article information

Journal of Medical Education: Vol.18, issue 2; e105668
published online: October 20, 2019
article type: Research Article
received: May 23, 2019
accepted: August 28, 2019
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22037/jme.v18i2.25627
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Factors Affecting the Number of Medical Faculty Members Required in Iranian Medical Sciences Universities: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

authors:

avatar Tahereh Kashkalani 1 , avatar Mohammadreza Maleki 2 , * , avatar Seyed Jamaladin Tabibi 1 , avatar Amir Ashkan Nasiripour 1

Department of Health Services Administration, Science and Research Branch , Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Science, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

how to cite: Kashkalani T, Maleki M, Tabibi S J, Nasiripour A A. Factors Affecting the Number of Medical Faculty Members Required in Iranian Medical Sciences Universities: An Exploratory Factor Analysis. J Med Edu. 2019;18(2):e105668. https://doi.org/10.22037/jme.v18i2.25627.

Abstract

Background: Because of an increased demand for clinical faculty members in medical departments and no comprehensive model, identifying the affecting factors could be effective in planning in thisarea. So in this study we aimed to identify the key variables (and their weight) influencing the number of medical faculty members required in Iranian medical sciences universities.Methods: This study was an applied analytical descriptive one. It was a cross-sectional survey and done in Iran using the exploratory factor analysis. The main data collection instrument was a questionnaire and SPSS software version 20 was used for statistical analysis. We used expert opinions to assess the questionnaire’s validity and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha to confirm its reliability. The statistical population consisted of faculty members and directors of medical departments of Iranian medical sciences universities and experts of medical education. The sample size was determined to be 320.Results: Exploratory factor analysis indicated that in an optimal system, nine factors (consisted of 40 variables) titled “research/scholarship services” (14.3%) ,“specialty training” (12.9%), “clinical services” (9.5%), “features of faculty members” (7.5%), “undergraduate training” (6.8%), “university development level” (6.1%), “other characteristics of the university or the region” (5.1%), “desertion rate among faculty members” (4.5%), and “the nature and scope of the specialty” (2.9%) could explain 69.623% of total variance of the rrequired number for medical faculty members.Conclusion: Some of the factors like the volume of “research services” and “undergraduate training” should be considered in estimating the staffing requirements of medical faculty members.

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