Journal of Medical Education and Development

Review of Successful Educational Programs in the Clinical Nursing Doctorate in Mental Health

Bagheri Amiri Z — 2025-09-22

Introduction: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is an effective strategy for preparing nurses advanced level of nursing. The United States, as a pioneer in implementing this program, plays an effective role in developing this program in other countries. This study was conducted with the aim of introducing successful educational programs in the doctoral course of clinical mental health nursing.

Method: This descriptive-comparative study was conducted in 2025 using Beredy's four-stage model. A search was performed on the websites of reputable and pioneering universities offering this program, including Johns Hopkins University, Rush, Washington, and San Francisco in the USA. Then, the components and important indicators of the curricula were analyzed based on the stages of description, interpretation, proximity, and comparison.

Results: The curriculum of these four faculties emphasizes fundamental values such as respect, honesty, responsibility, and excellence. These programs, centered on evidence-based practice, train nurses who have the ability to diagnose and manage acute and chronic mental disorders and provide effective care and educational services to patients, families, and communities within specialized interdisciplinary teams.

Conclusion: The clinical nursing doctoral program in these four faculties is implemented with the aim of training specialized nurses to provide psychiatric nursing care to patients and their families. Given the growth of the nursing profession and its specialization, utilizing the educational experiences of these faculties can serve as a model for implementing this program in Iran and other countries.

Compliance of Pediatric Dental Treatments of Yazd Dental Students with the Educational Curriculum

Salarian S — 2025-09-22

Introduction: The educational process becomes effective when the intended objectives are achieved during or after the training, and the final results are obtained. Evaluating a program's quality and determining its success and effectiveness requires assessment. This study examined the alignment of pediatric dental treatments performed by students at the Yazd Faculty of Dentistry with the requirements outlined in the dental curriculum for the period 2022–2024.

Method: After preparing a researcher-made checklist based on the required items of the dental curriculum and collecting educational logbooks from practical Pediatric Dentistry courses 1, 2, and 3, which were performed by students in the pediatric department, the logbooks were examined. These activities were compared with the educational curriculum approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the achievement of educational objectives was determined.

Results: Among the 1,173 treatments performed by 149 students across the three pediatric units, 364 treatments (31%) aligned with the educational curriculum. The level of alignment varied significantly based on admission quotas, the type of pediatric unit, and the type of treatment performed (p<0.05). However, gender showed no significant relationship with the level of alignment (P-value = 0.617).

Conclusion: The overall alignment of treatments indicated that a substantial portion of the performed treatments did not comply with the educational curriculum requirements. This study revealed significant gaps between clinical performance and the educational curriculum objectives in the pediatric departments of Yazd Dental School.

A Step-by-Step Design of a Nursing Educational Escape Room: An Innovative Experience in Team-Based Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training Process

Heydari S — 2025-09-22

Introduction: Mastering team-based skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a critical competency for nursing students. Traditional teaching methods often fail to promote active participation, hands-on learning, and team cohesion. This study presents a novel experience in the structured design and pilot implementation of an educational escape room to improve CPR team management skills.

Method: This study followed Gordillo’s four-phase model: design, development, implementation, and evaluation. In the design phase, learning objectives were identified through expert interviews. In the development phase, escape room puzzles were constructed collaboratively with a focus group, aligned with Bloom’s taxonomy and adult basic life support protocols. The implementation phase involved a pilot run with sixth-semester nursing students. Finally, participants' satisfaction and feedback were collected and analyzed in the evaluation phase.

Results: Learning objectives covered cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. The escape room was structured linearly, set in a hospital crisis scenario, and featured tiered hint systems with point deductions. The pilot test showed high feasibility, student engagement, and perceived effectiveness in reinforcing teamwork, clinical reasoning, and role clarity.

Conclusion: A structured educational escape room focused on CPR team management offers an interactive, realistic, and goal-oriented environment to enhance rapid decision-making, communication, and collaborative practice. This documented approach can inform the expansion of game-based learning in nursing and interprofessional education.

Investigating the Effect of Educational Animation on Learning Motivation and Academic Engagement of Medical Students in the Pharmacology Course at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences

Hasanvand SH — 2025-09-22

Introduction: With advances in educational sciences, the use of modern approaches such as blended learning and multimedia tools has gained increasing importance. Video animations, by simplifying complex concepts and enhancing interaction, play a significant role in promoting learners’ motivation and engagement. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of animation on learning motivation and academic engagement among medical students in the pharmacology course.

