Effect of Clinical Pathology Course on Attitude and Learning in Medical Students in Clinical Laboratory Field in Kerman University of Medical Sciences

Background and aims: Given the importance of the clinical pathology science for diagnosis, decision making regarding preventive and minimally invasive methods, and follow-up of treatment responses, it will be useful to familiarize medical students with better utilization of laboratory tests before clinical practice and incorporate them into the curriculum. The objective of this study was to investigate the quality of education and satisfaction with clinical pathology course among medical students in physiopathology level, which has been initiated since 2014 at Kerman University of Medical Sciences for further systematization of the curriculum, and its efficacy on increasing their knowledge.Materials and methods: In this interventional study, medical students at physiopathology level were enrolled and, after making necessary coordinations with the Education Deputy of the University, a 1-credit clinical pathology course was added to routine (5-credit) pathology course of the students under purpose in the second semester of 2013-2014 academic year. Two groups of students of internship including 42 ones that passed the clinical pathology course and 42 ones who did not pass this course were consecutively enrolled. A questionnaire was separately administered to two groups of students selected by convenience sampling method. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed by the SPSS (version 19.0) using appropriate statistical tests.Results: Overall, the medical students in both groups believed clinical pathology course is essential for both theoretical and practical teaching. Most students in both groups perceived its inclusion in clinical course as being better than in physiopathology course. Both groups perceived the course as useful for better patients’ management in postgraduate studies.Conclusions: There is no theoretical and applied academic course with rational systematic training aims in clinical pathology field for better utilization of laboratory tests. This highlights directing further attention to and planning in this field.

Keywords:

Clinical pathology , learning , Medical education