Iranian Medical Universities Research Articles

Medical faculty and students’ perceived incivility in virtual classes during the COVID-19 lockdown: A qualitative study

Background: After the COVID-19 lockdown and the dominance of virtual classes in medical education, variant dimensions of incivility emerged and required further exploration. The present study was designed to explore and describe incivility in virtual classes as perceived by students and faculty members. Methods: This qualitative study involved 55 students and 38 faculty members who were recruited by purposive sampling at a major medical university in Iran. Open-ended questions and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to elicit the participants’ perceptions of incivility in virtual classes. The narrative responses were analyzed by conventional content analysis. Results: Nine major categories were extracted, four of which contained students’ incivility (Irresponsibility, dishonesty, unreasonable expectations, and disruptive behavior in virtual classes); and five categories reflected faculty incivility (Lack of accountability, inappropriate classroom management, unfair academic evaluation, disruptive behavior in virtual classes, and inappropriate interactions with students). Conclusion: The students’ and faculty incivility as explored in the present study suggests acknowledging them by stakeholders (students, faculty, and educational management) to expedite effective management of virtual learning and teaching at universities.

Faculty members as academic knowledge brokers in Iran's health sector: a social network analysis study

BackgroundInteraction between researchers and policymakers is an essential factor to facilitate the evidence-informed policymaking. One of the effective ways to establish this relationship and promote evidence-informed policymaking is to employ people or organizations that can play the role of knowledge brokers. This study aims to analyze the communication network and interactions between researchers and policymakers in Iran's health sector and identify key people serving as academic knowledge brokers.MethodsThis study was a survey research. Using a census approach, we administered a sociometric survey to faculty members in the health field in top ten Iranian medical universities to construct academic-policymaker network using social network analysis method. Network maps were generated using UCINET and NetDraw software. We used Indegree Centrality, Outdegree Centrality, and Betweenness Centrality indicators to determine knowledge brokers in the network.ResultsThe drawn network had a total of 188 nodes consisting of 94 university faculty members and 94 policymakers at three national, provincial, and university levels. The network comprised a total of 177 links, with 125 connecting to policymakers and 52 to peers. Of 56 faculty members, we identified four knowledge brokers. Six policymakers were identified as key policymakers in the network, too.ConclusionsIt seems that the flow of knowledge produced by research in the health field in Iran is not accomplished well from the producers of research evidence to the users of knowledge. Therefore, it seems necessary to consider incentive and support mechanisms to strengthen the interaction between researchers and policymakers in Iran's health sector.

Experiences of students on virtual education in Iranian medical science universities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Due to the changing environment and responding to the needs of the society, change in the traditional education system is inevitable. Also, the occurrence of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the existence of a virtual education system to prevent the cessation of education is the need of today's society. This study aimed to investigate the students' experiences of virtual education in Iranian universities of medical sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study was conducted on 28 students studying in Iranian universities of medical sciences from October 2021 to January 2022 to investigate their experiences of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were selected by purposive sampling. An interpretive phenomenological approach and semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interview were used to collect the data. The data were analyzed by Colizzi's seven-step method. Students' experiences of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic were categorized into three themes and seven sub-themes, including the strengths of virtual education (sub-themes: individual and educational dimensions), the weaknesses of virtual education (sub-themes: infrastructural, educational, tests and assignments fields), and suggestions to improve virtual education (sub-themes: infrastructural development and educational planning). According to the study results, the virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic led to students staying away from the crowded centers. However, some weaknesses were also mentioned by the participants. Therefore, by anticipating requirements and needs, planning and policy making, and seriously reviewing human, financial, and support resources, virtual education can be developed and used as a supplement to face-to-face education in the future.

