Program Evaluation:A Different Function for Logbook

Introduction: Various studies show that Log book can be also used in evaluation of medical course curriculum in clinical level in addition to evaluation of students’ achievement and their level of competencies. This article was to investigate the applicability of this new usage of Log book . Methods: Logbooks were designed by faculty members through various sessions in clinical departments in six sections of introduction, outcomes and essentials of learning, disease exposure case reports, communication skills evaluation, procedural skills learning in the morning and at the time of shift. Logbooks were filled by students and returned.Then, frequency of observed cases by students and the fields used by the departments were calculated. Results: The students had not observed 5 diseases (26%) in orthopedic Dept., 6 diseases (50%) in neurology Dept., 15diseases (68%) in infectious diseases Dept. and 1 disease (6%) in toxicology Dept. But, all diseases had been observed in ENT Dept by students. Log books in Dept. of internal medicine were so incomplete that their data were not usable. Departments of orthopedics and neurology from outpatient clinics, Department of infectious diseases from hospitalization ward, Department of toxicology from emergency had the highest usage. Discussion: If students, faculty members and residents in educational departments know well about the importance and role of logbook and observe its function results, logbook can be used for evaluation of educational curriculum.