East Meets West: A Multisite Validity Study of the China Medical Professionalism Inventory

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Management
• Cross-cultural Psychology

Background:

• Medical professionalism (MP) is culturally variable, with current assessment tools predominantly reflecting Western perspectives.
• Chinese healthcare leaders seek MP evaluation methods aligned with their cultural traditions and modern understanding.
• Existing MP frameworks may not adequately capture the unique aspects of professionalism within the Chinese context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a culturally relevant instrument for assessing medical professionalism in China.
• To create the China Medical Professionalism Inventory (CMPI) that incorporates Chinese cultural values and modern MP concepts.
• To provide a psychometrically sound tool for evaluating medical professionalism among Chinese physicians.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review identified 1537 professionalism items from 63 sources.
• Two rounds of expert surveys with Chinese clinician-leaders (n=34, n=76) were conducted.
• Three psychometric studies involving practicing Chinese physicians (n=360, n=3653, n=955) were performed to establish validity.

Main Results:

• The systematic review and expert consensus led to the development of the item pool.
• Psychometric analyses resulted in the final 20-item China Medical Professionalism Inventory (CMPI).
• The CMPI demonstrated validity evidence for content, internal structure, and relationships with other variables, comprising four factors: Respect, Compassion, and Communication; Integrity; Excellence; and Responsibility.

Conclusions:

• The China Medical Professionalism Inventory (CMPI) is a validated instrument for measuring medical professionalism in China.
• The CMPI extends the conceptualization and measurement of medical professionalism across diverse cultural settings.
• This tool can inform medical education and practice by providing a culturally sensitive assessment of physician professionalism.