Method: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 93 medical students at Lorestan University of Medical Sciences. Teaching was delivered in two ways: the control group received traditional lectures, while the intervention group was taught through a blended method combining lectures with animations. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires on learning motivation and academic engagement. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 students from the intervention group. Data analysis was performed using Stata software with appropriate statistical tests, including analysis of covariance and paired t-tests.

Results: The findings revealed that the mean score of learning motivation was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (112.10 vs. 91.25). Similarly, academic engagement showed a remarkable increase in the intervention group (79.67 vs. 54.31; p<0.001). Further analysis indicated that animation improved various aspects, including attention, self-efficacy, satisfaction, and overall academic engagement.

Conclusion: The use of animation as an effective multimedia tool in pharmacology education significantly enhances medical students’ learning motivation and academic engagement. These findings support the application of innovative technologies to improve the quality of medical education.

Challenges and Proposed Strategies for Enhancing the Comprehensive Program of Justice, Excellence, and Productivity in Medical Education: A case Study of Arak University of Medical Sciences

Rajabi M — 2025-09-22

Introduction: The Comprehensive Program of justice, excellence, and productivity in medical education, as the most recent reform initiative in Iran’s higher education system for health sciences, is currently being implemented in Iranian medical sciences universities. Identifying the challenges and strategies for improving this program is essential for its successful implementation. This study aimed to explore the challenges and enhancement strategies of the program at Arak University of Medical sciences.

Method: This qualitative study was conducted in 2023 with the participation of 17 individuals, including administrators, experts, and members of the working groups of the comprehensive plan for justice, excellence, and productivity in medical education at Arak University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected purposefully using criterion-based sampling for interviews. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Content analysis of the interviews revealed two main themes, seven sub-themes, and 20 categories. The main themes identified were challenges and effective measures in program implementation. Challenges were categorized into three groups: structural, operational, and programmatic issues. To enhance this program, intra-organizational interactions, managerial support, informing, and motivational initiatives were identified as effective strategies.

Conclusion: The optimal implementation of transformation and innovation programs in medical education at medical sciences universities requires attention to their strengths and weaknesses across different universities. Managers and decision-makers at Arak University of Medical Sciences, other universities, and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education can utilize the findings of this study for future planning of transformation and innovation plans in medical education.

Investigating the Effect of the Quality of the Mentoring Program for Senior Students on the Anxiety Level of Anesthesia Students in the Clinical Education Environment

Kordnejad M — 2025-09-22

Introduction: Clinical education in sensitive fields like anesthesia faces numerous challenges, including instructor time constraints and high student anxiety. Mentoring programs have emerged as an effective strategy to enhance education quality and reduce student stress. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the quality of mentoring provided by graduate students and anxiety levels of undergraduate anesthesia students in clinical settings.

Method: This cross‑sectional study, conducted in 2022, involved 52 fourth‑ and sixth‑semester undergraduate anesthesia students. A structured peer‑mentoring program with eight trained mentors was implemented over six weeks. Mentor–mentee characteristics and interactions were recorded and evaluated. Data were collected using demographic, mentoring quality, and Spielberger Anxiety questionnaires, and analyzed with SPSS version 24.

Results: The findings indicated that support (p=0.246), counseling (p=0.990), and respect (p=0.318) components had the most significant impact on reducing student anxiety. Conversely, challenging behaviors by some mentors were associated with increased anxiety (p=0.614). Female students (50.1±2.13) and those in semester 4 (49±13) showed higher anxiety levels.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the mentoring program by graduate students effectively reduces anxiety among undergraduate anesthesia students. Expanding this program to other educational centers could improve the quality of clinical education.

Artificial Intelligence and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations: Using ChatGPT to Clinical Skills Assessment

Mahdavifard H — 2025-09-22

The Article Abstract is not available.

Challenges and Opportunities of Interprofessional Education in Occupational Health and Safety Engineering: Global Experiences and Localization Strategies for Iran

Vahid Ghribi — 2025-09-22

The Article Abstract is not available.