Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the First Environmental Health Field School: A Native Model for Applied Training and Enhancement of Graduate Students’ Field Skills

Introduction: Classroom-based education alone is insufficient for developing practical skills in medical students. Structured field-based learning opportunities are scarce in Iran, limiting students’ exposure to real-world industrial and environmental processes. This descriptive-analytical study employed an educational evaluation approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the first environmental health field school to assess its impact on participants’ satisfaction, learning, behavior, and professional outcomes. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study employed an educational evaluation approach. A researcher-made questionnaire was designed according to the four levels of the Kirkpatrick model and distributed among ۱۹ participants Results: The overall weighted mean of participant satisfaction at the reaction level was ۴.۵۲ out of five. At the learning level, the weighted mean was ۴.۱۹, indicating a significant improvement in practical knowledge, particularly in waste management, air pollution control, and irradiation technology. At the behavior level, the weighted mean was ۳.۸۴, reflecting the partial application of acquired knowledge in research and operational activities. Finally, at the results level, the weighted mean was ۴.۴۴, demonstrating the program’s lasting impact on the participants’ professional attitudes, motivation, and willingness to participate in future programs. Conclusion: The first environmental health field school showed high effectiveness across all four levels of the Kirkpatrick model. The program significantly improved satisfaction, learning, and professional attitudes. Follow-up programs and real internship opportunities are recommended to enhance the transfer of learning into practical behavior. Expanding such field schools can strengthen students’ practical skills and reinforce the university-industry links in environmental health.

کلیدواژه ها:

Environmental Health Field School ، Experiential Learning ، Kirkpatrick Model.