A brief description of Medical Education Master Program in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

As Medical sciences become more advanced andgrow each day, so do the challenges of medicaleducation. To overcome the new obstacles whichare an inseparable part of science evolution, it isnecessary to renew and improve the educationalsystem .Achieving this, requires individuals whoare educated in the new methods of learning andtherefore can lead others through educationalsystem development. During the past decade,these facts have led many medical universitiestoward establishing and pursuing new masterand PhD. programs of medical education. As aPioneer in the field of medical education and thefirst teacher training center in EMRO since 1972,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS)has also contributed to educational systemtransformation by establishing master courses inmedical education since 2008, with a goal of notonly updating faculties` educational knowledgebut also training efficient educational experts. InSUMS, these courses which are also mentionedin Dr. ARA Tekian’s article in Chicago University(1), were designed based on reviewing what Someof the greatest universities in the field of educationsuch as Dundee, Maastricht and Chicago Universityhave done. The courses last for five semestersand are available for all medical and paramedicalfaculty members, GPs and paramedical masters.To enter the program applicants must send theirresume including their degree, previous education,and published articles. Moreover, they must alsotake part in an entrance exam which evaluatestheir knowledge of general English language alongwith their educational knowledge and computerskills. These courses are conducted using thenewest methods and references of learning suchas “A practical guide for medical teachers” (2).The students are also asked to study the mostrecent AMME Guidelines which are provided forthem. According to students’ work field, in eachsemester, proper homework has been considered toimprove what they’ve been instructed in practice.After becoming educational experts, thesestudents can be hired in different sections ofeducation departments, acting as educationalambassadors, initiating educational leaders &curriculums designers which, in turn, can littleby little change the culture and face of education,hoping that these changes may someday result inspurring medical educational system.