Explaining the Indicators of Academic Competitive Advantages of Medical Universities: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Introduction: Nowadays, the process of changes has accelerated significantly, and organizational survival requires gaining competitive advantage. Competitive advantage consists of a set of factors or capabilities that always allows organizations to perform better. The purpose of this study is to explain the indicators of academic competitive advantage of medical universities to achieve scientific supremacy from experts᾽ point of view. Methods: This is a qualitative study and in terms of type, it is content analysis. This research has been carried out with the participation of five experts in the field of scientific authority using purposive sampling method, diversity in the field. The method of data collection was semi-structured individual interviews.  The text of the interviews was implemented and broken down into codes and classes using inductive methods, and finally the main classes or final themes were abstracted from them. Results: The results of this study include 181 codes, 13 categories, and four theme  1) prominent knowledge activities, 2) outreach, 3) radical influence on discipline, and 4) resources and infrastructure. Conclusion: In this study, the indicators of competitive advantages of medical universities were clarified in the field of scientific supremacy in the light of expert opinions.