The Drudgery of a Doctor’s Disciple: Exploring the effects of Negative Role Modelling on medical students’ professional development

Abstract

Introduction

Role modelling is considered an essential component of teaching in various educational settings and impact students’ professional development. Most studies found in the literature have explored the influence of positive role models and limited data is available about the negative role modelling. This study explores the effects of negative role modelling of teachers on the professional development of future doctors.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory study was done in three medical colleges of Lahore, Pakistan. Fifteen, telephonic, semi-structured interviews were done with fifth-year MBBS students. A thematic analysis was done through manual coding of transcribed interviews.

Results

A total of 374 codes were generated in the first cycle of coding, that was merged to 42 in the second cycle. These codes led to 4 subthemes that finally emerged as two themes. The first theme was “Students & patients: In the same boat” highlighting the damaging effects of negative role modelling. The second theme was “Taking the bad with the good” focusing on the ambivalent response of students towards the unprofessional behaviours of their role models.

Conclusion

Negative role modelling exponentially affects the attitude and behaviour of medical students especially in informal settings and have detrimental effects on patient care. Students lose some degree of humanism while unconsciously observing the unethical behaviours, to become a part of hospital culture whereas some students show determination to channelize their resentment to reforms.

Keywords:

• Negative role models
• professional development
• medical student
• medical teachers

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to all the participants and head of institutes where the study was conducted.

Disclosure statement

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

Grant support and financial disclosures

None.

Glossary

Role modelling: It is a process that involves demonstration of high standards of clinical skills, excellence in clinical teaching skills and humanistic personal qualities (Passi et al. 2013).

Passi V, Johnson S, Peile E, Wright S, Hafferty F, Johnson N. 2013. Doctor role modelling in medical education: BEME Guide No. 27. Medical Teacher. 35(9): e1422–e1436. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2013.806982

Professional development: Process of improving and increasing capabilities of staff through access to education and training opportunities in the workplace, through an outside organisation, or through watching others perform the job. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/professionaldevelopment.html

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author (FA). The data are not publicly available due to [restrictions e.g. their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fatima Aslam

Fatima Aslam, MBBS, MPhil, MHPE, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences, Avicenna Medical College & Hospital, Lahore.

Usman Mahboob

Usman Mahboob, MBBS, MPH, FHEA (UK), DHPE (UK), Fellow FAIMER (USA), Associate Professor, Institute of Health Professions Education (IHPE&R), Khyber Medical University, Peshawar.

Qundeel Zahra

Qundeel Zahra, MBBS, FCPS, MHPE, Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Azra Naheed Medical College & Hospital, Lahore.

Shan Zohra

Shan Zohra, BDS, MHPE, Junior Dental Surgeon, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore.

Rabia Malik

Rabia Malik, MBBS, MHPE, Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Education, Muhammad Islam Medical & Dental College, Gujranwala.

Rehan Ahmed Khan

Rehan Ahmed Khan, MBBS, FCPS, FRCS, MHPE, PhD, Professor of Surgery, Assistant Dean Medical Education, Islamic International Medical College, Riphah International University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.