Evaluation of Community Based Medical Education Program in Bezmialem Vakıf University Faculty of Medicine Education

Abstract

Objective:The World Health Organization, National and international accreditation bodies emphasize that physician candidates should also receive training in environments where they can see and recognize the health problems and health system of the society in which they live. The aim of this study is to evaluate community-based medical education practices in Bezmialem Vakıf Faculty of Medicine education program.Methods:Beginning from the first period of our medical education for community based medical education and community recognition program practices; visits to community health centers, family health centers, childrens' houses from social work instutitions, hospice, tuberculosis dispensary, as well as Bezmialem Public Health Days as an education and service project in society and the Forensic Medicine Institute has been planned as application areas. All applications were made in the training program on predetermined dates and the feedbacks received from the students were evaluated using the thematic analysis method. The feedback of each program was evaluated as a separate category and analyzed on the themes of education efficiency, fitness for purpose, adequacy of the organization.Results:The students expressed their satisfaction with these educational activities and community visits to the community. However, they stated that the applications in the pre-clinical period were close to exam dates, problems such as disruptions in transportation, that they wanted to communicate with more people in the institutions they went to and that the applications should be extended for a longer period of time.Conclusion:Physicians need to be aware of the health and social problems of the society in which they live and to be aware of them. It has been determined that the applications of our faculty are well integrated into the educational programs and that many of the knowledge they have gained in theory has strengthened in the application areas in the primary care. Children’s Houses and Darülaceze visits have been found to be beneficial for preclinical students in terms of getting to know the community and raising awareness. The students' suggestions were discussed in the relevant boards and reflected in the next year’s curriculum.

Keywords

• community based medical education
• community recognition programs
• community visits