Perceptions of the first graduates of the reformed medical curriculum of the College of Medicine at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University

Abstract

BACKGROUND:
The College of Medicine at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University reformed its undergraduate program into an integrated, outcomes-based, theme-based, and student-centered program. The present study aimed to determine the perceptions of first graduates on the efficacy of the reformed program and examine the levels of their satisfaction and self-efficacy of the knowledge and skills acquired.


MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The first batch of graduates was invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. An online self-administered questionnaire using a five-point Likert-style scale was used to evaluate the curriculum content, teaching and learning methods, communication with teachers, and assessment methods. It also evaluated graduates’ satisfaction and self-efficacy levels of their acquired knowledge and skills, as well as their level of competence and professional ability. Analysis of variance was applied to differentiate graduates’ perceptions regarding the quality and impact of academic years.


RESULTS:
The strongest subject in the curriculum according to the participants was the subject of ethics, professional and behavioral sciences, with a mean of 4.11 (±1.03). The 5thyear curriculum was rated the highest as regards the quality and impact of individual academic years with a mean of 4.49 (±0.70). Team and multidisciplinary work were rated the highest, with a mean of 4.60 (±0.62) when it came to graduates’ satisfaction and self-efficacy levels on the acquired knowledge and skills. Medical ethics stood out for its content and graduates’ self-efficacy. Most of the graduates revealed that they were ready for work as interns and residents (76%) and were proud to be doctors (81.4%).


CONCLUSION:
The graduating students’ opinions offer valuable information for potential curriculum revisions. Their perceptions of the curriculum design should be explored in greater detail in future qualitative studies. Further internal studies are recommended to enhance the integration of the basic science content and improve assessment and evaluation methods.