Role of Talented Student Office in Encouraging Medical Science Students for Participating in Scientific Olympiads

Abstract

Introduction: Scientific Olympiads and the Talented Student Office (TSO) are two strategies for the identification and training of gifted and talented medical science students. The aim of the present study is to identify students' viewpoints about the facilities and privileges of the TSO in stimulating them to participate in the Medical Science Olympiad. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study and all participating in the 4th and 5 th National Medical Science Olympiad in Iran from 2011 to 21012 were selected using the census method. The validity of a researcher-made questionnaire was confirmed by experts. The content validity index (CVI) was 0.95. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha (α=0.8) and the test-retest method (ICC=0.85). Descriptive statistics including frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation were calculated by SPSS 19. Results: In total, 261 students responded to the questionnaires. About 36% of participants in this study had low or very low familiarity with regulations of the TSO. Continuing education to higher levels (master's, Ph.D., residency) and being recruited as a faculty member were the most motivational factors for participation and the least was the permission to select more courses (up to 27 units).

Experiences of Selected Students in the Scientific Olympiad for Medical Students – A Qualitative Study

“…This issue has changed the universities mission to doing their social responsibility, which is also the expert individuals training [2]. Our society requires the high ability individuals with their thoughts, reasons, and their theoretical, critical and analytical skills with high ability [3,4].…”

“…Nowadays most universities have become more active in comparison with the past year's, with a new approach based on a competitive scientific and healthy environment creating along with identifying the talented students for more purposeful researches [3,5,6]. The holding of MSSO is one of the effective strategies for this situation, which has been hardly applied in the recent years [7].…”

Perspectives of faculty members toward Iranian National Olympiad for medical students: a qualitative study

“…Scientific Olympiads of medical students take place to foster the problem -solving and reasoning skills, attention to critical and creative thinking, attention to the goals of health system, team work encouragement, and inter disciplinary activities [1].…”