From Novices to Pros: Effect of Case-based Workshop on Perception of Professionalism in Pathology Residents

Professionalism is a crucial yet challenging competency to teach, learn, and assess in undergraduate and postgraduate education. Many institutions, especially in the low-middle income countries, lack formal teaching and assessment of this competency. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a case-based workshop on perceptions and attitudes towards professionalism of pathology residents.

A quasi-experimental study including a census sample of all 30 pathology residents, included through in-person convenience sampling, was conducted. A case-based workshop on professionalism in pathology residents was organized as an intervention. Cases were adapted and developed by content experts and medical educationists, and consensus of responses was achieved via Nominal Group Technique consisting of Pathology residency program leadership and faculty. Data from the residents was collected using the Penn State College of Medicine (PSCOM) professionalism questionnaire, as a pre- and pos-ttest with intervention in August 2021. Residents' responses were determined regarding appropriate course of action in managing unprofessional behavior of the resident in given case scenarios. Feedback on the workshop was also obtained. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 19 to compare the pre- and post-assessment scores of the participants via paired T-test.

A total of 30 residents' responses were included in the study. The mean pre-test score was 148.53±18.11 and post-test score was 155.10±17.72 (p=0.003). Residents' responses for appropriate course of action to address professionalism lapses were similar to predetermined responses from the faculty in half of the given scenarios (5/10). As per resident feedback, the case-based interactive discussion was highly appreciated and the need for a formal curriculum for professionalism in the residency program was recommended by the residents.

Authentic, real-life, and contextual case scenarios in a case-based workshop significantly improved the knowledge and perception of residents towards professionalism, its issues, and management of lapses.