The positive role of professionalism and ethics training in medical education: a comparison of medical student and resident perspectives.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the perspectives and preferences of medical students and residents regarding professionalism and ethics education.


METHODS
A new written survey with 124 items (scale: "strongly disagree" = 1, "strongly agree" = 9) was sent to all medical students (n=308) and PGY 1-3 residents (n=233) at one academic center.


RESULTS
Of the 336 participants (200 students, 65% response; 136 residents 58% response), only 18% found current professionalism and ethics preparation sufficient. Respondents endorsed professionalism (means=7.48 to 8.11) and ethics topics (means=6.56 to 6.87), women more so than men (p<0.05). Respondents preferred clinically- and expert-oriented learning over formal, nontraditional, or independent approaches (p<0.0001). They preferred clinically-oriented assessment methods (p<0.0001), residents more so than medical students (p<0.0001). On several items, psychiatry residents expressed greater receptiveness to professionalism and ethics preparation.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical students and residents indicate support for professionalism and ethics educational initiatives, including diverse curricular topics and clinically-attuned assessments.
Roberts
Laura Weiss
LW
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. RobertsL@mcw.edu
Green Hammond
Katherine A
KA
Geppert
Cynthia M A
CM
Warner
Teddy D
TD
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D004989:Ethics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D011361:Professional Competence; D024382:Professional Role; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching