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Bastami F, Imani-Nasab M, Asadi-Piri Z, Nouraei Motlagh S. Designing a Skills-Based Evaluation for Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Internships. Iranian Journal of Medical Education 2025; 25 :99-108
URL: http://ijme.mui.ac.ir/article-1-5831-en.html
URL: http://ijme.mui.ac.ir/article-1-5831-en.html
Department of Public Health, School of Health and Nutrition, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Lorestan, Khorramabad, Iran. , mania0508@gmail.com
Abstract: (38 Views)
Introduction: Internships play a crucial role in developing students' professional skills, and improving assessment methods enhances the quality of education. This study endeavored to reform and enhance the assessment methods used in public health students’ internships.
Methods: This applied qualitative research, with a developmental approach, was conducted between 2022 and 2024 In so doing, focus group discussions, brainstorming, and expert consensus were used. The procedure included three phases: first, internship courses were categorized and weighted. Then, the expected skills of graduates were identified and compiled into a logbook. Finally, evaluation criteria were defined across six domains and weighted accordingly.
Results: Sixteen internship units were identified as follows: vaccination, health system structure and management, health education, reproductive health, maternal health, child health, mental health, nutritional health, first aid, school health, oral and dental health, communicable disease control, non-communicable disease control, elderly health, environmental health, and planning, monitoring, and evaluation. The number of identified skills recorded in the logbook was 178. Six domains were defined for assessment, which included: assessment through the logbook, case report, guideline conference, written exam, professional ethics, and assessment by the health center supervisor.
Conclusion: By categorizing and weighting the curriculum components, clearly defining the expected skills, designing a structured logbook, and establishing assessment criteria, a framework for assessing student performance was developed. The identification of required skills based on authentic environments, along with the development of a comprehensive assessment system, has enabled an objective measurement of student competencies and can provide a framework for improving internship evaluation in public health students. It is recommended that structured and continuous feedback from both students and instructors be integrated into the program to facilitate continuous quality improvement and sustain alignment with evolving healthcare demands.
Methods: This applied qualitative research, with a developmental approach, was conducted between 2022 and 2024 In so doing, focus group discussions, brainstorming, and expert consensus were used. The procedure included three phases: first, internship courses were categorized and weighted. Then, the expected skills of graduates were identified and compiled into a logbook. Finally, evaluation criteria were defined across six domains and weighted accordingly.
Results: Sixteen internship units were identified as follows: vaccination, health system structure and management, health education, reproductive health, maternal health, child health, mental health, nutritional health, first aid, school health, oral and dental health, communicable disease control, non-communicable disease control, elderly health, environmental health, and planning, monitoring, and evaluation. The number of identified skills recorded in the logbook was 178. Six domains were defined for assessment, which included: assessment through the logbook, case report, guideline conference, written exam, professional ethics, and assessment by the health center supervisor.
Conclusion: By categorizing and weighting the curriculum components, clearly defining the expected skills, designing a structured logbook, and establishing assessment criteria, a framework for assessing student performance was developed. The identification of required skills based on authentic environments, along with the development of a comprehensive assessment system, has enabled an objective measurement of student competencies and can provide a framework for improving internship evaluation in public health students. It is recommended that structured and continuous feedback from both students and instructors be integrated into the program to facilitate continuous quality improvement and sustain alignment with evolving healthcare demands.
Type of Study: Original research article |
Subject:
Program Evaluation
Received: 2024/12/23 | Accepted: 2025/10/14 | Published: 2025/05/31 | ePublished: 2025/05/31
Received: 2024/12/23 | Accepted: 2025/10/14 | Published: 2025/05/31 | ePublished: 2025/05/31
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