To participate or not participate in unprofessional behavior – Is that the question?

Abstract

Introduction: Medical education provides students with abundant learning opportunities, each of which is embodied with messages concerning what is expected from students. This paper analyses students? exposure to instances of unprofessional behavior, investigating whether they judge such behavior to be unprofessional and whether they also participate in unprofessional behavior.

Methods: The survey developed in the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago was the basis of this questionnaire that was answered by 276 students from two medical schools in Brazil and Portugal.

Results: Unprofessional behavior was observed frequently by students in both universities, and the mean participation rates were similar (26% and 27%). Forty-five percent of students? participation in unprofessional behavior was explained by academic year, prior observation, and judgment.

Discussion: The results indicate that once students have observed, participated in or misjudged unprofessional behavior, they tend to participate in and misjudge such behavior. The frequency with which students judged behaviors they had observed or participated in as ?borderline? or unprofessional could mean that they are experiencing moral distress.

Conclusion: Proper discussion of unprofessional behavior should foster a broad debate to encourage empowered students, faculties, and physicians to co-create a more professional environment for patient care.

Acknowledgments

We thank all undergraduate medical students who participated in this research. Financial support for the authors was provided by scholarships from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brazilian National Council of Technological and Scientific Development – 229753/2013-2) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Brazil – 13271/13-0).

Disclosure statement

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

Glossary

Unprofessional behaviors A set of attitudes or behaviors that violate the principle of professionalism. There are many areas involved, including ethics, humanistic values, altruism, social commitment and accountability. These behaviors and attitudes are related to the activities that comprise the profession, and should be adopted by students, professionals in training and experts.

Notes on contributors

Renato Soleiman Franco, Psychiatrist. Master's degree in Technology in Health. Professor at the School of Medicine (discipline of Psychiatry), Pontifical University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. Doctoral Student (CAPES Scholarship), Department of Medical Education and Simulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. Member of the Public Mental Heath Department at the city o Curitiba, Brazil.

Camila Ament Giuliani Franco, Family Physician. Master's degree in Technology in Health. Professor at the School of Medicine (discipline of Family Medicine), Pontifical University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil. Doctoral Student (CNPq Scholarship), Department of Medical Education and Simulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. Member of the Primary Care Department at the city of Curitiba, Brazil.

Solena Ziemer Kusma, PhD in Epidemiology and Public Health by Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR); Master of Epidemiology and Public Health by University College London (UCL); Associate Professor of Medicine Course at PUCPR.

Milton Severo, Graduated in Applied Mathematics and Computation, PhD in Public Health. Department of Epidemiology, Predictive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. Department of Medical Education and Simulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. EPIUnit - Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Portugal.

Maria Amélia Ferreira, Physician, PhD in Medical Education. Dean at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. Department of Medical Education and Simulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal. E-mail: [email protected]

Additional information

Funding

Financial support for the authors was provided by scholarships from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [Brazilian National Council of Technological and Scientific Development – 229753/2013-2] and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior [Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, Brazil – 13271/13-0].