Clinical teachers as positive and negative role models: an explanatory sequential mixed method design

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professional Development

Background:

• Role modeling is a cornerstone of medical education, shaping students' learning, attitudes, and behaviors.
• Understanding the characteristics of effective and ineffective role models is essential for optimizing clinical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the defining features of positive and negative role models in medical education.
• To analyze how students perceive and are influenced by the characteristics of their clinical teachers.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative questionnaires (n=282) and qualitative semi-structured interviews (n=26).
• The study population comprised medical students during their clinical rotations at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Main Results:

• Key components of positive role modeling include individual characteristics, clinical skills, and teaching professionalism.
• Negative role models also possess distinct characteristics, with 46.8% of students identifying negative examples among their teachers.
• Students reported being influenced by both the positive and negative attributes of their clinical educators.

Conclusions:

• Clinical teachers' performance as role models significantly impacts medical students.
• Enhancing positive role modeling requires actively reducing negative influences and reinforcing desirable traits in educators.
• Addressing both positive and negative aspects of role modeling is vital for improving the quality of medical training.