Defining a “Healthy Role-Model” for Medical Schools: Learning Components That Count

Abstract

Introduction

Producing healthy physicians who act as a “healthy role-model” in their environment must be one of the concerns of medical schools today in response to the global movement of “health-promoting university” by the WHO (1995). However, no publications explained the “healthy role-model” in medical school. This study aimed to fill this gap by exploring the definition and characteristics of a “healthy role-model” for medical teachers.

Methods

We used a grounded theory approach with in-depth interviews and e-mail communications to 48 medical teachers from various backgrounds of “health professions education,” “health education and behavior”/’health education and promoter,’ “general practitioners/family medicine,” “adolescent health,” “internal medicine,” and “cardiology-vascular medicine.” The medical teachers were from Indonesia, one other developing country (Bangladesh), and five developed countries (United States of America, Canada, Netherlands, Australia, and United Kingdom). We also invited 19 medical students from Indonesia for three focus group discussions.

Results

We identified four categories to define a “healthy role-model” for medical schools as persons who are seen: 1) “physically,” “socially,” “mentally”, and “spiritually” healthy; 2) internalized healthy behaviors; 3) willing to promote healthy lifestyles; and, 4) a life-long learner. In each category, there are several characteristics discussed.

Conclusion

Our study provides some insights to define a “healthy role-model” of medical teachers by using the characteristics of healthy people and adult learners. The first category describes the characteristics of healthy people, but cultural issues influence the perspectives of medical teachers to define a “healthy role-model” for medical schools.

Keywords:

• healthy role-model
• role-modeling
• adult learner
• grounded theory methodology

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical Approval

This study was approved by The Medical and Health Research Ethics Committee Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, under their file number 0946. The aim and process of data collection were well explained to participants. The written informed consent was obtained from participants before they took part in this study, and the participants’ informed consent included the publication of anonymized responses. All procedures performed in this study were following the principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki and the institutional research committee’s ethical standards.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank all participating medical teachers from Health Profession Education, Primary Care, Health Promotion and Behavior, and Clinician from Internal Medicine and Cardiology–Vascular Medicine in Indonesia. We wish to thank the medical students in the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia, for their time and opinions to provide us valuable insights on this topic. We also express our appreciation to all medical teachers in Primary Care, Medical Education, and Adolescent Health from developed and developing countries who participated in this study, ie, Professor Mark Graber at the Department of Family Medicine at The University of IOWA, USA, author of the Family Medicine book that has been translated into many languages; Professor Job Metsemakers at Department of Family Medicine Maastricht University, Netherlands, past President of WONCA Europe Association of Family Doctors; Professor Susan Sawyer at Department of the Pediatric/Adolescent Health University of Melbourne, Australia, President of the Lancet Commission of Adolescent Health; Professor Michael Kidd at Department of the Family Medicine University of Toronto, Canada, past President of WONCA World Association of Family Doctors; Professor Warren Rubeinsten, past Head of Department of Departement of Family and Community Medicine Univ. of Toronto Canada; Professor Amanda Howe at Department of General Practice Univ. of Eastern Anglia, Norwich, UK, past President of WONCA World Association of Family Doctors; and, Professor Humayun Takluder at SEARAME Council/Medical Education, Bangladesh. All authors also extend our thanks to Mrs. Onengan Caturanggani, S. Sos, who helped in conducting two in-depth interview sessions and helped the first author to conduct the next in-depth interview independently. We also thank Murti Mandawati, SKep, Ns, MMedEd, and drg. Cicih Bhakti Purnamasari, MMedEd, who helped as coders.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

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

Additional information

Funding

The Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Indonesia) funded this research.