Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 The main influencing motives for major university choices among first-year dental students of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2 12 FA H Aghili S Taheri Moghadam B Seraj M Moslemi  Introduction: One of the most important decision for everyone in life is choosing an appropriate education to undertake a profession later in life. This study aims to investigate individual, environmental and professional motivation who enrolled in dentistry courses of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services and Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey undertook involving first year dental students who enrolled at Shahid Sadoughi University (SSU) of Medical Sciences and Health Services and Tehran University of Medical Sciences،(TUMS) in 2012. The questionnaire included demographic and individuals, environmental and professional motivations of the students. After validating the questionair, it was distributed among the students. Data were entered into SPSS and analysed accordingly. Results: Participation rate was 40% for SSU and 79% for TUMS. SSU students reported continual desire, in individual domain, main university entering exam, in environmental domain and possibilities for postgraduate education nad having own clinic in the professional domain. However, TUMS students were more influenced by continual desire, personal interest and family recommendation, income and possibility to have their own clinic. Conclusion: Itseemes that the most important factors to dentistry by SSU and TUMS first year dental students were environment and professional factors. The significant effect of professional factors suggests that by improving these factors, the motivation of interested students may increase.  

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Job satisfaction and its related factors among faculty members of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences 13 23 FA H Tavakoli A Sadeghi M Taherpoor M Toroski Introduction: Understanding determinants of job satisfaction may increase faculty members' motivation towards their educational and research goals. This study aims to determine job satisfaction among faculty members of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences in 2012.Method: This is a cross sectional analytic study carried out on 60 faculty members of North Khorasan University of Medical Science in 2012. Herzberg standard questionnaire which had 11 sections of job satisfactions were used to collect data. Data Analysis were done using SPSS V. 19.Results: The highest average score were reported for the nature of the academic activities and related communications and the lowest scores were reported for the political environment, salary, job security and work environment. In total, the overall job satisfaction rating of faculty members was 3.26±0.37. There were statistical significant relationship between marital status, academic position, type of employment, place of work, type of provided services and job satisfaction (P-value<0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that job satisfaction of the faculty members was average. Thus, it is essential for university managers to take more attention to the factors that may increase motivation and satisfaction of faculty members in North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences. 

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 The effect of problem-based learning training on nursing students’ critical thinking skills 24 33 FA M Hemmati Maslak Pak S Orujlu HR Khalkhali Introduction: Critical thinking is an essential part of clinical decision making and professional competence of nurses. One of the proposed ways to create such traits in students is their education with an active and problem-oriented method such as problem based learning. This study was conducted to determine the effect of problem based learning training on critical thinking skills of fourth-year nursing students studying at Faculty of Midwifery at Urmia University of Medical Sciences (UUMS).Method: This is a quasi-experimental study undertook in semester 1 -2013 with 50 year four nursing students participated from Faculty of Midwifery of UUMS. Seventh semester nursing students was recruited to the intervention arm and eighth semester nursing students to the control arm. Data collection tool was a standard California Critical Thinking Skills Questionnaire. All participants completed the questionnaires before and after problem based learning training workshops. Students in the intervention arm attended in the three small groups of problem solving education classes for six sessions. Results: Critical thinking skills in the intervention arm was significantly better than the control arm after problem based learning training (P<0.001). Comparing the two arms, the mean difference in critical thinking scores in both arms was significantly difference between the two arms after intervention (P<0.001). Conclusion: Problem based learning training promotes critical thinking skills over the traditional learning in nursing students. Therefore, this method is suggested to be used in training nursing students. 

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Compliance between what teachers taught and the course plans: The students' perspective at the School of Public Health of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences 34 44 FA H Ebrahimipour A Vafaee Najar AR Amini E Lael-monfared M Sepahi Baghan  Introduction: Developing course plan is essential for an effective education. to evaluate the course plan implementation, students can be surveyed. This study aim to assess the compliance between what the teachers' taught and the course plans of various courses from the viewpoint of students who enrolled in the School of Public Health (SPH) of Mashhad University of Medical Science (MUMS.(Methods: In this descriptive and cross- sectional study, 138 students were asked about specialized course plans implementation in the second semester of the academic year 2011-2012 year. A6-scale Likert questionnaire which has been designed for each course separately were used to gather data which has been analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA by SPSS 16.5 at 0.05 significant level.Results: Minimum and Maximum compliances were 18.8% and 100% respectively. On average, the compliances was 77.0±20.6. No significant correlations were observed between academic rank and compliances of taught content. The results showed a significant difference between the mean scores of different educational levels (P<0.05, f=5.8).Conclusion: Monitoring of implementation of the curriculum, along with empowering the teachers about developing and using their own course plan may improve the Alignment between the course plans and the taught materials. 

