Developing professionalism: dental students' perspective.

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Professionalism Studies
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Professionalism is a cornerstone of dental education.
• Understanding student perspectives is crucial for effective development.
• Existing literature often lacks in-depth qualitative insights into professionalism development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore undergraduate dental students' insights into their professionalism development.
• To identify factors influencing professionalism development among dental students.
• To understand how professionalism can be further enhanced in dental curricula.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative phenomenological design utilizing a constructivist approach.
• Four Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted with Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students across all years.
• Thematic analysis of transcribed FGDs, with content analysis for theme frequency and audit for data verification.

Main Results:

• Role models and social responsibility emerged as primary drivers of professionalism development.
• Personal virtues, religion, and reward/punishment systems played a lesser role.
• While training was perceived as least impactful currently, it was identified as most crucial for future development; excessive workload and a negative educational environment were detrimental.

Conclusions:

• Formal curriculum planning and implementation are essential for fostering professionalism.
• Student selection processes should prioritize individuals with suitable attributes.
• Controlling the 'hidden curriculum' through effective role models and positive educational/working environments is vital for maximizing dental student professionalism.