Improving the Status of the Academic Advisor and Mentoring System in order to Meet the Educational Needs: a Case Study in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Counseling by experienced, interested and motivated professors helps students in facing educational problems and achieving educational goals and is considered a necessary action in the educational system. The aim of this study is to improve the status of academic advisor and mentoring system in order to meet the educational needs of students of management and medical informatics faculty of Tabriz University of medical sciences. Methods: This is an action research study that was conducted during two semesters of the academic year of 1401-1400. First, a quantitative study was conducted regarding students' satisfaction with the academic advisor system, and then during numerous meetings in the form of focus group discussions with the main owners of the process, academic advisor systems problems and solutions to improve it were identified. In the last stage, after the implementation of interventions and solutions, the degree of improvement of the process was checked. Result: The participation rate of students in completing the satisfaction questionnaire was 65%. The degree of students' satisfaction with the professor's performance before the process improvement was 42.4%. After identifying the main problems and challenges of the academic advisor and mentoring system (4 main themes and 7 sub-themes), actions aimed at increasing students' awareness, clarifying the process of the academic advisor and mentoring system, increasing the motivation of faculty members to cooperate in the academic advisor system and satisfaction survey of students was conducted in order to improve the process and adjust the problems of this system. With the implementation of the proposed interventions, the overall satisfaction level increased to 66.7%. Conclusion: The promotion of this process increased the satisfaction of students, improved interactions between students and professors, and reduced the distance between the educational environment and students during the epidemic of Covid-19.