The Medical Students’ Attitude toward the Application of Bacteriology Course in Clinical Medicine at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in the First Semester of 2013-14

Introduction: Lack of coordination between academic education and their application in the workplace is a common gap between theory and practice. This issue of concern has been discussed among planners of medical education. In this study, the attitude of medical students, externs and interns, was evaluated about the clinical applications of bacteriology.

Methods: One hundred and fifty four medical students, externs and interns, in the first semester of 2013-14 at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences were included in this study. The research tool was a researcher made questionnaire containing the demographic information and questions to evaluate the clinical application of bacteriology. There were 16 questions for evaluation of students’ attitude and the collected data was analysed using statistical methods and t test.

Results: The population included 97(63%) externs and 57(37%) interns. There was no significant difference between the attitude of externs and interns toward the clinical application of general bacteriology. However, the interns had a stronger positive view on clinical application of systematic bacteriology comparing to the externs. Moreover, the students had a positive view on dividing the bacteriological curriculum into two parts and its teaching in general and clinical parts of medical education.

Conclusion: The results indicated the intermediate satisfaction of students, externs and intern for clinical application of bacteriology. Furthermore, there was a strong positive attitude among students for division of bacteriological curriculum into two parts and teaching them duringgeneral and clinical courses. From clinical students’ point of view, in particular for interns, the systematic bacteriology has a better clinical application than general bacteriology.