Lead Author: Banafsheh Ghorbani
Submitted by: Amy Lorion, NBOME

This article is a striking reminder of cultural differences surrounding SP work as well as the need to engage with SPs about their experiences and their perceptions of their role. Ghorbani et al. interviewed 15 SPs in Tehran, Iran, on their experiences “as SPs in the student education process.” The interviews were semi-structured and each lasted 60-90 minutes. The authors found two themes, with three subthemes each, including the subthemes of “guilty conscience” and “fear of judgment by others” in the “duality of feeling” theme. Among the SPs, they found there was “a prevailing feeling of guilt because participants received payment for their involvement in the educational process. They believed that as educators, they should contribute without monetary compensation. …participants shared concerns about the perception others might have if they found out about receiving payment. They feared being seen as financially needy or from a lower social class, leading to a diminished sense of worth. Consequently, they preferred to keep their involvement and compensation a secret. The worry about how students perceived them consistently occupied their thoughts.”

Read the full article in BMC Medical Education here.

Communications and Connections Committee Mission: “To bring high quality reporting of current research, trends, techniques and information regarding SP methodology and other relevant industry articles to the attention of the membership through the web-based ASPE eNews blog.”

Please provide comments, questions or suggestions about the ASPE eNews Blog here