Biannual Journal of Medical Education

Background and Objective:  Awareness of the characteristics of a good professor plays an important role in the quality of education and the advancement of universities. Accordingly, the present study investigates the characteristics of a good professor from the perspective of faculty members and students of Ilam University of Medical Sciences in 2024.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024. A total of 365 students and 80 faculty members of Ilam University of Medical Sciences were selected based on Cochran’s sampling formula, using a two-stage stratified sampling method followed by simple random sampling. Data were collected using a 49-item questionnaire on the characteristics of a good professor, measured on a Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 2022.
Findings: According to the findings, the characteristic “professor’s mastery of the subject matter” received the highest score, with 82.5% from the students’ perspective and 87.5% from the faculty members’ perspective. A significant relationship was found between the domains of teaching method, personal character, scholarship, educational regulations, and total score with students’ gender (P < 0.05). The results also showed a significant relationship between personal character and students’ marital status (P = 0.019).
Conclusions: The findings reveal that students and faculty members largely concur on the attributes of an effective instructor. Consequently, to enhance student academic outcomes, educational administrators and policymakers should give due consideration to the qualities of a competent professor, along with other factors that impact teaching and learning.