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TEACHING IN THE LABORATORY

An overview of undergraduate physiology education in Turkish medical faculties

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye/Ankara, Turkey

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: Z. D. Balkanci, Dept. of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe Univ., 39, Sihhiye/Ankara 06100, Turkey (e-mail: zbalkanc{at}hacettepe.edu.tr)

Physiology education, which occupies an important place in undergraduate medical education, exhibits diversities across the world. Since there was no specific source of information about physiology education in Turkish medical faculties, the authors aimed to evaluate the general status of undergraduate physiology teaching of medical students in Turkey. A questionnaire designed for the program used for medical students was sent to the physiology departments of 38 faculties that had academic personnel and had carried out medical education for at least 3 years. It questioned the educational load, content, and duration of the lectures, written materials, techniques, assessment methods, basic equipments, and subjects used in practical sessions. All 38 departments answered the questionnaire. This study investigating 38 faculties showed that the content and time devoted to lectures and practical sessions (169 and 35 h) differed, as it does throughout the world, and teaching laboratories constituting 17% of total physiology education were performed and assessed by all of the departments. The practical hours correlated with the number of teaching staff. Our results indicated an insufficient number of teaching staff with a heavy educational load. This survey showed that the number of teaching staff is critical for practical sessions. Considering that the actual number of medical schools is 61 schools, with some established but not yet admitting students and educating with their own staff, if the requirements for teaching staff are not met, physiology education in Turkey will face important problems in the coming years.

Key words: physiology education; lectures; teaching laboratories