Introduction: Identification of educational needs is an essential step in planning for faculty development. The aim of this study was to identify educational needs of faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in empowerment programs.
Methods: Depending on required data, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. In the qualitative stage, 10 interviews were held with professors to develop a questionnaire and analyze the responses to research questions. In the quantitative stage, statistical population included all of the faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2016 (n=726). Sample size was determined at 260 subjects who were selected by stratified random sampling. Data collection tools were interview and a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability had been confirmed. It was based on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed at descriptive and inferential levels (independent t-test, correlation, ANOVA, and LSD follow-up test).
Results: Analysis and review of the codes in the qualitative stage yielded 110 codes in four main categories and 10 subcategories. Findings of the quantitative stage showed that faculty members reported educational needs in all areas. In the area of teaching methods and techniques, emotional intelligence-based teaching method (3.79±1.02); in evaluation, online evaluation (3.73±0.96); in research and scientific resources management, design and implementation of secondary research (4.07±0.9); and in the area of familiarity with regulations, familiarity with administrative and faculty regulations (3.46±1.16) had the highest mean scores. Furthermore, a significant difference was found between faculty members’ academic rank and educational needs in the areas of research and scientific resources management and familiarity with regulations (p=0.001).
Conclusion: Considering the educational needs reported by the faculty members in most of the areas, revision of existing educational programs is recommended.