Exploring academic dishonesty among medical students during clinical rotations: Prevalence, causes, and types in NKUMS, Iran.

In a descriptive-analytical study, we investigated academic dishonesty among general medical students during clinical rotations and proposed suggestions for improvement. A total of 106 medical students in the clinical periods were randomly selected for the study. We used a questionnaire consisting of four parts: demographic characteristics, causes of dishonesty, types of dishonesty, and suggestions for reducing dishonesty. The results showed that 50% of the students had a history of dishonesty during their clinical rotations. Marital status and the stage of clinical education were found to be related to dishonesty. The main reasons for dishonesty reported by the students were distress during clinical rotations and a lack of alignment between clinical education and their expectations. Common types of dishonesty during clinical rotations included gathering exam information from previous students and falsifying attendance records. The study concludes that the high prevalence of academic dishonesty among medical students during clinical rotations is concerning. It suggests the need to address distress among students, align clinical education with learners' expectations, and continuously monitor academic integrity to reduce dishonesty.