Background: Altruism, defined as an unselfish concern for the welfare of others, is a fundamental pillar of medical professionalism, emphasized during the Phase-1 MBBS foundation course. The study aimed to assess the understanding of altruism among Phase-1 students, assessing their ability to perform a ‘Random Act of Kindness,’ with qualitative reflections and quantitative analysis of altruistic behavior. Methods: Following ethics approval, a quasi-observational study was conducted. After an interactive lecture on altruism, students were encouraged to perform a ‘Random Act of Kindness’ over two weeks. Participation was voluntary, with written informed consent obtained from all participants. Students reflected on their acts in Google Forms, and a pre-validated questionnaire, adapted from the Altruistic Personality Scale, was administered before the lecture to assess baseline altruistic tendencies using a Likert scale. Results: Before the lecture - 25.6% of the students strongly liked doing the ‘random acts of kindness.’ After the lecture and completion of the activity, this figure rose to 49.6%. Most students performed simple altruistic acts or acts of charity. Reflective writing revealed that students felt ‘happy’ and ‘grateful’ after completing their acts of kindness. Conclusion: While many students initially engaged in altruistic behavior due to parental influence, incorporating ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ into the foundation course of the CBME curriculum appears to effectively enhance altruistic tendencies in first-year medical students, thereby fostering the core values of medical professionalism.
Background: In a demanding work environment, nurses face significant occupational stress, which negatively impacts job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and patient care quality. To address this, the study investigated the effectiveness of a continuing professional development (CPD) program titled "Combating Occupational Stress," utilizing a blended learning approach through a flipped classroom model. Methods: This one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted in an educational hospital in Tabriz in 2023. It involved 30 nurses from internal and surgical wards, selected via convenience sampling. The program consisted of six sessions over three weeks, focusing on strategies to combat occupational stress. The Nursing Stress Scale was administered before and after the intervention to assess stress levels, while a standard satisfaction questionnaire evaluated the effectiveness of the educational strategy. Results: Results showed that nurses had a high level of occupational stress before the program (199.1±4.34). Post-intervention, there was a significant reduction in stress across all dimensions, with a mean score of 86±3.1 (P<0.001). Additionally, 80% of participants reported high satisfaction with the educational approach. Conclusion: These findings underscore the positive impact of innovative health education programs on reducing job stress among nurses, enhancing their ability to manage occupational challenges. The study advocates for the adoption of modern teaching methods and technologies tailored to nurses’ educational needs, promoting a supportive work environment that improves professional development, patient care, and overall health system effectiveness.
Background: Job satisfaction has a profound impact on productivity, retention, and overall performance in specialized fields such as pharmacology and toxicology. Understanding the determinants of job satisfaction and the rate of return on investment (ROR) for advanced education in these disciplines is crucial for aligning educational programs with workforce demands and improving healthcare outcomes. Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study surveyed 60 PhD graduates (39 pharmacology, 21 toxicology) from Iran, who completed their programs within the past four years. Participants were selected via simple random sampling using Cochran’s formula. Data, collected through an online questionnaire, covered demographics, employment status, job satisfaction, income alignment, and educational expenses. ROR was calculated using a standardized formula. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 21. Results: Mean job satisfaction scores were 2.03 (±0.52) for income-related items in pharmacology and 1.68 (±0.48) in toxicology graduates, indicating significant dissatisfaction. Satisfaction with professional associations was 1.95 (±0.44) for pharmacology and 1.32 (±0.51) for toxicology. Job content/identity and PhD relevance domains showed average satisfaction, with scores ranging from 2.98–3.64. The calculated ROR was 2.33% for pharmacology and 2.12% for toxicology graduates, reflecting full recovery of educational investments within four years. Conclusion: The results highlight an urgent need for structural improvements in educational and professional systems to increase job satisfaction among pharmacology and toxicology PhD graduates. Addressing income disparities and strengthening the alignment between academic curricula and industry requirements are vital steps to cultivate a more motivated and effective pharmaceutical workforce, with positive implications for healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Background: Storytelling is a powerful educational method that encourages reflection and deeper understanding of complex concepts. Storytelling as a learner is commonly used in other disciplines, yet its application in medical education is limited. This study sought to evaluate the use of storytelling as a pedagogical approach in a workshop with medical students and assess its impact on students’ knowledge and attitudes towards core concepts of medical education. Methods: Interactive workshops were implemented using a storytelling approach based on a fictional diary of a dental student. Participants engaged in story-based discussions in a book-club format, followed by introduction of the main educatio by the facilitator. A pre-post questionnaire was used to assess students’ knowledge and attitudes. Quantitative data were analyzed with paired t-tests, and Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Participants’ open-ended feedback was reviewed thematically to better understand perceptions of students regarding the storytelling method. Results: Out of 80 participants, 76 finished the pre- and post-tests (95 percent response rate). Post-workshop scores showed notable improvements in knowledge (Mean±SD: 12.9±2.3 to 17.8±1.9; P<0.001) and attitudes (Likert mean score: 3.4±0.6 to 4.2±0.5; P<0.001). The internal consistency of the questionnaire was acceptable (Cronbach’s α=0.82). participants gave positive comments, and emphasized how memorable and captivating the workshops were. Conclusion: Storytelling is a powerful teaching method in medical education that can increase students’ emotional and cognitive engagement. It encourages reflection, active learning, and higher levels of learner satisfaction.
Background: Existing research indicates that students’ perceptions of their classroom environment and their academic self-concept significantly influence their sense of school belonging. However, the precise interplay and predictive roles of these factors warrant further investigation. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the extent to which students’ perceptions of their classroom environment and their academic self-concept predict their overall sense of school belonging. Methods: A descriptive-correlational research design was utilized for this study. The sample comprised 361 female high school students, aged 13 to 15, residing in Tehran (2024). These participants were selected from a larger population using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected using three instruments: the School Belonging Questionnaire, the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, and the Academic Self-Concept Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, employing Pearson’s correlation coefficient and stepwise regression to examine the relationships between variables. Results: The findings demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlation between students’ perceptions of their classroom environment and their sense of school belonging (P<0.001). Similarly, a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between academic self-concept and school belonging (P<0.001). Collectively, perceptions of the classroom environment and academic self-concept accounted for 27% of the variance in students’ school belonging. Notably, academic self-concept exhibited a comparatively stronger predictive capacity in this relationship. Conclusion: This study confirms that both perceived classroom environment and academic self-concept are significantly associated with students’ sense of school belonging. Furthermore, academic self-concept demonstrates a more robust predictive influence than classroom environment perceptions. These findings suggest that interventions designed to improve students’ academic self-perception could be particularly effective in fostering a stronger sense of belonging within the school environment.
