Internal evaluation as a means of quality improvment of education in the department of anatomical sciences in Semnan university of medical sciences

Introduction: Internal ev aluati on pl ays a fundamental role in qu ality improvment and de velopment in taching department. The aim of this work was an internal eva lua tion of th e Dep artment of Antatomical Sciences in Semnan universoty of medical sciences. Materials and Methods: This study was performed in department of anatomical sciences of SUMS, during May 2000 to April 2001 utilizing an grading model. The evalation covered 4 areas, namley "educational activity", "organizational ranking", "logistic parameters", and "researchactv ity". Ed ucat io na l objectives and teaching achievement were evaluated at the leveel of firstand second yea rs of pre-clinical medical students and also evaluated by members of department. Organixational ranking included the head of department, the members of the organizing body,and the teac hing staff of the departmen t. Logistic parameters encompassed the manpower and personel of dep artment as well as available space and facilities. Research activities consisted of th e numbers of th e these s supervised , numbers of pap ers published in o utstanding journals, amount of resea rch projects and contirbutions made to congress and seminars. Data collection involved the use of some questionn aires and criter ia. The final score obtained as the average of all scores and interpreted according to Gourman classification . Results: Educational objectives and activites ranked as "good" with 3.63 and 3. 96 pts, (evaluated by students and members, respectively) . Organization and logistic parameters of the dep artment ranked as "good" (3.6 pts) and "more than satisfactory" (2.85), respectively. Research activities ranked as " good" with 3.58 pts. Conclusion: Analysis of the resul ts placed the department of anatomical sciences of SUMS in the "more th an satisfactory" class of the Gourman classi fication. This department needs to progress the training funtion and the compesnsation of the demerits