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Assessment of the 4th Medical Students' Scientific Olympiad in Iran: Theory to action and viewpoints of the participants 45 56 FA SD Nasrollahpour Shirvani M Javanian A Shabestani Monfared I Jahanian Introduction: Scientific Olympiads aim to evaluate the level of creativity, problem-solving skills, ability to reasoning, decision- making and team working skills among the participants. Talented students can be recognized by Olympiads to provide them more focused mentorship and training. This study aims to evaluate the quality and content of the 4th Medical Student' Scientific Olympiad (Med Olympiad) in Iran.Methods: This cross -sectional study was conducted in 2012-2013 on the participants of the 4th Med Olympiad of Iran. The research sample was selected by census. Data collection was performed by a researcher-made questionnaire validated by the investigators. Results: Among the 320 participants from four groups, 61 students (27%) reported the coaching activities of their university high and very high, 76 students (34%) moderate and 88 students (39%) low and very low. The quality of Med Olympiad competition reported 3.1/5±1 and the achievmnet of goals was reported 3.1±1. There was a significant correlation between the level of preparedness in medical universities and ranking of the university (P=0.001). There was no significant correlation between age, sex, academic grade, education, the domain in which the students participated, preparedness level, quality of the competition and access to Med Olympiad goals (P>0.05).Conclusion: Preparation of universities, quality of Med Olympiad and achieving the goals were area for improvements for the next Med Olympiad. 

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Nursing students' experience of training according to problem solving, based on role playing, and video clips in a department of psychiatry 57 69 FA M Maddi Neshat H Lashkardoost M Tabatabaei Chehr  Introduction: Role-playing according to problem-solving and educational video clips are new and effective methods of training midwifery students. This study aimed to assess nursing students' experiences of training using role playing, based on problem solving, and displaying video clips in the psychiatric department of Imam Reza Hospital of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences. Method: Nursing students in the first semester of  2011-2012 and 2012-2013  participated in a mental health training programs using role playing scenarios, based on problem solving skills, and were displayed educational video clips. Before and after performing each scenario, students completed a checklist related to role playing and videos, and were asked to evaluate them. The views and opinions of students were collected using focus group discussions and interviews. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS (V 18) and the 7-step method of Colaizzi, respectively.Results: The mean score of  students before and after role playing based on problem solving and displaying educational videos showed a significant difference (P<0.001).The majority of students reported that experiencing the two training methods was useful. A summary of the key findings of this study demonstrated that the students reported some difficulties including the dynamics of mind, interaction and optimal learning.Conclusion: Students' experience showed that role-playing and videos are useful training methods to learn psychiatric subjects. It is recommended to continue these training methods to obtain effective feedback.

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Critical thinking skills among dental students of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences: A comparison in 2013 70 78 FA S Yasayi V Navasanian AR Davari  Introduction: The twenty-first century is a new era of permanent changes in the scientific and medical practices. Critical thinking is essential to solve complex systems' problems. This study aims to investigate critical thinking skills of dental students of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences.Methods: This is a cross sectional descriptive study. Sixty four dental students enrolled in Faculty of Dentistry of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. Was investigated in 2013. The California Critical Thinking Test, Form B (CCTST, FB) including 34 multiple choice questions was used to assess the critical thinking skills of the students. The collected Data were analyzed by SPSS software using T-test, ANOVA, Spearman and Pearson Correlation coefficient.Results: The mean of critical thinking skills in the first year students was 13.9±2.4 and in last year was 11.8 ±2.9 There was no significant difference between the first and last year students' scores. Dimensions of critical thinking were not related to demographic factors, gender, last year score, marital status, and academic level (P>0.05).Conclusion: The mean scores of critical thinking skills in the first year students was higher than the last year students. Critical thinking was not enhanced among dental students while studying at the university. Lecturers in dental universities should focus more on nurturing critical thinking skills of the students to improve the clinical competency of dental students. 

Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd The Journal of Medical Education and Development 2251-7065 9 1 2014 7 1 Buzz groups: Intoduction to a new teaching strategy 79 81 FA M Bokaie T Farajkhoda B Enjezab S Mojahed