Implementation and evolution of the horizontal integration at shiraz medical school

Introduction: General medical education starts with basic sciences which usually continue about 2.5 to 3 years. In this period, the students study basic medical sciences and then start the clinical stage in which they deal with diagnoses, care, and cure of disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the integration of basic sciences period with the clinical period at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: The present study is a descriptive one. The sample of the study consisted of all students entered Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in January, 2009, and November, 2009, professors of basic sciences courses, and some clinical professors. To evaluate the integration program, we devised various instruments. The collected data were analyzed, using SPSS software. Result: The findings showed that in spite of the students’ objections new educational methods in the first year of implementation, they felt more satisfied as the drawbacks were removed over time. Conclusion: The assessment of educational curricula is an important step to identify educational problems and promote the students’ learning. This issue can help the curriculum planners to design the educational programs so that students, particularly medical students, will be able to acquire the required knowledge and skill and integrate them for the promotion and maintenance of society’s health.