Internal evaluation of Social Medicine Department of Rafsanjan Medical School

ABSTRACT

Situation assessment during the implementation process will create favorable feedback that makes clear to what extent the implemented program has been successful in achieving the predetermined goals. Therefore, the internal evaluation of Social Medicine Department of Rafsanjan School of Medicine was aimed at understanding the strengths and weaknesses points in order to improve weaknesses and reinforce strengths. In this descriptive study, different parameters were evaluated including; relevant criteria for the head and middle manager of the group, technical facilities and equipments, library facilities and services, analysis of students' comments regarding educational curriculum i.e. theory, apprenticeship and internship cpourses, faculty members' structure and their curriculum vita [CV] and finally, the group colleagues' comments about the faculty members' teaching quality. Markers associated with each criterion were determined in a checklist form and compared using the Gorman table. Evaluation results showed that the mean scores for the aforementioned parameters were 4.89, 4.46, 5, 2.77, 4.79, 4.56, 4.15, 2.53 and 2.30 respectively. The overall rank for internal evaluation of the group, 3.83, was considered good based on the Gorman ranking criterion. According to the results, the group rank was strong and very strong for most of the parameters. However, the group rank was satisfactory and borderline for the parameters of library facilities and services and students' comments regarding educational curriculum in apprenticeship and internship cpourses. The findings of this study put a higher responsibility on the Social Medicine Department to have a complete revision of the educational curriculum in apprenticeship and internship courses for medical students and to seek to eliminate weaknesses and enhance strengths points and take the appropriate action to equip and support the library