Recognition of Core Elements of Medical Professionalism among Medical Students and Faculty Members

Medical students and future physicians have chosen to pursue a profession that requires personal integrity, compassion and a constant awareness of the commitment made by them. Professionalism includes personal behaviors, knowledge, and competency. It includes the attitudes and values one holds and that run through the profession as a whole. Medical students learn professionalism during the course by either direct teaching or experiential learning. We conducted this study to estimate the self-reported level of practice of the core elements of professionalism by medical students and medical faculty and compared the two groups.

One-hundred and nine students and 83 faculty members of Oman Medical College completed a professionalism questionnaire. The survey questions related to core elements of professionalism and were grouped under professional knowledge, professional skills, professional attitude, and qualities essential for professionalism.

The response rate was 65.6% (109 of 166) among students and 75.5% (83 of 110) from faculty members. Response to the questions on professional skills between the student and faculty group was significantly different (p < 0.001). Similarly, there was a significant difference in the responses related to professional attitude between the student and faculty group (p < 0.001). Students and faculty members have a significant difference in opinion regarding up to date knowledge of basic and clinical sciences and clinical competency (p = 0.024). Similarly, significant differences in opinion regarding up to date knowledge of basic and clinical sciences and clinical competency in clinical and basic sciences faculty members (p = 0.001). Students identified good communication skills (82.6%), and faculty staff identified up to date professional knowledge (62.7%) as the most important aspect of professionalism.

Both students and teaching faculty agreed that the top most professional elements are up to date knowledge, good communication skills, and teamwork. Hence, it is important that faculty members encourage their students to improve their professional skills and attitude.