Evaluating the Application of the curriculum Elements with an Approach to Professional Competency (Case study: radiology residency curriculum of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences)

Abstract

Background Competency-based program is one of the effective approaches that has attracted the policy makers’ attention in the process of medical education and promotion of its quality. Regarding the important role of this approach, this research aims to evaluate the professional competency-based curriculum of radiology residents at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Methods This research is a descriptive-survey study investigating the opinions of radiology residents and professors. The participants were 90 radiology residents and 16 board members who were selected by census. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire including 35 items classified in 9 categories. The questionnaire was used after evaluating its reliability and validity. All the items were reliable regarding the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.7. Data analysis was done by descriptive and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test and independent t-test). Results According to the radiology residents’ and professors’ viewpoints, all the nine elements of the residency program (goals, contents, learning-teaching strategies, Learning activities, materials, education time, education space, grouping, and evaluation) are above the medium level and there is no difference between the residents’ and professors’ viewpoints. Conclusion Investigating the competency approach, the elements of the curriculum, and the competency-based education of residency program can be effective in promotion of clinical performance. According to the results of this study, the studied radiology residency program corresponds to Klein’s nine elements.