Experiences of medical educational managers in the early COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative thematic analysis.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic changed and disrupted education at medical universities. Educational managers face new challenges and special complexities to manage this situation. This study aimed to explain the experiences of educational managers of Iranian medical universities in the early COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive-qualitative study was conducted at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2020-2021. The study population included all educational managers in one of the positions of the dean of the faculty, educational Vice-Chancellor, head of the department, and other relevant educational directors in medical sciences universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected from semi-structured interviews were analyzed in MAXQDA2020 software using the thematic analysis approach. Four main themes and nine subthemes were identified: "The ups and downs of the transition from face-to-face training to virtual training," "Crisis in educational management," "Testing and Evaluation: Obstacles and Problems," "Education and lessons learned from COVID-19." Themes identified from the experiences of educational managers provide new information about the negative and positive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the learning and teaching process of medical sciences students. Lessons learned and experiences of educational managers in medical sciences universities amid the COVID-19 pandemic will help health education policymakers so that they can create transformation and innovation in the education of medical science students. Strengthening the e-learning infrastructure will help to create a foundation for a rich way of educating medical students in the post-corona era and when the outbreak of other emerging diseases is inevitable in the future.

Characteristics of medical students with problematic smartphone use: a cross-sectional study

Background: Excessive smartphone use is common among university students and can negatively affect students’ mental health, but data from Middle-East countries is scarce. Objective of the study was to determine the characteristics of medical students affected by and the prevalence of problematic smartphone use in a sample of Iranian medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a large Iranian medical university. A convenience sample of 356 students of different years of medical training were recruited. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, daily estimated average time using a smartphone, and main motivations to use a smartphone were collected through a self-reported questionnaire. Problematic smartphone use (PSU) was evaluated using the smartphone addiction scale – short version (SAS-SV) questionnaire. Backward logistic regression analysis was used to understand independent factors associated with PSU. Results: Overall, two-thirds of Iranian medical students were affected by PSU, including 68.5% of male and 64% of female students. Students who lived alone had significantly higher SAS-SV scores than those who lived with their families (p=0.007). Additionally, students with daily smartphone use >4 hours were 3.2 times more likely to be diagnosed with PSU (p<0.001). Social media use was the main motivation that strongly predicted the presence of PSU among medical students (adjusted OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.68-4.89). Conclusions: Main motivation to use and duration of phone use are the most important factors predicting problematic smartphone use among medical students.

Analyzing and Categorizing Knowledge Resources and Ranking of Knowledge Documentation Mechanisms in Iranian Medical Libraries

Background: Knowledge resources and documentation mechanisms are essential for managers' productivity. Thus, identifying and categorizing knowledge resources and developing documentation mechanisms are crucial organizational tasks. Objectives: This research aimed to analyze, categorize, and rank knowledge resources in Iranian medical science libraries. Methods: This exploratory and correlational study was conducted on 209 managers, heads, and deputies of central and hospital libraries in Iranian medical universities. Sampling was performed using a proportional stratified random sampling method, and a researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the data. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was utilized for data analysis. Results: Knowledge resources in medical science libraries were categorized into implicit, explicit, and web-based knowledge. Regarding the stages of knowledge documentation, the results indicated that the distribution stage and its related mechanisms received the highest scores. In contrast, the storage stage and its mechanisms received the lowest scores. The path coefficient test showed that the highest path coefficient was related to implicit knowledge (0.68), while the lowest was related to web-based knowledge (0.13). Regression coefficients and Cronbach's alpha were higher than 0.7, and the average extracted variance (AVE) was higher than 0.5, indicating the adequacy of the measurement and structural model evaluation. Conclusions: Based on the results, Iranian medical science libraries lack specific mechanisms for documentation and identifying and categorizing knowledge resources. Therefore, this research provided a suitable foundation for these libraries to employ knowledge documentation mechanisms and discover knowledge resources. These libraries' sources of implicit and explicit knowledge and necessary mechanisms for recording, capturing, and documenting knowledge are not clearly defined. Consequently, organizational knowledge documentation is not conducted formally based on a knowledge management model. Therefore, the present research enables the identification of important knowledge acquisition resources and the methods and mechanisms for extracting and documenting knowledge.

Patent information system of iranian medical universities: A need assessment research

University patent information systems can help evaluate university performance, create patenting policies, and meet researcher information demands. Since information system development is time-consuming and expensive, it is important to ensure the need for the system and include users in the process. This study aims to assess the need for Patent Information System of Iranian Medical Universities (PISIMU). In this cross-sectional descriptive study, a need assessment was conducted among the potential users of PISIMU. A researcher-made questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Descriptive and analytical statistics and the SPSS software were used for data analysis. The findings showed that both Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education and Iranian medical universities continuously collect information to assess university and faculty performance. The respondents thought that PISIMU was necessary for managing and providing patent information (60.4 %), evaluating university/faculty performance (84.6 %), increasing industry collaboration and investment (90.1 %), and motivating inventors to innovate (80.8 %). It is necessary to consider the users' needs and specified objectives in developing PISIMU.

