Assessment of matriculating medical students’ knowledge and attitudes towards professionalism

Abstract

Background: Students’ perceptions of traditional attributes of professionalism are important for understanding their professional development needs, and determining appropriate curricular initiatives and assessment methods.

Aim: This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes towards professionalism of three classes of matriculating students at two institutions.

Methods: Subjects completed four instruments: a multiple-choice test and a clinical scenario instrument assessed knowledge; and a semantic differential scale and Likert-format statement instrument assessed attitudes. Items reflected traditional professionalism attributes. Factor analysis identified scales and descriptive statistics were computed for each scale.

Results: Six hundred and forty six students (82%) completed the instruments. Correlations among scales were low to moderate. Knowledge scores were highest for the attributes ‘humanism’ and ‘professional responsibility’ and lowest for the attribute ‘professional commitment’. Attitude scores were highest for ‘humanistic values’ and lowest for ‘subordinating self-interests’.

Conclusions: Results indicate students’ attitudes are positive about several of the attributes associated with traditional professionalism definitions; however, there were cases where students’ knowledge and attitudes towards professionalism appear incongruent with traditional definitions. Further development of self-assessments of knowledge and attitudes towards professionalism are suggested.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy V. Blue

AMY V. BLUE, PhD, is the Assistant Provost for Education and Professor of Family Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, South Carolina, USA. At the time of the study, she was the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Evaluation in the MUSC College of Medicine.

Sonia Crandall

SONIA CRANDALL, PhD, is a Professor of Family Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA.

George Nowacek

GEORGE NOWACEK, PhD, at the time of this study was the Director, Office of Education at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. He is presently an educational consultant.

Richard Luecht

RICHARD LUECHT, PhD, is a Professor of Educational Research Methodology and Director of the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA.

Sheila Chauvin

SHEILA CHAUVIN, PhD, is the Director of Office of Educational Research and Development and Professor in the Department of Medicine and Professor in the School of Public Health at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Herbert Swick

HERBERT SWICK, MD, at the time of this study was the Executive Director of the Institute of Medicine and Humanities, a joint program of St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center and the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA. He is presently Professor Emeritus at the University of Montana.