Evaluation of the new Egyptian undergraduate medical program from the perspectives of faculty and institutional leadership: a nationwide, mixed-method study

Abstract

In response to global calls for medical education reform, Egypt restructured its national undergraduate medical education program from a 6 + 1 model to a competency-based “5 + 2” model. This reformed program emphasizes early clinical exposure, integration of basic and clinical sciences, student-centered learning, and alignment with national academic reference standards. With the graduation of the first cohort in 2023, this study aimed to evaluate the program’s effectiveness from the perspectives of faculty and institutional leadership. A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a validated, researcher-developed online survey distributed to faculty across 27 Egyptian medical colleges. A total of 10,728 responses were received. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the construct validity of the survey, which comprised 42 items grouped into five domains: Program Goals, Content, Learning Resources, and Student Assessment; Program Impact on Students’ Professional and Research Skills; Faculty Involvement and Support; Students’ Academic Guidance and Support; and Physical and Learning Facilities. Qualitative data were obtained from nine focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 100 academic leaders. Thematic analysis of the FGDs offered complementary insights into program implementation. Faculty responses indicated borderline to moderate overall satisfaction (mean score 2.99). Higher scores were reported for accessibility and relevance of learning resources and fairness of student assessment. Satisfaction was lower regarding opportunities for faculty to participate in curriculum design and institutional support for research. No significant gender-based differences were found. Junior faculty reported higher satisfaction than senior faculty (p < 0.001). Thematic analysis revealed the academic leaders’ appreciation for integrated teaching, early clinical exposure, and modern pedagogies, but also highlighted challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, faculty resistance to change, and variability in curriculum delivery. Leadership support, student feedback mechanisms, and faculty development were noted as essential enablers for successful implementation. This evaluation documented faculty and leadership perceptions of strengths in curriculum integration, learning resources, and assessment strategies, while also identifying critical implementation challenges. Ongoing faculty development, equitable institutional support, and sustained stakeholder engagement are essential to ensure the long-term success of the reformed program. Findings may offer insights for policymakers and educators working within similarly centrally coordinated, competency-based curriculum reform initiatives, particularly in contexts with comparable national governance structures.