Cross-cultural challenges for assessing medical professionalism among clerkship physicians in a Middle Eastern country (Bahrain): feasibility and psychometric properties of multisource feedback

Abstract

Background

We aimed to design, implement, and evaluate the feasibility and reliability of a multisource feedback (MSF) system to assess interns in their clerkship year in the Middle Eastern culture, the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Method

The study was undertaken in the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital, a military teaching hospital in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A total of 21 interns (who represent the total population of the interns for the given year) were assessed in this study. All of the interns were rotating through our hospital during their year-long clerkship rotation. The study sample consisted of nine males and 12 females. Each participating intern was evaluated by three groups of raters, eight medical intern colleagues, eight senior medical colleagues, and eight coworkers from different departments.

Results

A total of 21 interns (nine males and 12 females) were assessed in this study. The total mean response rates were 62.3%. A factor analysis was conducted that found that the data on the questionnaire grouped into three factors that counted for 76.4% of the total variance. These three factors were labeled as professionalism, collaboration, and communication. Reliability analysis indicated that the full instrument scale had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α 0.98). The generalizability coefficients for the surveys were estimated to be 0.78.

Conclusion

Based on our results and analysis, we conclude that the MSF tool we used on the interns rotating in their clerkship year within our Middle Eastern culture provides an effective method of evaluation because it offers a reliable, valid, and feasible process.

Keywords:

• MSF system
• interns
• validity
• generalizability

Author contributions

AAA and KAK contributed to the conception and design of the study. MAA, RAA, and DAS worked on the data collection. AAA, AAM, and FMM constructed the blueprint and table of the specifications for communication, collaboration, and professionalism, and constructed the questionnaire. AAA, KAK, and FMM contributed to the data analysis and interpretation of the data. AAA and AAM contributed to the drafting of the manuscript. AAA gave the final approval of the version to be published. All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

All authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.