The Challenges of Assessing Medical Educational Policies in Iran: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Development of problem-solving skills through policy-making and promotion of physician education can be achieved by establishing specific criteria for policy-making and evaluation of educational policies. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the challenges of assessing medical education policies. Methods: In this systematic review, the Sample–Phenomenon of Interest–Design–Evaluation– Research (SPIDER) model was used to extract data. Scientific databases were searched to find articles in Persian or English language, assessing policy-making and policies in the Iranian medical education during 2010-2019. Of 485 domestic and international studies, 447 studies were excluded, based on the title or abstract, and 38 full-text articles were selected for further investigation. Finally, 11 relevant articles were reviewed as the final sample. Results: The challenges of educational policies in medical education were determined, based on the descriptive content analysis of the reviewed articles. These challenges were classified, based on the policy analysis steps. The main challenges of assessing medical education policies in selected studies were related to setting the agenda, setting policies, policy selection, policy execution, and finally, policy analysis in medical education. Conclusions: Based on the present results, policy-makers can incorporate the conceptual model of this study, which was based on an established theoretical framework and previous research, in the process of policy-making.