Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz,Iran

Abstract

Objective

To assess faculty members’ adherence to professional teaching ethics from the perspective of basic medical science students at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS), Iran, and to explore the influence of demographic variables on these perceptions.

Methods

This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2025, included 300 basic medical science students selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the validated Persian version of the Sobhani-Nejad Professional Teaching Ethics Questionnaire (2016), comprising 42 items across six domains scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very low to 5 = very high; total possible score range: 42-210).

Results

The overall mean ethics score was 159.11 (SD = 52.86; 95% CI: 153.14-165.08), indicating moderately high perceived ethical conduct. The highest domain score was for “personality traits” (M = 62.85, SD = 20.81), and the lowest for “teaching methodology” (M = 16.20, SD = 5.50). Gender, marital status, and academic year were significant predictors of overall scores. Although statistically significant, most effect sizes were small to moderate.

Conclusion

Although faculty teaching ethics are generally satisfactory, domain-specific weaknesses and demographic variations highlight the need for targeted faculty development programs focused on pedagogical skills and inclusive practices.

Introduction

Professional ethics in teaching provides a principled framework that governs faculty conduct in academic environments, encompassing respect, fairness, integrity, responsibility, and accountability.^1,2 In medical education, these elements are especially critical, as faculty not only impart knowledge but also model behaviors that shape students’ clinical competence and professional identity. ³ The implicit transmission of values through the hidden curriculum further magnifies the impact of ethical lapses, potentially undermining student development and patient care quality.^4,5

In Iran, despite national policies and accreditation standards emphasizing ethics, ⁶ implementation varies across institutions, particularly during the basic sciences phase where rigorous scientific training intersects with value formation. ⁷ This formative preclinical period is crucial for professional identity formation and is often influenced more strongly by the hidden curriculum than clinical years are; however, few studies have systematically evaluated teaching ethics specifically among basic science faculty from the student perspective. ⁸ Focusing on basic sciences is therefore justified as an underrepresented area where early ethical role modelling can have lasting effects on future clinical practice. The present study fills these gaps by quantifying adherence to teaching ethics at AJUMS, analysing perceptual differences by age, gender, marital status, and academic year, and offering actionable recommendations for enhancement.

Methods

This cross-sectional analytical study was performed at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (AJUMS) in April 2025, with ethical approval from the institutional review board (IR.AJUMS.REC.1404.012). The reporting of this study conforms to the STROBE statement for cross-sectional studies ⁹ (Supplementary File 1: STROBE Checklist).

Sample size was calculated using G*Power 3.1 (α = 0.05, power = 0.95), yielding a minimum of 300 basic medical science students (years 1-3 of the MD program). Stratified random sampling was implemented by dividing the eligible student population into three strata based on academic year (Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3). Proportional allocation was calculated according to the enrolment numbers in each year, followed by random selection of participants from each stratum using a computer-generated random number list to ensure balanced representation.

Inclusion criteria were currently enrolled basic medical science students who had completed at least one semester and had interaction with faculty members. Exclusion criteria were incomplete questionnaire responses or withdrawal of consent.

Data were gathered via the Persian-version Sobhani-Nejad Professional Teaching Ethics Questionnaire (2016), ¹⁰ a 42-item validated tool spanning six domains: personality traits (15 items, e.g., respect, approachability, punctuality, warmth; score range 15-75), subject matter expertise (6 items, e.g., up-to-date knowledge, mastery of content; score range 6-30), teaching methodology (5 items, e.g., use of active learning techniques, variety in teaching methods; score range 5-25), understanding learner differences (5 items, e.g., accommodating diverse learning styles, individual attention; score range 5-25), fair assessment (6 items, e.g., transparent grading, unbiased evaluation; score range 6-30), and compliance with academic regulations (5 items, e.g., adherence to rules, ethical administrative conduct; score range 5-25). Responses employed a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very low to 5 = very high; total score range: 42-210), with established reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.92) in Iranian medical contexts. ⁸ The full questionnaire is provided as Supplementary File 2.

Statistical Analysis

Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, and 95% confidence intervals) were used to summarize demographics and domain scores. Independent t-tests (with Cohen's d as effect size) assessed differences by gender and marital status. Pearson correlation (with r as effect size) explored associations with age. One-way ANOVA was used to examine differences by academic year. Multiple linear regression was performed to predict overall ethics scores, adjusting for demographic variables (p < .05). A detailed summary table of results, including all domain scores, effect sizes, and confidence intervals, is provided as Supplementary File 3.

Results

The 300 participants had a mean age of 20.9 years (SD = 1.8, range 18-26), with 51.7% male, 78.3% single, and balanced distribution across academic years (approximately 33% each). The global ethics mean was 159.11 (SD = 52.86; 95% CI: 153.14-165.08; range 42-210), signifying moderately high perceptions.

Domain means (with 95% CI) were: personality traits 62.85 (SD = 20.81; 95% CI: 60.48-65.22), subject expertise 23.16 (SD = 7.70; 95% CI: 22.28-24.04), teaching methodology 16.20 (SD = 5.50; 95% CI: 15.57-16.83), understanding learner differences 16.70 (SD = 5.94; 95% CI: 16.02-17.38), fair assessment 23.60 (SD = 7.85; 95% CI: 22.70-24.50), and academic compliance 16.60 (SD = 5.68; 95% CI: 15.95-17.25).

