Students' perception on medical professionalism: the psychometric perspective

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professionalism Studies
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Understanding latent traits of medical professionalism is essential for training competent physicians.
• This study focuses on the perceptions of medical professionalism among Taiwanese students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze the underlying structure of medical professionalism in Taiwanese medical students.
• To assess the perceived importance of various professionalism components.

Main Methods:

• A 32-item questionnaire based on the American Board Internal Medicine (ABIM) definition of professionalism was administered.
• 133 year seven medical students responded using a five-point importance rating scale.
• Factor analysis was employed to determine the latent structure of professionalism.

Main Results:

• Accountability to patients, respect for patients/families, and integrity were rated as most important.
• Factor analysis revealed eight distinct factors, with 'commitment to care' explaining the most variance (34.9%).
• Other identified factors included 'righteous and rule-abiding', 'pursuing quality patient care', and 'respect for others'.

Conclusions:

• The identified professional values of young physicians offer insights for enhancing medical school curricula.
• Curriculum development should prioritize fostering key professionalism traits like commitment to care and patient respect.