Evidence Based Health Policy, Management & Economics

en Admission of Medical Students through Graduate Entry as an Alternative for Traditional National University Exam in Iran: A Policy Brief Health Policy خلاصه سیاستی Policy Brief Admission of medical students holding previously obtained academic degrees through graduate entry (GE) is well underway at many creditable universities worldwide. In Iran, the GE system can lower the pressure on centralized medical student admission and reduce the problems stemming from that. The difference between GE and the traditional one is not limited to student admission and it generally involves accelerated courses in terms of duration. Moreover, the educational process is also different from that of the regular traditional system. Presently, only a small number of medical students are admitted through GE in Iran. This policy brief includes a study of student admission based on the GE method, a comparison and contrast to the traditional approach, a statement of probable problems, and a final presentation of suggestions for the improvement of this procedure. Although a scrutiny of novel educational procedures and an exact prediction of curriculums entail specialized working groups, two preliminary stages for implementation of GE have been recommended in the current policy brief. It is recommended to carefully predict and monitor GE procedures. Given the necessary superstructure and facilities, the resultant procedure should be initially employed in larger universities with students who have prior education related to health sciences, and subsequently be transferred to other universities and bachelor degrees. It is also recommended that a special working group be convened to examine the new curriculum at ministry level and be tentatively convened in one or more universities. Also, economic studies from an educational perspective are recommended to weigh the cost-effectiveness of the new method.   Medical Education, Graduate Entry, Policy Brief, Iran 167 176 http://jebhpme.ssu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-10&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Arya Hamedanchi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5879-5561 No National Agency for Strategic Research in Medical Sciences Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran Hamed Dehnavi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8183-4458 No Department of Healthcare Services Management, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Saeide Alidoost https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0709-3786 No Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Hamid Hamzezadeh https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6940-399X No Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Education & Learning Technologies, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Azadeh Ahmadzadeh Ghasab https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2976-4405 No Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Majid Heydari majidheydari67@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2596-4669 Yes National Agency for Strategic Research in Medical Sciences Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran