Factors affecting medical students´ hidden and null experiences (Hidden and Null Curriculums)

Background: Living in a university just through attending the academic environment has always been full of different experiences that play a significant and unseen role in the formation of a formal and predetermined curriculum. The purpose of this study is to narrate the seven-year lived experiences of medical students in Mashhad University of medical Sciences about the factors constituting the hidden and null forms of their curriculum. Methods: This research was conducted with the qualitative method of content analysis through 1- Semi-structured personal interview with students of different basic and clinical levels of medicine, 2- Performing two-group interviews(Focus Group) 3- Reviewing and analyzing the content of all medical students’ logbooks, the section which is about the expression of experiences, criticisms and suggestions from attending different wards of the hospital and clinical training by using Graneheim and Lundman method in data analysis. Results: After analyzing individual and group interviews as well as analyzing students logbooks, 942 initial codes were obtained. The codes were classified in 11 main classes with the following titles: Existence of specific educational plan, content materials and educational resources, master s pattern model, student role, teaching method, assessment method, teaching and learning strategies in the environment, the role of area, location, equipment and infrastructures, teaching time, gender composition and mixing, and the atmosphere governing relationships and the environment. Conclusion: In this study the factors that formed the hidden and null experiences of medical students were examined. The students expressed their experiences and their role in learning 11 dimensions. This demonstrated that attention by politicians, policy makers, and managers can create an environment full of dynamism and education.