Medical professionalism frameworks across non-Western cultures: A narrative overview

Abstract

Background: Medical professionalism is context-specific, but most literature on professionalism stems from Western countries. This study is about benchmarking of different frameworks on professionalism and interpreting the commonalities and discrepancies of understanding professionalism across different cultures. We need to study the cultural underpinning of medical professionalism to graduate future “global” practitioners who are culturally sensitive enough to recognize differences (and also similarities) of expectations of patients in various contexts.

Aim: This study aims at describing culture specific elements of three identified non-Western frameworks of professionalism, as well as their commonalities and differences.

Method: A narrative overview was carried out of studies that address professionalism in non-Western cultures in the period 2002–2014.

Results: Out of 143 articles on medical professionalism, only four studies provided three structured professionalism frameworks in non-Western contexts. Medical professionalism attributes in non-Western cultures were influenced by cultural values. Out of the 24 identified attributes of professionalism, 3 attributes were shared by the three cultures. Twelve attributes were shared by at least two cultures, and the rest of the attributes were unique to each culture.

Conclusions: The three frameworks provided culture-specific elements in a unique conceptual framework of medical professionalism according to the region they originated from. There is no single framework on professionalism that can be globally acknowledged. A culture-oriented concept of professionalism is necessary to understand what the profession is dedicated to and to incorporate the concept into the medical students’ and physicians’ professional identity formation.

Disclosure statement

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

Funding

The publication of this supplement has been made possible with the generous financial support of the Dr Hamza Alkholi Chair for Developing Medical Education in KSA.

Notes on contributors

Dr. Ahmed Al Rumayyan, MBBS, MMEd, FAAP, FRCPC is currently the Dean, College of Medicine and Associate Professor, Pediatrics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSAU-HS). He is a Pediatric Neurologist/Epileptologist, Department of Pediatrics, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and a Master Degree holder in Medical Education from College of Medicine, (KSAU-HS).

Prof. Dr. Walther N.K.A. van Mook, is an Internist – intensivist at the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Maastricht UMC; Director of the Academy (Dean) for Postgraduate Medical Training, Maastricht UMC & Academy | Maastricht UMC; Professor of Professional Development in Postgraduate medical training, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) | Maastricht University.

Dr. Muhammad Athar Khan, MBBS, MCPS, MBA, DPH, DCPS-HCSM, DCPS-HPE, PGD in Statistics, is an Associate Professor at College of Medicine & Dentistry, Liaquat Pakistan. He is also a PhD candidate at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Pakistan, where he furthers his research on childhood obesity in Pakistan. His main area of interest and research are public health, epidemiology, bio-statistics and medical education. His teaching areas are public health, research and medical education at both under and postgraduate levels.

Prof. Mohi Eldin Magzoub, MBBS, MSc, MFPHM, PhD, is a Professor of Medical Education and founding chair of the Department of Medical Education at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Previously he was the Regional Advisor for Health Professions Education, EMRO, WHO and a founding Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Gezira, Sudan.

Dr. Mohamed M. Al-Eraky, MBBCh, MSc, MMEd, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education who holds a Master Degree in Medical Education from Dundee University (UK) and a PhD in Health Professions Education from Maastricht University (The Netherlands). He is currently appointed as Director of Development & Academic Initiatives at the Vice-President Office for Academic Affairs at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Mazen Saleh Ferwana, ABFM, JBFM, PhD is a Consultant of the Department of Family Medicine & Primary Healthcare in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. He served as the Co-Director of National & Gulf Center for Evidence Based Health Practice, College of Public Health & Health Informatics, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Presently, he is the Associate Professor of Family & Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Diana H.J.M. Dolmans, PhD, is a Professor of Innovative Learning Arrangements within the School of Health Professions Education/Department of Educational Development and Research at Maastricht University, the Netherlands.