Factors contributing to the burnout of the faculties of a medical university in Iran: A cross-sectional study.

Faculty members confront a variety of obstacles over time, the most recent of which is the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, which may increase their vulnerability to burnout (BO). This study aims to examine BO in medical school faculties, as well as the factors that lead to BO and well-being in them. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 using online questionnaires completed by 222 faculty members of a medical university in Iran. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Well-being index (WBI) were used. Additionally, we gathered individual-level profiles (demographic, well-being) and occupational information (job profile, attitude toward work). A total of 60 (27%) faculties reported having high BO, and 112 (50.5%) reported having low well-being. Being female (odds ratio, OR=2.69), having time to spend with the family (OR=.26), the intent of turnover (OR=8.65), job recommendation to the offspring (OR=.26), and experiencing violence last year (OR=2.97) were some of the individual-level factors and job-related attitudes associated with a higher BO. In the neural network for BO, the most important variables were the intention of turnover, followed by adequate family time. One third of the responding faculty reported severe BO, and BO was found to be significantly associated with lower well-being. The increased levels of BO and a decreased experience of well-being were both associated with a higher intention of turnover. According to the study, it is important to pay attention to both clinical and nonclinical field faculty members, female faculty members, those who have a high workload, and members who have experienced violence in the workplace. By acknowledging the unique challenges and experiences faced by these individuals, tailored measures can be developed to address their specific concerns and foster a supportive and inclusive environment.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the students' conceptions of assessment: SCoA inventory in medical university in Iran.

Student assessment is one of the main parts of educational planning, and improves the quality of education. Students understanding and feeling about assessment might affect significantly on learning and academic achievement. Considering the importance of this issue, and the lack of a valid and reliable Persian tool in medical universities for measuring this concept to measure students' perceptions and understandings of assessment, the current study aim was to determine the psychometric properties of (Students' Conceptions of Assessment - SCoA) inventory during the basic sciences students in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. This is a cross-sectional study design. In order to carry out this study, SCoA inventory was translated and culturally adopted. To measure validity, reliability, and normalize the inventory, it was distributed among the study population composed of 302 students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences during the academic year 1400-1401 who met the inclusion criteria. The collected data were analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach's alpha using SPSS version 23 and Amos software. The results of data analysis showed that of the 302 participants, 119 were men and 183 were women. The mean age of students was 21.69 ± 2.16 years. Content validity was calculated, and it was reported 0.88. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the internal consistency, and its value was 0.775. The construct validity of SCoA inventory was assessed using CFA by EQS version 6.1. The value of root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was 0.092 with a 98% confidence interval, and the Goodness of fit index (GFI) value was 0.99. CFA for all items loaded across four factors, and this four-factor inventory showed a good fit in the Iranian community. For the first time, the psychometric test of SCoA inventory has been carried out at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. The Persian version of this inventory has good validity and reliability in Iran and is a useful tool for measuring the SCoA in medical university. Researchers and those interested in medical education and development centers can benefit from the results of this study. Also, this inventory has been applicable to determine the attitude and perceptions of students about assessment.

Investigating the Current and Desired Status of Factors Influencing the Medical Universities’ Participation in the Development of Moocs from the Virtual Education Experts’ Viewpoints

