Background: CURRICULUM design and development are among the key components of medical education. Today, the dominant approach to CURRICULUM planning is the competency-BASED approach. However, despite the emphasis posed by the medical education scientific community on this approach, medical education in both undergraduate and graduate levels in Iran continues to be delivered traditionally. As it is highly important for infectious diseases specialists to acquire the necessary competencies for the treatment of patients with infectious diseases, this study aimed to identify and present such competencies through localizing the competencies laid down by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) of the United States. Methods: This study built on ACGME competencies as its point of departure. The Delphi method was used to extract the required items (i. e., competencies) into a questionnaire. When the content and face validity as well as the reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed, copies of the questionnaire were distributed among faculty members, specialists and residents. The items were prioritized according to the scores given by the participants. Results: According to the results of this study, one general rotation and ten specialized rotations were defined for infectious diseases residents. In each rotation, the expected competencies are enlisted. These competencies are categorized differently in competency-BASED curricula for the infectious diseases specialty residency programs. Conclusion: According to characteristics of a competency-BASED CURRICULUM, accountable physicians can be assuredly expected to be trained according to the requirements of the community in case they are trained within such a program.

Introduction: Application of proper approaches as a logical framework for creating core CURRICULUM prevents making additional information in curricula. This study aimed to introduce some useful approaches for determining core CURRICULUM in medical science.Methods: This review study was done by electronic searching (PubMed, ERIC, Google Scholar) as well as manual searching (library resources). key words were core CURRICULUM, approach and OUTCOME-BASED CURRICULUM.Results: 105 papers were obtained.32 cases were eligible according to considered criteria. So far, CURRICULUM planners have adopted or proposed several approaches for determining core CURRICULUM in medical education. This review introduced some effective approaches in medical education.Conclusion: CURRICULUM planners need to use effective approaches in medical education in order to provide essential and required content for learners according to community needs. It is necessary for them to consider CURRICULUM revision and reduction of extra CURRICULUM content.

Despite the existence of a large variety of competency frameworks for medical graduates, there is no agreement on a single set of OUTCOMEs. Different countries have attempted to define their own set of competencies to respond to their local situations. This article reports the process of developing medical graduates’ competency framework as the first step in the CURRICULUM reform in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). A participatory approach was applied to develop a competency framework in Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). Following literature review, nominal group meetings with students and faculty members were held to generate the initial list of expectations, and 9 domains was proposed. Then, domains were reviewed, and one of the domains was removed. The competency framework was sent to CURRICULUM Reform Committee for consideration and approval, where it was decided to distribute electronic and paper forms among all faculty members and ask them for their comments. Following incorporating some of the modifications, the document was approved by the committee. The TUMS competency framework consists of 8 domains: Clinical skills, Communication skills, Patient management, Health promotion and disease prevention, Personal development, Professionalism, medical ethics and law, Decision making, reasoning and problemsolving, and Health system and the corresponding role of physicians. Development of a competency framework through a participatory approach was the first step towards CURRICULUM reform in TUMS, aligned with local needs and conditions. The lessons learned through the process may be useful for similar projects in the future.

Introduction: One of the most important challenges in OUTCOME BASED education is to understand the necessity of acquiring competences by students. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ views and attitudes towards the introduction of expected competences in the undergraduate medical education program. Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a one-group pretest-posttest design. A total of 442 medical freshmen were selected by census method and participated in the competence introduction program. After showing a footage, students would discuss and brainstorm about the scenes on the expected competences. Pretest and posttest were administered to compare the students’ attitudes toward the importance of obtaining the competences. A researcher-made evaluation questionnaire was completed by the participants at the end of the program. Descriptive statistics and dependent t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: Most of the students (83. 5%) stated by participating in the program they could develop a clear understanding of the expected competences. In addition, 69. 7% of the students said that the program increased their motivation for learning and reinforced their competences during their studies. There was also a significant difference between the students’ understanding of the importance of acquiring the competences before and after the program in some areas including effective communication with patients and their families (p=0. 03, t=2. 15), interaction with medical team members, nurses and colleagues ( p>0. 01, t=2. 90), work-life balance (p=0. 01, t=2. 40), stress and emotions management ability (p>0. 01, t=2. 72), ability to collect and critique valid information (p=0. 02, t=2. 37), and familiarity with the healthcare system (8p=0. 03, t=2. 25). Conclusion: Most of the students believed that the competences introduction program at the beginning of the undergraduate medical education program is necessary and that their attendance at this program has increased their motivation to acquire and reinforce the competences during their studies.

The present study aims to identity a variety of teachers’ viewpoints about CURRICULUM requirements BASED on the OUTCOMEs obtained in higher education. Therefore, this present study was conducted within an exploratory framework using Q – method. The department of professor’ s analysis of Isfahan university in the academic year 2017-2018 for the first time used Q – method BASED on Q – methodology in order to create a Q – collection. A sample of 11 individuals was selected BASED on a purposeful sampling method and data was selected through the theoretical saturation for the interviews. Several statements were extracted. Next, the duplicated and overlapped ones were removed to confirm just 48 statements. BASED on a purposeful method 14 faculty members were selected for the quantities study to compile data from graphs in a normal ranking distribution for 48 phrases T strongly agree to strongly disagree (5-). Cronbach alpha test was used for the validity content and reliability. For data analysis with respect to the findings of the qualities stage, the statements were evaluated by the participants and data were analyzed by the analytical statistical Q – factor using spss20. The results showed that the university lecturers consider the requirements for implication of OUTCOME-BASED CURRICULUM in higher education as 12 components which are classified as effective learning, individual skill development and effective teaching of which the most important Q requirement is effective learning for the implementation of an OUTCOME – BASED CURRICULUM.

CURRICULUM is a set of opportunities for learning, however, the meaning of learning is changing. Thus, our concept of learning will affect the opportunities we provide for the students. Findings from brain researches have influenced the concept of learning. In this view, brain is a unique entity that is fragmented in educational system and the differences among them are ignored. So, our knowledge about the brain could have an impact on our knowledge about the CURRICULUM. For instance, knowing that learning is a process for rewiring the neural network, results in the question that whether CURRICULUM provides such an opportunity for learners. Therefore, in this paper, we try to reveal the influence of findings from brain researches on the elements of CURRICULUM.Findings show that the CURRICULUM objectives should be connected to the real life of students. Addressing the whole brain is very important in such a CURRICULUM, and the role of art arid music is emphasized. Evaluation focuses on the learning process and students' self-evaluation is taken into consideration. Since brain is a unique network and the children' developmental process is different; it is not possible to fit the CURRICULUM just with the chronological age of students. This kind of CURRICULUM intends to enrich the learning environment and emphasizes the emotional space.Also, such a CURRICULUM supports the schools' social life and considers the students' diversity in learning styles and preferences.

Currently various issues including globalization, ICT, cultural diversity, and the like have affected the CURRICULUM. The present paper aimed to articulate ICT BASED CURRICULUM principles on the basis of various documents including, "Comparative studies on development of ICT in the world", "The first draft of philosophy of education in the Islamic Republic of Iran", and "Report on characteristics of the ideal human being in the Islamic Republic of Iran with a 20-year horizon". In comparative studies, both theoretical and practical issues associated with ICT development in four countries were examined and integrated in order to elicit principles of CURRICULUM development using deductive methods.