Abstract

BUSTAMANTE ALFONSO, Leticia María et al. Characterization of the professors who teach health management diploma´s courses. Educ Med Super [online]. 2011, vol.25, n.1, pp.58-67. ISSN 0864-2141.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the scientific and teaching characteristics of the faculty in the health management diploma´s courses and of the upgrading process in the 2008-2009 period in Cuba. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 27 full-time professors from 14 provincial centers of the National School of Public Health. The collected data was organized in tables. RESULTS: The physicians accounted for 51.8 %, Bachelors of Nursing represented 11.1 %; dentists, 3.7 % and Bachelors of other professions, 33.3 %. The instructors were 25.9 % of the total amount, assistant professors, 22.2 %, associate professors, 44.4 % and full professors, 7.4 %. The master's degree was held by 59.2 % of the participants and 3.7 % had PhD title. Of the total amount, 92.6 % graduated from diploma's courses in health management. Of the participants, 77.7 % responded that upgrading allowed them to solve some difficult aspects in their personal or professional life. Regarding the difficulties in the upgrading process, the lack of time accounted for 33.3 %, the non-availability of computers, 25.9 % and the connection problems represented 40.7 %. CONCLUSIONS: The composition of the faculty is heterogeneous; there is imbalance between teaching categories and scientific degrees. The upgrading process should be designed according to the basic and specialized formations as well as the individual expertise of each professor. The teaching staff acknowledged the usefulness of the upgrading for the improvement of the teaching-learning process.

Keywords : Teaching characterization; teaching upgrading.

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