Promoting Professional Behaviors and Attitudes in Healthcare Students: A Systematic Review

The development of professionalism among healthcare students is challenging because these skills are complex concepts rather than technical skills. The purposes of this systematic review were to investigate: 1) the teaching methods used to promote the development of professionalism and 2) the effectiveness of the teaching methods found.

We searched healthcare and educational databases. Of 4,371 articles identified, we included 54. The variables of interest included teaching methods and professionalism outcomes in physical therapy, medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy education. Two reviewers independently screened each title, abstract, and full-text article to determine if inclusion and exclusion criteria were met.

The quality appraisal of the studies was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. We identified 12 teaching methods. The 3 most used teaching methods were self-assessment/reflection, group discus-sion, and lecture. The teaching methods were frequently used in combination. An assessment of study outcomes showed overall, 89% of the studies resulted in positive changes in professional behaviors or attitudes.

Teaching methods promoting the development of professional behaviors and attitudes in healthcare students commonly use a combination of methods. This systematic review offers healthcare educators evidence-based options for facilitating growth of professional behaviors and attitudes in students.