Introduction: Various factors influence the level of university participation in the development of MOOCs. This research aims to determine and compare the importance and status of dimensions affecting the development of MOOCs from the virtual education experts’ views in Iranian medical universities. Method: This descriptive survey was conducted in 2021-2022 from the perspective of 206 experts of virtual education in Iranian medical universities. The questionnaire consisted of 28 questions on a 5-point Likert scale with a cut-off point of 3. The validity of the tool was confirmed using CVR and CVI content analysis, and reliability was confirmed using internal consistency and Cronbach's alpha with a value of 0.949. The data were analyzed using and paired t-test, independent t-test, and ANOVA through SPSS. Results: The comparison between the current and desired states of the components revealed significant differences in the cultural components (P<0.001, t=32.54), structural components (P< 0.001, t= 31.47), political components (P< 0.001, t= 32.05), and human resources (P< 0.001, t= 34.66). The current situation was found to be below the expected level (desired states). In evaluating the items, the lowest scores were related to holding national festivals(1.67±0.92), encouraging prominent activities(1.67±0.82), the sense of belonging and membership of the national MOOC (1.77±0.95), the existence of motivational mechanisms for teachers (1.82±1.01) and educational experts (1.82±1.13) (P<0.001). In addition, attention to fair power distribution(1.94±1.02) and appropriate profitability for both contracting parties(1.89±1.06) had the lowest average scores. Investigating the desired status, support services of virtual development centers(4.66±0.66), faculty development (4.65±0.74), motivational mechanisms (4.55±0.79), and compilation of educational indicators and guidelines (4.54±0.79) had the highest averages. Conclusion: Based on results, The development of MOOCs encompasses multiple dimensions. it seems that determining |motivational mechanisms, the interactive relationship between e-learning policy-makers and universities of medical sciences, fair distribution of power and resources, and the creation of common goals and roadmap to promote integration and synergy in effective and efficient activities is necessary.

Premenstrual Disorders (PMS and PMDD) Incidence, and its Predictors in Iranian Medical University Students; An Exploratory Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Premenstrual disorders are a wide range of physical, behavioral, and psychological symptoms which emergence before menstruation and in the first initial days of menstruation which repeat in several cycle. This study aimed to evaluate the Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) incidence and its related factors among Iranian medical students. Materials and Methods: In a is cross sectional study 264 students of Qom university of Medical Sciences were selected by stratified proportional to size and simple random sampling method. Demographic form, Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) and Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP) questionnaires were used for data collection and evaluation of subjects for PMS and PMMD according to the DSM-IV criteria. Data analysis conducted using SPSS version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) by Chi square, independent t-test and multivariable logistic regression. P value lower 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The mean age of subjects was 21.05±2.20 years and 102 students (38.6%) were diagnosed as PMS that 8% (21 subjects) were labeled as PMMD. Decreased interest in daily activities (60.6%), depressed mood (60.2%), fatigue/lack of energy (52.3%), physical symptoms and difficulty concentrating (51.1%) were the most common PMS symptoms. Bivariate analysis showed that BMI, marital status, chronic disease history, and continuous use of medication have significant relationship with PMS morbidity. Marriage 2.1 (OR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.12-4.42) and stress in the last 3 months (OR=2.38, 95% CI: 1.23-4.63) were two most important predictors of PMS in medical students based on multivariate logistic regression. Conclusion: Decreasing the students stress, especially in students with chronic disease history that have continuous medication consumption could be effective factors for control the PMS symptoms. Moreover, educational stress beside higher familial stress in married students due to socioeconomic and cultural factors, are the related predictive determinants of PMS. Change in life style by rest taking and enough sleeping, and counseling could be help the affected subjects.

Exploring the viewpoint of faculty members of medical sciences universities about effective factors on their organizational retention: a qualitative study

Background and aimFaculty retention in medical sciences universities is one of the most important values for the survival of the educational system. This study aimed to explore the viewpoint of faculty members of medical sciences universities in Iran about effective factors affecting their organizational retention.MethodsQualitative study using deep interviews collected by maximum variation sampling. A purposively selected sample of 15 faculty members was recruited throughout two Iranian medical sciences universities (Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Kerman University of Medical Sciences) during 2021-22.ResultsQualitative data analysis provided 3 main categories and 10 sub-categories. Three main categories were identified that affected the faculty’s organizational retention included individual factors, institutional factors, and socio-political factors.ConclusionFactors that contribute to the improvement of faculty retention encompass various aspects. These include consideration given to the personal and social requirements of faculty members, support provided by the organization along with effective resource management, a fair and transparent organizational structure, and the maintenance of political stability both within the university and the nation.

