Professionalism in obstetrics-gynecology residency education: the view of program directors

To define the qualities of professionalism emphasized in obstetrics-gynecology residencies and identify existing means of evaluating them.

A survey, designed to assess the importance of professionalism in residency programs and what means are utilized for its development, was sent to all 270 obstetrics-gynecology residency program directors in the United States.

Two hundred thirteen surveys were returned (79%). Ninety-seven percent of all respondents indicated that they thought the development of professionalism was necessary for training obstetrics-gynecology residents, and 84.3% thought that formal educational training time should be devoted to this development. Over 85% endorsed faculty examples and mentoring as their methods of teaching professionalism. Respondents ranked honesty; accountability to patients, colleagues, and society; respect for patients; integrity; and excellence as the most important qualities of professionalism. Almost 79% believed those qualities were as important and as necessary as qualities of skill and knowledge in residency training. Almost 80% of respondents thought that the establishment of formal professionalism guidelines would be valuable in their training programs.

A critical quality in resident education is professionalism, which receives emphasis in training programs largely through faculty example and mentoring. The variability inherent in such methods might be reduced by residency wide guidelines for uniform application of standards and to avoid arbitrariness in enforcement.