Evaluation of Educational and Research Status in Microbiology Department, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences

Background: Continuous improvement of quality in higher education is the ultimate goal of any medical school. Evaluation of research and educational status makes it possible to judge about the quality of educational achievements in a system. Thus we evaluated the educational and research status of Microbiology and Virology Department, faculty of medicine in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2012 in the Department of Microbiology and Virology. The study population included  the head of the department, members of the Evaluation Committee, nine faculty members of the Department, postgraduate students and some undergraduate students, several alumni, as well as educational staff of the department. A questionnaire was utilized to evaluate 8 fields by questions based on a 3-point Likert scale. This questionnaire has been previously assessed and confirmed in terms of reliability and validity.  Descriptive statistics were calculated using appropriate software. Results: The best scores were obtained in the area of faculty members, students, and dissertations while the minimum points were achieved in the areas of educational facilities, educational programs (curricula) and alumni. Conclusion: According to the results, curricula, educational and research facilities and spaces which were identified as the weakest areas need to be considered and paid more serious attention. Planning to develop the effective communication with alumni can improve the quality of education in the department.