Medical Students’ Viewpoints about the Quality of Education in Outpatient Clinics in Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2007

Introduction: Nowadays along with new advances in the methods of diagnosis and treatment , most patients are treated through outpatient services. However in Iran, in spite of numerous cases of outpatient visits, most of medical education is conducted in hospital wards . This study has focused on the viewpoints of medical students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences about the quality of outpatient clinical education settings in 2007. Method: One hundred fifty interns and stagers were studied in this descriptive – cross- sectional study by a valid and reliable researcher made questionnaire .Data were analyzed by descriptive statistical tests through SPSS. Results: Most of the students evaluated physical conditions of educational ambulatory settings, as average to good . Majority of the obtained viewpoints revealed the shortage of educational facilities and equipments. Educational programs were assessed as average to good in most of the cases ,and the teaching methods were assessed as good. Participation of the students in outpatioant education was assessed as good, while the final student assessment in ambulatory education was rated as poor. Conclusion: From the viewpoint of the students, the physical condition of the outpatient clinics and teachers’ performance in ghem has been good but the students reported the method of education in ambulatory settings as poor . It seems crucial to pay special attention to medical education programs in order to improve the learning quality in outpatient settings.