Senior Medical Students' Self Evaluation of their Capability in General Competencies in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Evaluating graduates' proficiencies can provide a helpful reflection of medical education performance and lead to its improvement. The aim of this study was to assess general competencies of final year medical students from their own viewpoints. Methods: In this descriptive–evaluative study, 71 graduating students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences evaluated themselves based on a 101 item evaluation form with Likert scale, in 17 general medical competencies. Calculating the mean scores given to the items related to each competency, their score in each competency was determined. Results: Medical graduates of this university had the mean scores of more than 3.5 for each competency. The highest scores belonged to the competencies including case presentation (4.94±0.75), basic procedures (4.83±0.47), tests interpretation (4.69±0.53), and diagnostic decision-making (4.69±0.66). The lowest scores belonged to geriatrics (3.56±0.75), nutrition (3.56±0.84), practice management (3.73±0.80), and advanced procedures (4.02±0.75), respectively. Conclusion: The medical education program in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences is more patient-centered rather than community oriented. Therefore, improving the competencies needed by the society such as geriatrics, nutrition, practice management, and advanced procedures requires more attention in the educational programs as well as continuing medical education. Improving these competencies can result in a better care delivery by general practitioners in the community.