Male students rated faculty significantly higher in personality traits (p = .045, Cohen's d = .32; small effect size), subject expertise (p = .021, d = .38; small-to-moderate effect), and understanding learner differences (p = .019, d = .41; small-to-moderate effect). Single students provided consistently higher ratings across most domains (p = .001; effect sizes not calculated individually but contributing to overall pattern). Age showed a small negative correlation with teaching methodology scores (r = −.22, p < .001; small effect size). Academic year differences were significant for teaching methodology (F = 4.12, p = .017), with progressively lower scores in higher years.

Multiple linear regression identified gender (β = 0.18, p = .003), marital status (β = 0.21, p = .001), and academic year (β = −0.15, p = .012) as significant independent predictors of overall ethics scores (adjusted R² = .12). Although statistically significant, most effect sizes were small to moderate (Cohen's d range: 0.32-0.41; r = .22), suggesting that while demographic variables influence perceptions, their practical impact on overall ethical ratings remains modest.

A detailed summary table of domain scores, confidence intervals, effect sizes, and demographic differences is provided as Supplementary File 3.

Discussion

Faculty at AJUMS exhibit robust ethical performance overall, aligning with Iranian benchmarks^6,8 and select international reports, ⁷ particularly in personality traits that resonate with cultural norms of respect, approachability, and relational integrity deeply embedded in Persian academic traditions. This study contributes novel quantitative evidence specific to the basic sciences phase in a single Iranian institution, extends prior work by identifying demographic moderators (gender, marital status, academic year) not previously emphasized, and contrasts with higher methodology scores reported in institutions adopting innovative pedagogies.^11,12

The importance of centering student perceptions in evaluating and reforming teaching ethics cannot be overstated. Students are the primary recipients of faculty instruction and serve as key informants regarding the hidden curriculum and day-to-day ethical modeling in the classroom.^3–5 Their perceptions directly reflect the extent to which faculty embody professional values such as respect, fairness, inclusivity, and pedagogical responsibility—values that are foundational to professional identity formation in medicine.^3,13 In the basic sciences phase, where students are particularly impressionable and spend substantial time in didactic settings, student feedback becomes especially valuable for identifying discrepancies between intended and enacted ethical teaching behaviors.

Moreover, student viewpoints provide critical input for evidence-based faculty development, curriculum reform, and institutional policy-making. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when student perceptions of teaching quality and ethics are systematically incorporated into quality improvement cycles, measurable enhancements occur in both learner satisfaction and professional role modeling.^12,14 Ignoring or marginalizing these perceptions risks perpetuating pedagogical and ethical gaps that may later manifest in clinical years and ultimately affect patient care. Thus, the present findings—derived directly from basic medical science students—offer a legitimate and necessary perspective for reframing medical education priorities and developing targeted policies in the Iranian context.

Nevertheless, the conspicuously lower scores in teaching methodology and understanding learner differences expose critical pedagogical deficits that warrant immediate institutional attention. The mean of 16.20 for methodology—effectively hovering near the midpoint of its 25-point scale—signals persistent reliance on didactic, lecture-centric paradigms ill-suited to the heterogeneous learning preferences of Generation Z medical students. These findings highlight a gap that contrasts with international institutions implementing universal design for learning (UDL), where 15%–20% higher satisfaction in ethical pedagogy has been observed. ¹⁵

Demographic moderators introduce compelling layers of interpretive complexity. While several differences reached statistical significance, the majority of effect sizes were small to moderate (Cohen's d ≈ .32-.41; Pearson's r = −.22). This indicates that although demographic factors such as gender, marital status, and academic year systematically influence perceptions, their practical or clinical importance is limited. Over-interpreting these statistically significant but small-to-moderate effects as major drivers of ethical perception should therefore be avoided. Instead, institutional efforts should prioritize the domain-specific pedagogical weaknesses (notably teaching methodology and understanding learner differences), which appear more consistent and potentially more amenable to intervention.

In sum, this study adds to the limited literature on basic science faculty ethics by providing domain-specific insights and demographic predictors, offering a foundation for targeted interventions beyond generic faculty development.

Conclusion

Faculty teaching ethics at AJUMS are moderately high yet uneven, with demographic moderators highlighting priorities for growth. This study provides new evidence on ethical perceptions in the underrepresented basic sciences phase in Iran, extending previous research through demographic analysis and identification of pedagogical weaknesses. Institutional investment in pedagogical innovation, inclusive strategies, and continuous feedback mechanisms, supported by ongoing evaluation, will strengthen ethical role modeling and educational quality. Multi-site, longitudinal, and qualitative studies are recommended to deepen contextual understanding.

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-1-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 - Supplemental material for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran by Mohammad Nikandish, Mohammad Hosein Gharibareza, Bahman Cheragheian and Mehdi Sayyah in Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-2-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 - Supplemental material for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran by Mohammad Nikandish, Mohammad Hosein Gharibareza, Bahman Cheragheian and Mehdi Sayyah in Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-3-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 - Supplemental material for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-mde-10.1177_23821205261424380 for Evaluation of Faculty Members’ Professional Teaching Ethics from the Perspective of Basic Medical Science Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Ahvaz, Iran by Mohammad Nikandish, Mohammad Hosein Gharibareza, Bahman Cheragheian and Mehdi Sayyah in Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development