Community-based education: The influence of role modeling on career choice and practice location

Abstract

Introduction: Research findings in medical education support the importance of positive role models in enhancing learning and influencing the career path of medical students and graduates. The authors explored the characteristics of positive and negative role models during Community-Based Education and Service (COBES), as well as their effect on trainees’ career paths.

Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire among medical students to explore the characteristics of positive and negative role models during COBES. Associations between gender, choice of specialty, and practice location were assessed using the chi-square test. All qualitative data analysis was performed using the principles of primary, secondary, and tertiary coding.

Result: The majority of the students indicated that role modeling during COBES will affect their choice of specialty and practice location with a significant gender difference in terms of practice location (p < 0.005). Qualitative data supported the finding that positive role modeling during COBES may influence graduates willingness to work in rural area.

Conclusion: The desire and willingness to work in a rural community combined with good communication and excellent interpersonal skills as well as good leadership skills are attributes of good role modeling that could influence medical students’ career choice during COBES.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to the third and fourth year medical students of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University for Development Studies for their support in answering and returning the questionnaires

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Glossary

Community-Based Education and Service (COBES): An instructional format where trainees learn professional competencies in a rural community setting focusing on population groups and also individuals and their everyday problems as well as providing service that meets identified community needs. Instructions generally take place at a community health center, Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound or a rural hospital. During their training in the community, students learn about social and economic aspects of illness, about health services in the community and methods of health promotion, about working in teams, and about frequency and types of problems encountered outside a hospital setting. The trainees engage in service provision such as giving heath educational talks at the community schools, sorting and filling out-patients cards, dispensing medicine at the pharmacy, going for outreach activities for immunization. Through these activities in the community trainees not only learn but also provide service to the community, thus addressing some manpower gaps of the community.

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Notes on contributors

Anthony Amalba, MSc, MHPE, a clinical Pharmacist and a Fellow of the West Africa Post Graduate College of Pharmacists with international Masters in Health Professions Education, Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Health Professions Education and Innovative Learning, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, P.O. Box 1883, Tamale, Ghana.

Francis Atindaana Abantanga, MD, Professor of Paediatric Surgery and Dean, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, P.O. Box 1883, Tamale, Ghana.

Albert Jakob Johannus Antonius Scherpbier, MD, Professor of Medical Education and Dean, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P. O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Walther Nicolaas Karel Anton van Mook, MD, PhD, Internist-Intensivist, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Associate Professor of Medical Education, School of Health Professions Education, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.