Perception of Students and Faculty Members of the Impact of a Preparatory Year Program on the Students of Health Professions Education Colleges

Objective: The Preparatory Year Program (PYP) is a one-year preparatory program to prepare students for a full multi-year degree curriculum. It offers a bridge between students’ high-school and university-level studies. The study aimed at evaluating the impact of the King Abdulaziz University preparatory year program on students of the health professions education colleges from both students' and faculty viewpoints. Methods: This is a descriptive study that depended on the collection of data from both students and faculty members based on their perceptions. It was conducted during the period from May 2019 to January 2020. Data was collected from students through self-administered questionnaires and from faculty members through structured interviews. Descriptive statistics were applied. Results: Around half of the students agreed that the preparatory year made them self-confident and reinforced their discipline (49.2% and 46.9%, respectively). Less than two-thirds agreed that the preparatory year reinforced their sense of responsibility and helped them adapt to the university educational environment (60.6% and 64.3%, respectively). On the other hand, more than half of them (58.5%) disagreed that the preparatory year classes helped them select their majors. Also, more than half of them (57.2%) disagreed that the preparatory year prepared them for their major classes. Conclusion: The impact of the preparatory year on students of the health professions colleges is weak. This is the opinion of both students and faculty members. In-depth studies are needed to further investigate this impact. Keywords: Universities; Health Occupations; Undergraduate; Curriculum; Saudi Arabia.