Clinical Education Quality and Its Influencing Factors from the Perspective of Medical Students at Abadan University of Medical Sciences, 2023

Abstract

Background: The future profession and skills of students in the medical field are contingent upon the manner and method of their clinical education. The quality of education must adhere to specific conditions and standards, which may vary across different universities. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the quality of clinical education and its influencing factors at Abadan University of Medical Sciences in the year 2023. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between 2023 and 2024 on 98 medical students at Abadan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected in two sections: Demographic information and five domains: Educational goals and curriculum, instructor, interaction with students, educational environment, and supervision and evaluation. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 with independent samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: Of the participating students, 54.1% were male, 66.3% had a grade point average (GPA) between 16 and 18, and 53.1% were admitted through public admission. The highest and lowest mean scores for the overall dimensions of clinical education quality pertained to the quality of instructors (70.07%) and the clinical educational environment (54.5%), respectively. The overall mean quality of clinical education was perceived as moderate by the students. Conclusions: The quality of clinical instructor selection and teaching methods has the greatest impact on the quality of medical education from the perspective of medical students. This is directly related to the clinical educational environment, which was identified as the weakest aspect. Therefore, measures to strengthen and develop the infrastructure of the clinical educational environment are a primary priority for enhancing the quality of clinical education.