Turkish students' perceptions of professionalism at the beginning and at the end of medical education: a cross-sectional qualitative study

• Published in: Medical education online Vol. 20; no. 1; p. 26614
• Main Authors: Kavas, Mustafa Volkan, Demirören, Meral, Koşan, Ayşen Melek Aytuğ, Karahan, Süleyman Tuna, Yalim, Neyyire Yasemin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2015; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Co-Action Publishing; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Behavior; Clinical Competence; College students; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education; Education, Medical - organization & administration; Empathy; Ethics; Female; Females; Focus Groups; hidden curriculum; History of medicine; Humans; Informatics; Interprofessional Relations; Male; medical education; Medical research; Medicine; Perception; Physician's Role; Physician-Patient Relations; professional identity development; professionalism; Qualitative Research; Role models; Student attitudes; Students, Medical - psychology; Studies; Turkey; University faculty; Turkey; professionalism; professional identity development; medical education; role models; hidden curriculum
• ISSN: 1087-2981; 1087-2981
• DOI: 10.3402/meo.v20.26614

Medical students' perceptions of professionalism might reflect the impact of the current educational processes on their professional identity development. This study focuses on Ankara University Faculty of Medicine students' perceptions of 'good doctor' along with the factors effective on the formation of these perceptions. Six focus groups with 59 medical students from Grade-1 and Grade-6 were held. The transcripts of discussions were analyzed thematically. Results regarding 'being a good physician' mostly mirrored the findings of previous studies framing the medical professionalism concept. The thematic pattern of the discussions on the relation between professional development and medical education suggests that students suffer from a gradual erosion of perception during medical education. That the education cannot either change the person for the better or might downgrade the person instead of improving her/him were shared by participants from both grades. Students consider clinical practice and role models two main variables determining the person's qualification as a professional. The formal and hidden programs determine the quality and efficacy of the professional education together. Attempts to restructure medical education must recognize the reciprocal dynamics between these two components and, thus, should carefully work out the practical aspect of the educational processes.