Medical students’ perception of professionalism climate in clinical settings

Saba   Hoobehfekr; Fariba  Asghari; Azadeh   Sayarifard; Maliheh  Kadivar; Shayan Kashefinejad

doi:10.18502/jmehm.v14i10.7238

Saba Hoobehfekr Resident of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fariba Asghari Associate Professor, Medical Ethic Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Azadeh Sayarifard Community Based Participatory Research Center, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Maliheh Kadivar Professor, Department of Neonatology, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Shayan Kashefinejad Resident of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jmehm.v14i10.7238

Keywords: Iran; Medical student; Professionalism climate.

Abstract

Medical professionalism has a crucial role in educating medical students. The role of professionalism in the clinical environment is therefore an important factor in medical education. This study attempts to evaluate the opinions of medical students in the teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) about the professionalism environment in this university. A sample of 165 students filled out the Persian translation of UMKC-SOM (Climate of Professionalism Survey) questionnaire. This instrument evaluates students’ perspectives on the degree of adherence to professionalism by faculty, residents and other students. The results of the study revealed that the total score of professionalism climate was 53.9 for faculty, 42.09 for residents, and 50.76 for students and the difference between these three groups was statistically significant (p-value < 0.01). Results of further analysis through post-hoc tests for multiple comparisons among the groups revealed that the students found their fellow students and faculty more professional than residents. The study also showed that the medical ethics course had no impact on perceptions observations (p-values > 0.05). The study results also revealed that the students found their fellow students and faculty more professional than residents. This finding demonstrates the importance of teaching professionalism to residents since they serve as role models for students. Further multicenter studies are needed to improve the professionalism climate in the medical teaching environment.