Faculty Behavior and Other Key Factors in Student Adjustment to Medical School

Physicians today need a number of non-cognitive attributes and skills in order to be maximally effective. However, these attributes and skills, such as caring and respect for others, self-awareness, and communication skills, are not always addressed in medical education. Many would-be physicians find that medical school is a grueling experience characterized by chronic stress, the need to recognize one's strengths and limitations, and dissonance between their own values and beliefs and those of the school. The faculty and administrators at one medical school developed a special extra-curricular program to render their undergraduate program more humanistic in supporting student socialization and adjustment. The program featured intentionally structured, faculty-facilitated small groups of first-year students.This study used focus group interviews to explore student perceptions of the effectiveness of the "Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development Program" and thereby to gain insight into the phenomena that affect the development of medical students as future health care providers. Findings showed that students described social support and academic support from peers and faculty as contributing to their adjustment. The most compelling factor in student adjustment was faculty behavior and attitudes. Implications for adult learning and humanistic education practices are described.