Faculty development for learning and teaching of medical professionalism

Figures & data

Table

Practice points

Teaching professionalism should be based on a genuine framework that reflects the societal norms, culture, values, traditions, and expectations. The attributes of professionalism cannot be taught as abstract concepts, but they have to be embedded in situations or vignettes. Teachers should plan a battery of questions to trigger reflection on professionalism vignettes. Teachers and learners have to acknowledge the complexity of medical practice, as there is more than one correct behaviours to be considered for each professionalism dilemma. Professionalism can drive a more student-centered approach to learning.

Table 1. Learning outcomes of the faculty development programme.

By the end of the programme, teachers should be able to:

1. Identify relevant key attributes of professionalism in their specialties

2. Develop vignettes that demonstrate professionalism dilemmas to be used for teaching professionalism

3. Use pre-set questions/triggers to guide students’ reflection on the given vignettes

4. Report students’ learning experiences

5. Act as advocate to teaching professionalism in their departments and institutions

Figure 1. Developing a programme for faculty development for learning and teaching professionalism in a three-step process. A: Author; T: Teacher; S: Student.

Table 2. Topics for presentations and activities of the workshop.

• The growing significance of professionalism

• Why professionalism must be taught?

• The cultural basis of professionalism and its domains in the Arabian context

• The guiding principles to inculcate professionalism in health professions education curricula

• Teaching professionalism in clinical sciences

• The neglected opportunity to teach professionalism in basic sciences

• Using vignettes for guided reflection on professionalism issues

Table 3. Sample vignettes on professionalism.

Vignette 1: While you are examining a patient in the outpatient clinic, an old lady opens the door suddenly without an appointment and asks you to order two sophisticated investigations for her and renew her prescription. The lady is a patient of another colleague who went to vacation and will be back to his clinic after 3 weeks. The nurse attending your clinic complained that the old lady has shouted at her.

Vignette 2: A patient enters your office and shouted: “Doctor, I want to leave the hospital now”. You asked: “Why?” Suddenly the patient moved a chair with anger and seems as if he is about to hit you.

Vignette 3: You are a nurse at the family planning clinic. A patient was examined by Dr. X and he asked you to insert an intrauterine device (IUD). You examined her and successfully inserted the IUD. When you started educating her on the common problems of IUD, you discovered that she has a history of ectopic pregnancy, which is a clear contraindication to IUD.

Vignette 4: Your kids ranked top in their schools. You promised them an exceptional outing this weekend. When you were planning to leave the hospital after the end of your shift, a friend of yours arrived at the ER and requested you to stay to care for his wife, who was in a critical condition. You have already singed out to one of your competent and conscientious colleagues. You know he is capable of managing the case. You decided to meet your friend to assure him then proceed with your personal plans with your family. Your friend, however, pleads you to stay.

Table 4. Triggers/questions to guide reflection on professionalism vignettes.

○ Describe your feelings, if you were in that situation.

○ What is the professionalism dilemma of the given scenario?

○ What would you do in that situation? and why?

○ What are the expected consequences of your decision?

○ What if you were in the shoes of the colleague or the patient? (swapping roles)

○ What did you learn from discussing this scenario?

○ Do you feel more prepared in case if you encounter a similar situation in reality?

Figure 2. Programme evaluation for its construct (in three principles) and its outcomes (in four levels.