Accordance Assessment of Structural and Environmental Elements of Iranian Medical Sciences Universities with the Corresponding Components of Third-millennium Universities: A National Study in a Developing Country

BACKGROUND: Medical sciences universities should be accountable to the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and abilities of graduates; it is needed to investigate the structural and environmental components of universities in order to assess the accordance of these components with the third-millennium universities’ components. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we focus on accordance assessment of structural and environmental elements of Iranian medical sciences universities with the corresponding components of third-millennium universities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023. The population included all faculty members of universities of medical sciences in Iran in the academic year 2020–2021. The sample size was obtained using Morgan table and cluster random sampling. A reliable and valid researcher-made questionnaire was developed to collect the data based on the characteristics of higher education institutions in the third millennium (CVI > 0.79, CVR > 0.62, α =0.88). Statistical analysis was done in both descriptive and inferential methods by SPSS 25. RESULTS: The results showed that the highest mean score of population’s attitude toward structural components was attributed to faculty members (mean = 3.53), and the lowest mean score belonged to the curriculum (mean = 3.45). Besides, the results demonstrated that the highest mean score of attitudes toward environmental components was related to the university’s accountability (mean = 3.52). The findings also showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of faculty members’ attitudes (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results conveyed that the structural and environmental status of universities is not in line with developed universities. Of course, we should not be cynical about the challenges of these universities, but we should detect them and adopt logical and realistic strategies to deal with them. If these challenges are considered opportunities, they will surely motivate and promote the higher education system.

Knowledge and attitude of students of medical sciences universities regarding health tourism: A cross-sectional study.

Health tourism is already one of the most important sources of revenue for many countries all over the world, but it appears that it has not progressed as much in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of students of Iranian medical sciences universities about this subject, which could have a great impact on the future of this industry in Iran. In this cross-sectional study, the students of medical sciences universities in Iran were selected through convenience sampling; they filled out an online 36-item self-administrated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 25). Descriptive statistics of knowledge and attitude were provided. Also, independent samples t-test and analysis of variance were used as statistical tests and p value <0.05 was considered as the significant level. Overall, 390 students with a mean age of 24 ± 1.5 years and a female-to-male ratio of 1.9 participated in this study. The respondents answered 38% of the questions correctly in the knowledge section. Age, ethnicity, education level, job experience, experience of a health tourism-related job, participation in health tourism courses, and geographical region of the province of residence showed a significant association with the participants' knowledge. Also, most participants had an almost positive attitude regarding the potential for development of the industry. According to the results obtained, the students' knowledge about health tourism was not desirable; however, their attitudes were almost positive. Therefore, educational interventions are highly recommended to be conducted in this regard.

Designing and psychometric analysis of an instrument to assess learning process in a virtual environment

BackgroundToday, methods that enable students to benefit from online programs to the fullest and learn independently and self-directed are of critical importance. Many scales have been developed to measure self-directed learning in the physical classroom. This study was conducted to design and assess the psychometric properties of an instrument to assess learning process in a virtual environment.Materials and methodsA questionnaire for assessing s learning process in a virtual environment was developed following six steps. The process began with a systematic search for related articles. A qualitative study was then conducted to identify self-directed learning strategies and processes in virtual environments. The identified strategies were then compared with those from a literature review, and the scale items were developed accordingly. Expert validation, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability analysis were conducted to ensure questionnaire validity and reliability. This study included online postgraduate students from Iranian medical science universities in 2019.ResultsThe scale consisted of 5 factors and 44 items. In exploratory factor analysis, five subscales explained 90% of the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.91 for the total scale. The interclass correlation coefficient between the test and retest was 0.77.ConclusionA questionnaire designed to assess learning process in a virtual environment for postgraduate virtual students has reasonable psychometric properties, including reasonable internal reliability and construct validity.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Compliance with Covid-19 Guidelines among Nursing Students at a Medical University in Iran

