Achieving Minimum Learning Requirements in Ophthalmology Ward: the Viewpoints of Interns in School of Medicine

Introduction: Evidences show that current educational programs do not correspond to after graduation needs of physicians and occasionally cause problems for both physicians and recipients of services. Current study has determined the opinion of interns about achieving minimum learning requirements in ophthalmology ward. Methods: A descriptive study was done in the Medical School of Isfahan Medical University in 2004. All interns in ophthalmology ward (40), who were at least in their fourth month of internship period filled a valid and reliable questionnaire, composed of 15 questions. The data was analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics. Result: The most learned skill, at the end of one month period, was physical examination (100%), and removing foreign bodies (92.5%). The least learned skill was estimation of visual field by methods of confrontation (12.5%) and using Schiotz tonometer (27.5%). Conclusion: It seems that the interns were not able to acquire the minimum learning requirements in ophthalmology ward. It is recommended that educational objectives be revised, defined more accurately, and adjusted according to the needs of learners and society. Also, designing appropriate evaluation methods is suggested to assess interns’ acquired skills.