Analysis of the Key Factors Affecting the Future of Medical Education Discipline in 2025 Based on STEPV Model: A Qualitative Study

Background and Objectives: Increasing developments in medical education have highlighted the role of medical education discipline in keeping with these developments. On the other hand, this discipline has been encountered with trends, events and challenges at national and international levels; so, there are concerns about its future. This study aimed to identify key factors affecting the future of the discipline from the viewpoint of stakeholders. Materials and Methods: This study used a qualitative approach based on constructivist paradigm and was conducted in 2019-2018. Thirty-one participants (teachers, students and graduates) of medical education discipline from 8 universities of medical sciences in Iran were selected through purposive sampling with maximum diversity. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using directed content analysis. Results: The key factors were classified into five main categories: social (characteristics of entrants into the discipline, motivations of candidates for entry into the discipline, national and international communications and interactions, the status of medical education within the academic community, and movement toward social accountability), technological (development of information and communication technology, and role of virtual courses), economic (economic situation of the country, and movement toward third and fourth generation universities), political (role of policies, laws, regulations, rules and policymakers), and values (views of the community on the role of education, and views of the educational system on medical education discipline). Conclusion: The most important key factors were student admission and recruitment policies, lack of accurate information on the follow up of graduates, the role of virtual courses and its opportunities and threats, lack of curriculum review and the need to move towards social accountability. This study was a preliminary step towards the foresight of the discipline; so, it is recommended that future studies develop scenarios (possible, feasible and desirable) for the future of the discipline.