costs. The most important barriers were: absence of appropriate relationships between universities, lack of proper support for holding these Olympiads, the low motivation of professors, noninterested students and the shortage of resources and facilities. Furthermore, the most important solutions included: performance evaluation of previous Olympiads, increasing incentives and motivations as well as suitable planning. Conclusion: According to experts’ viewpoints, although holding scientific Olympiads is necessary for medical students, during past years, the achievements of such Olympiads versus theirs costs seem negligible and there are lots of barriers in the path of achieving their goals and philosophy. more...

Introduction: Social networks are the most important means of communication in the societies as well as in the world.social networks among students is very essential. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the use of social networks with the motivation of academic achievement among students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this cross-sectional study 270 students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences during the academic year of 2017-18 were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using demographic information form, social networks questionnaire, and Hermann's academic achievement motivation. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Result: The mean age of the participants was 21.9 ± 3.2 years. In general, the average score of motivation for progress in the samples was 78.0 ± 8.0, indicating that the motivation for academic achievement was high among students. However, the results of the Spearman test showed that there is not a significant statistical relationship between the time spent using virtual social networks and the motivation for academic achievement in students. Conclusion The results indicate that considering the majority of students are members of social networks, the use of virtual social networks did not affect students' achievement motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Health sciences research (HSR) is an essential part of improving health care which plays a critical role in the field of medicine and clinical practice. The aim of the current study was to assess barriers to the research by students of medical sciences as well as to find out effective strategies for management of student researches in Iranian universities. Materials and Methods: This study utilized a hybrid design with quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches conducted on 627 students in six schools of medical sciences in two universities in Central Province in Iran from April to December, 2012. Questionnaires were distributed among researcher and non-researcher students to find barriers to the research. These barriers were approved and validated by similar studies and strategies using the Delphi technique on 36 students. Results: The most important barriers among researcher students were institutional barriers (3.3 ± 1.3), but in non-researcher students they were individual barriers (3.6 ± 1.7). The majority of barriers to involvement in the research among researcher students appeared to be time, lack of access to electronic resources and prolongation of the process of buying equipment. In addition, the greatest barriers among non-researcher students included the lack of time, scientific writing skills, and access to trained assistants. Conclusion: The results showed the issue of attitudes towards compulsory research as a component of critical scholarship in the curriculum of medical courses. Moreover, employment of the research experts can be helpful for research training in schools of medical sciences. more...

Background: The academic level of each society is assessed through the level of its students’ education. Students need to update their knowledge based on the latest achievements obtained throughout the world. What can serve this purpose is "language" as a key instrument. Methods: The current mixed methods study reviewed attitudes of Iranian medical sciences students towards learning English Language with a focus on their identity type. To this end, 372 students of medical sciences (medical, paramedical, and nursery and midwifery) completed two questionnaires and participated in a semi-structured interview investigating participants’ attitudes toward language learning. Results: The results indicate that the students had a considerable appreciation for the English language, particularly in enhancing job opportunities for them in the future and helping them to keep up with technological developments in the world. Moreover, the English language was considered a way of feeling more confident and enriching their intercultural horizons in establishing interpersonal skills. There were also tendencies towards the English language as a prestigious language with a high social level and a channel to have good relationships with other people in their field. To some extent, they knew English as the transmission of professional knowledge providing academic support; foursome of them, it was considered just a university course to pass. It was also realized that the differences in their perceptions were not affected by their identity type, suggesting a unique path of identity type and certain attitudes for students of medical sciences. Conclusion: In brief, with the English language considered as a growing global status and the increasing interpretation of the impact that these shifts have on attitudes towards learning the English language, there is a need for theoretical and practical exploration of learners ‘attitudes towards the English language. more...

Introduction: Today, successful organizations are the ones that constantly operationalize new ideas. The present study aimed to investigate the effective personal characteristics in creating and developing creativity among the students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. To do this, three mediating factors of positive mood, self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation were used to help evaluate the effect of personal characteristics on these students’ creativity. Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, the data were collected through a combined questionnaire which was completed by a number of 214 students. The participants of the study were selected through a multi-stage method (cluster, stratified and random sampling) from among a number of 481 volunteers. The data were analyzed by Path analysis using LISER 8. 50. Results:The results showed that the three factors of personal characteristics (self-directedness, risk taking, and retroactivity) had a significantly indirect effect on students` creativity that is, they were found to affect creativity through the three mediatory factors of positive mood, intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy. The values obtained from the comparative fit index, goodness of fit index, adjusted goodness of fit index, and root mean squared error of approximation were 1. 00, 1. 00, 0. 97, and 0. 038, respectively. Conclusion:Many factors are involved in creating and developing creativity among students of Medical Sciences. The results obtained from Path analysis indicated that self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation had the most significant effect on these students' creativity. more...

Introduction: Due to the importance of holding effective scientific Olympiads for medical sciences students, this study aimed to evaluate experts’ viewpoints in regard to their necessity, costs, achievements, barriers and solutions. Methods:In this qualitative study, required data were collected using open-ended questions through self-development questionnaires, which were filled out by experts. Data were analyzed through content-analysis methods. To select participants, a purpose-based sampling method was applied up to the point of information saturation. Thus, this study was performed with 20 individuals. Results:The main necessity and philosophy of holding Olympiads expressed by the experts were: promoting health sector performance, extension of interrelationships between universities, development of scientific competition and incensement of students’ creativity. The majority of participants believed that the achievements of holding these Olympiads are negligible versus their costs. The most important barriers were: absence of appropriate relationships between universities, lack of proper support for holding these Olympiads, the low motivation of professors, noninterested students and the shortage of resources and facilities. Furthermore, the most important solutions included: performance evaluation of previous Olympiads, increasing incentives and motivations as well as suitable planning. Conclusion: According to experts’ viewpoints, although holding scientific Olympiads is necessary for medical students, during past years, the achievements of such Olympiads versus theirs costs seem negligible and there are lots of barriers in the path of achieving their goals and philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background and objective: Health promotion and providing health for the whole population is an important factor of progress in societies. Students of medical sciences have a significant role in the health promotion as health promoter and professional health care providers. Therefore, the health-promoting behaviors among these students have noticeable importance. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study,400 students were assessed by HPLP II questionnaire through two-stage stratified sampling. This questionnaire has six dimensions:responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, Stress Management, and interpersonal relationships. Descriptive statistics and T-test was used for data analysis through SPSS11.5. Results: The mean age of students was 21.36±1.6. The total mean score of health-promoting behavior was 113.08±25 (total score 208). The highest score was gained by spiritual growth (20.81±6.2), and the lowest score was by responsibility domain (19.26±6.8). Interpersonal relations between two sexes was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Due to the state of the health-promoting behaviors among students of medical sciences (intermediate levels),educational planning in health promoting behaviors is recommended for students. Paper Type: Research Article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Health sciences research (HSR) is an essential part of improving health care which plays a critical role in the field of medicine and clinical practice. The aim of the current study was to assess barriers to the research by students of medical sciences as well as to find out effective strategies for management of student researches in Iranian universities. Materials and Methods: This study utilized a hybrid design with quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches conducted on 627 students in six schools of medical sciences in two universities in Central Province in Iran from April to December, 2012. Questionnaires were distributed among researcher and non-researcher students to find barriers to the research. These barriers were approved and validated by similar studies and strategies using the Delphi technique on 36 students. Results: The most important barriers among researcher students were institutional barriers (3.3 ± 1.3), but in non-researcher students they were individual barriers (3.6 ± 1.7). The majority of barriers to involvement in the research among researcher students appeared to be time, lack of access to electronic resources and prolongation of the process of buying equipment. In addition, the greatest barriers among non-researcher students included the lack of time, scientific writing skills, and access to trained assistants. Conclusion: The results showed the issue of attitudes towards compulsory research as a component of critical scholarship in the curriculum of medical courses. Moreover, employment of the research experts can be helpful for research training in schools of medical sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...