Curriculum integration in Medical Sciences: Perspective of Faculty Members in Tabriz University of Medical sciences

Introduction: Curriculum integration is a newly emerged topic in medical education. Given the importance of integration in improving the quality of education, the aim of this study was to examine the extent and order of attention to steps of curriculum integration in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive-survey research was carried out in 2015 on a sample of 177 faculty members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences who were selected through cluster sampling method. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability had been confirmed. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and Friedman test. Results: Views of faculty members indicated that there was a significant difference between the extent and order of attention to integrations steps in terms of ranking (X2=744.421, P= 0.0001). The highest mean scores and standard deviations of integration steps were respectively related to step-4 nesting (4.03±0.76), step-1 isolation (3.59±0.71), step-2 awareness (3.26±0.92), step-3 harmonization (2.99±1.13), step-9 multidisciplinary (2.98±1.18), step-8 complementary (2.26±1), step-11 transdisciplinary (2.23±1), step-10 interdisciplinary (2.23±0.87), step-7 correlation (2±0.88), step-6 sharing (1.92±0.91), step-5 temporal harmonization (1.63± 0.59). Conclusion: Results showed that the highest and lowest mean scores were related to the fourth (nesting) and fifth (temporal harmonization) steps respectively. It therefore seems that moving up to higher steps of integration requires close cooperation of faculty members (curriculum presenters) and curriculum experts and planners (curricularists), and full power of educational departments for designing and developing curriculum according to temporal and spatial requirements.