Professionalism: self-control matters.
BACKGROUND
Many of the behaviors that constitute professionalism require self-control.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the extent to which self-control is a component of resident professionalism, rated both by residents and their program directors.


METHODS
366 residents in 13 residency programs were invited to participate in a survey study of professionalism. Participating residents completed the Professionalism - Documentation of Competence (ProDOC) (a 15-item measure of professionalism developed for the study), a 10-item version of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and the Brief Self-Control Scale. Independently, program directors of participating residents completed the ProDOC with reference to each of their participating residents.


RESULTS
215 residents agreed to participate in the study (58.7% response rate). Resident ProDOC scores were significantly related to social desirability and self-control. Self-control alone accounted for approximately 25% of the variance in resident ProDOC scores, and approximately 17% of the variance in ProDOC scores when shared variance with social desirability was controlled. There was no correlation between resident and program director ProDOC scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-control is an important facet of human behavior and interpersonal interaction, including the behaviors that constitute medical professionalism. The lack of correlation between residents' self-ratings of professionalism and their program directors' ratings underscores the difficulty in understanding and measuring this competency.
Hershberger
Paul J
PJ
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, USA. paul.hershberger@wright.edu
Zryd
Teresa W
TW
Rodes
Mary Beth
MB
Stolfi
Adrienne
A
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D011361:Professional Competence