Evaluation of the Level and Distribution of Articles on Electronic-learning in Medical Sciences in the Iranian Journals of Medical Education

Background: Today, information technology and communications play an important role in the promotion of education quality. Some pedagogical studies have been conducted with a focus on electronic learning. This study aims to evaluate the level and distribution of articles on electronic-learning of medical sciences in the Iranian journals of medical sciences. Methods: To collect data, English- and Persian-language scientific-research journals in medical sciences published from 2011 to the end of 2015 were evaluated. Titles, keywords, and methods were searched in the most reliable journals to extract articles in line with the study objectives. The data were analyzed based on descriptive statistics using Excel software. Results: According to the results of the current study, only 1 journal allocated more than 10% (14.6% of all evaluated articles) of its published articles to e-learning in medical sciences (totally 14.6%). The highest ratio of articles on e-learning in medical education to the total articles was found in the Iranian Bimonthly of Education Strategies in Medical Sciences (0.146) and strides in development of Medical Education (0.094); and the lowest ratio was found in the Journal of Advances in Medical Education and Professionalism (0.31). Conclusions: Limitations such as hardware and software infrastructures, as well as lack of interest and time by professors were considered as barriers to study electronic skills and technology sciences and their institutionalization within the curriculum.