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, healthcare staff require up-to-date knowledge. There is limited information about the level of knowledge, attitudes, and compliance with Covid-19 guidelines among nursing students in Iran. This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes, and compliance with Covid-19 guidelines and related factors among nursing students at Guilan University of Medical Sciences in the north of Iran. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 undergraduate nursing students. Samples were recruited by convenience sampling according to the inclusion criteria. The research instruments included demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitude, and practice towards Covid-19 questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data using SPSS software version 21 with a significant level of 0.05. In this study, 131 (68.9%), 182 (95.8%), and 81 (42.6%) of the study participants had good knowledge, positive attitude, and good compliance with Covid-19 guidelines, respectively. Results showed that the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and compliance with Covid-19 guidelines were 14.66 (SD=3.03), 30.35 (SD=4.13), and 11.05 (SD=4.00), respectively. There was a significant relationship between knowledge and some demographic characteristics (gender, job, and housing status), between attitude and gender and economic status, and between compliance and gender and academic semester (P&lt;0.05). Managers can use the results of this research to plan and provide arrangements to improve compliance with precaution guidelines during future events similar to Covid-19.

The brief characteristic of certain aspects of functioning of health care systems of Iran and the United Arab Emirates (a review)

The article presents review of publications and national reports concerning various aspects of functioning of health care systems of Iran and the UAE. It is noted that the state in these countries plays different role in supporting population with medical care. It is larger and more significant in Iran than in the UAE. At that, private medical organizations dominate in health care of both countries in area of out-patient care (in the UAE it expressed more intensively). The analysis of medical insurance demonstrated that in the UAE insurance systems and accessibility of medical care for citizens and expatriates differ significantly. It is emphasized that quality and accessibility of medical care in Iran was impacted by international sanctions that in the first place affected provision of patients with imported medicines. The characteristics of these health care systems include the transfer of functions of provision of medical and educational services to medical universities in Iran and implementation of mandatory private health insurance in the UAE.

Status of Innovation in Central Libraries of Iranian Medical Universities

Background: Librarians need to provide innovative services to different target groups. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the innovation status in the central libraries of Iranian medical universities. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020. The study population consisted of 67 managers of the central libraries in Iranian medical universities. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity was confirmed by experts; its reliability was also confirmed with an alpha coefficient of 0.98. The data analysis was performed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 24 software. Results: The mean innovation score in the studied libraries was 3.5 ± 0.74 in the dimension of organizational innovation and 3.2 ± 0.73 in service innovation, both of which were relatively desirable. However, the innovation level in the technological dimension was 2.7 ± 0.54, which was a relatively unfavorable situation. There were no significant relationships between gender (P = 0.88, 0.16, 0.17), age (P = 0.287, 0.708, 0.981), education degree (P = 0.561, 0.943, 0.935), work experience (P = 0.284, 0.656, 0.782), and education level (P = 0.605, 0.122, 0.033) and the types of innovation in medical libraries. Conclusions: In the digital era, libraries need to focus on innovation, redefine their plans, do strategic planning to change their roles, and take practical steps to provide services for their users’ needs.

Designing a model for knowledge documentation in the Iranian medical university libraries by using structural equation modeling

Designing a model for knowledge documentation in the Iranian medical university libraries by using structural equation modeling

Assessing the Research Performance of the Iranian Medical Academics and Universities: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Implementing bibliometric indicators is the most prominent way to quantify the current status of research performance. This study aimed to map out the research performance of Iranian medical academics and universities in 2020 and determine its progress from 2016. Data were extracted from the Iranian scientometric information database and universities' scientometric information database. Then, the data were analyzed to provide descriptive statistics of bibliometric indicators. Besides, the association between the research productivity of academics or universities with their background characteristics was investigated using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-square tests. Iranian medical academics had extensive research productivity from 2016 to 2020, leading to 2.5-fold increase in their median number of papers. The research productivity was heterogeneous among the academics, with an H-index ranging from 0 to 98, and a median of 4. The research productivity was different by gender, academic position, general field of study, and academic degree. The class 1 universities had a higher quantity in research performance; however, there was no difference in quality-related indices comprising citations per paper ratio and high impact publication rate (SJR Q1) among different university classes. The median international collaboration rate has followed a growing trend in recent years and was 17% in 2020. There is a remarkable growth in the research productivity of Iranian academics and universities. Iranian research community historically had rare international research collaborations; however, promising growth is shown in this regard. To maintain the growth in research productivity, the country should increase research and development expenditure, address gender disparities, supply universities that are lagging behind, facilitate further international collaboration, and support national journals to be indexed in the international citation databases.