title: Evaluation of orientation program for fresh MBBS entrants: Faculty and students' perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One-day orientation program (OP) for fresh MBBS entrants is running in our institute since 2010, but has never been evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the OP from students' and faculty perspectives and to recommend a revised program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 439 students of three MBBS batches were enrolled in the study. Students were asked to fill an anonymous semi-structured, pretested questionnaire. Views of faculty members were recorded by conducting three focus group discussions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of the students have never attended the institutional OP due to timings issue. Overall rating of the program was good, but many students and faculty members suggested changes in the duration, timings and course content of the OP. A revised OP was proposed to the authorities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current institutional program though rated good, requires a lot of amendments. The revised proposed OP should be implemented from the coming session.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: Focused group discussion; orientation program; program evaluation; qualitative analysis