An evaluation of the undergraduate occupational health internship program at Kocaeli University's Faculty of Medicine

Authors: CAVİT IŞIK YAVUZ, ONUR HAMZAOĞLU, ÇİĞDEM ÇAĞLAYAN, NİLAY ETİLER

Abstract: To evaluate the industrial occupational health internship program being used in Kocaeli University's Faculty of Medicine and determine its effect on student success. Materials and methods: This quasi-experimental program evaluation, which uses a pre- and post-test design in order to assess the success of our workplace-based program, hopes to test the standards of achievement by senior students. These students have all been trained in the Public Health Department for 2 months during their last year in the Faculty of Medicine and spent 1 week of this period in the health units of various industrial workplaces operating in the area. All students were evaluated before and after the application. Results: The results of 351 students, who have participated in the training program over the course of a 6-year period and who have taken the pre-test and post-test, have been assessed in the study. The average score for pre-test has been determined as 46.7 ± 10.2 and for post-test it has been determined as 72.6 ± 11.1 (P = 0.001). According to standards of attainment, the relative efficiency of the application evaluation has been found to be 7.6, its imputed efficiency was determined to be 75.5%, and its efficiency rate was determined to be 86.8%. Conclusion: In the field of occupational health, doctors should not only have theoretical knowledge but should also be capable of combining their skills and education with experience. This study, which is being applied at Kocaeli University's Faculty of Medicine as an occupational health internship in undergraduate medical training, presents a unique example which increases the students' level of achievement and contributes to the multidimensional aspect of occupational health.

Keywords: Workplace-based training, education, medical, undergraduate, Turkey

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