Explaining the Experiences of Students and Graduates during Internship Courses in the Field of Healthcare Service Management: A Qualitative Study

Background: The present study was designed and implemented to explain the experiences of students and graduates during internship courses in the field of healthcare service management. Objectives: The present research adopted a qualitative approach to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in educational and healthcare settings. Methods: This qualitative study employed content analysis and purposive sampling on students and graduates in the field of healthcare service management at Bam University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Results: The findings were categorized into two main categories: Curriculum planning curriculum planning opportunities and challenges. Curriculum planning opportunities consisted of “curriculum planning, communication with professors, and evaluation,” while curriculum planning challenges consisted of “internship field staff, professors, logbooks, welfare facilities, and lesson plan.” Conclusion: The curriculum planning for internship courses has strengths that help enhance the quality of education and students’ professional skills. However, several challenges were identified that could hinder the achievement of educational objectives. In order to mitigate these challenges, taking various measures seems necessary, including training courses for staff, providing ongoing feedback, reviewing logbooks, clarifying learning objectives, and fostering interdepartmental collaboration at a higher organizational level.