Medical education administration in Iran: competencies and defects

Background: Medical education in Iran is integrated with health systems. To prevent the neglect of education in comparison with healthcare, the existence of competent educational administrators is necessary. However, the preparation of competent administrators has not been considered appropriately.

 

Objective: This study aimed to determine the competencies considered to select educational administrators in the Iran medical sector.

 

Methods: This descriptive study used a 20 statement questionnaire about administrative competencies in higher education. Validity was determined through expert revision and reliability through test and re-test. The present status of professional competencies considered to select or adopt educational administrators was determined by 336 present and previous educational administrators who participated in the study.

 

Findings: Analysis of questionnaires indicated that of the 20 necessary competencies to select or employ educational administrators in medical universities, none of them were considered “very much”. Nevertheless, “Medical Ethics” was the highest scoring factor (mean= 2.73 of 5) and “Knowledge and information management” was the lowest (mean= 1.61 of 5).

 

Conclusion: Expert opinions in Iran did not show an acceptable picture of the administration in universities of medical sciences. It seems that there is a far distance between the present and ideal status, so it needs a serious attention.