Attitudes of faculty and residents of surgical specialties towards professionalism at a tertiary care hospital of Islamabad

Mahmood

2020

BMC Health Serv Res

Background Professionalism is amongst the major dimensions determining the competence of medical doctors. Poor professionalism affects the overall outcome of healthcare services. This study explores the perspectives of young medical doctors on professionalism in Pakistan. Methods A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted with 60 young medical doctors, aged less than 40 years, who had studied medicine in Pakistani universities, were Pakistani nationals, and were employed at various hierarchical levels, from house officer to consultant specialist, in public tertiary hospitals in Pakistan. The respondents were identified through a multistage maximum heterogeneity sampling strategy. A semi-structured interview guide was developed based on a previous extensive literature review. Written consent was obtained from the hospitals and study participants. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data. Results The data analysis revealed that rigidity of opinions, unacceptability of contrasting perspectives, false pride, and perceived superiority over other professions and patients were major components of poor medical professionalism. Most of the young doctors believed that there is no need to include professionalism and humanity course modules in the medical curriculum, because topics related to social sciences are deemed irrelevant to medicine and judged to be common sense. The doctors recognised good professionalism in themselves, while reporting unprofessional behaviour demonstrated by their colleagues and paramedics. Other factors contributing to poor medical professionalism included the use of social media applications during duty hours, ridiculing patients, substance use such as smoking cigarettes in the office, referrals of complicated cases to other hospitals, freeing up beds before holidays, lack of cooperation from paramedical staff, and inadequate role models. Conclusions Poor medical professionalism among young doctors needs to be addressed by policymakers. There is a need to revisit the medical curriculum to strengthen professionalism. It is essential to develop the qualities of tolerance, teachability, and acceptance in doctors in order to facilitate interprofessional collaborations and avoid medical errors.

Section: Limitations and Strengthsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young medical doctors’ perspectives on professionalism: a qualitative study conducted in public hospitals in Pakistan

Mahmood

2020

BMC Health Serv Res

“…There were certain limitations of this study. The previous research conducted in Pakistan, applied quantitative methods to suggest that the medical professionalism is high among the medical students [21,22]. In contrast, the present study did not measure professionalism quantitatively.…”

Section: Limitations and Strengthsmentioning

confidence: 60%

“…Very few studies have focused on medical professionalism [21]. However, more focus was given to the qualities of a good doctor from a patient's perspective in Pakistan instead of malpractice [22]. According to a previous study, the medical community in Pakistan attempts to address the de ciencies in professionalism by means of conservation, research, teaching, and evaluation [23].…”

Section: Pakistani Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young Medical Doctors’ Perspectives on Professionalism: A Qualitative Study Conducted in Public Hospitals in Pakistan

Mehmood

2020

Preprint

Background: Professionalism is amongst the major dimensions indicating the competence of medical doctors. A low professionalism affects the overall outcome of healthcare services. This study explores the perspectives of young medical doctors on professionalism in Pakistan.Methods: A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted with 60 young medical doctors, aged less than 40 years, who studied medicine in Pakistani universities, were Pakistani nationals, and were employed at various hierarchal levels from house officer to consultant specialist in public tertiary hospitals in Pakistan. The respondents were identified through a multistage maximum heterogeneity sampling strategy. A semi-structured interview guide was developed based on a previous extensive literature review. Written consent was obtained from the hospitals and study participants. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data. Results: The data analysis revealed that the rigidity of opinions, unacceptability of contrasting perspectives, false pride and perceived superiority over other professions and patients as major components of low medical professionalism. Most of the young doctors believed that there is no need to include professionalism and humanity course modules in the medical curriculum, because topics related to social sciences are deemed irrelevant to medicine and judged as common sense. The doctors recognised high professionalism in themselves, while reporting unprofessional behaviour demonstrated by their colleagues and paramedics. Other factors contributing to low medical professionalism included the use of social media applications during duty hours, ridiculing the patients, substance use such as cigarettes in the office, referrals of complicated cases to other hospitals, freeing up beds before holidays, lack of cooperation from the paramedical staff, inadequate role models and inappropriate salaries. Conclusions: Low medical professionalism among young doctors needs to be addressed by policymakers. Lack of training about professionalism, ethical service delivery, performance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms at public hospitals are contributing to substandard medical practice. There is a need to revisit the medical curriculum to strengthen professionalism. It is essential to develop the qualities of tolerance, teachability and acceptance in the doctors for facilitating interprofessional collaborations and avoiding medical errors.

“…There has been some debate about the quality of medical graduates over the last two decades and the medical professionalism of young doctors serving in both public and privatesector hospitals in Pakistan [9], but very few studies have focused on medical professionalism [21]. More attention has been paid to the qualities of a good doctor from a patient's perspective in Pakistan, rather than malpractice [22]. According to a previous study, the medical community in Pakistan is attempting to address the de ciencies in professionalism by means of conservation, research, teaching, and evaluation [23].…”

Section: Pakistani Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Young Medical Doctors’ Perspectives on Professionalism: A Qualitative Study Conducted in Public Hospitals in Pakistan

Mahmood

2020

Preprint

Background: Professionalism is amongst the major dimensions determining the competence of medical doctors. Poor professionalism affects the overall outcome of healthcare services. This study explores the perspectives of young medical doctors on professionalism in Pakistan.Methods: A qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted with 60 young medical doctors, aged less than 40 years, who had studied medicine in Pakistani universities, were Pakistani nationals, and were employed at various hierarchical levels, from house officer to consultant specialist, in public tertiary hospitals in Pakistan. The respondents were identified through a multistage maximum heterogeneity sampling strategy. A semi-structured interview guide was developed based on a previous extensive literature review. Written consent was obtained from the hospitals and study participants. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to analyse the data.Results: The data analysis revealed that rigidity of opinions, unacceptability of contrasting perspectives, false pride, and perceived superiority over other professions and patients were major components of poor medical professionalism. Most of the young doctors believed that there is no need to include professionalism and humanity course modules in the medical curriculum, because topics related to social sciences are deemed irrelevant to medicine and judged to be common sense. The doctors recognised good professionalism in themselves, while reporting unprofessional behaviour demonstrated by their colleagues and paramedics. Other factors contributing to poor medical professionalism included the use of social media applications during duty hours, ridiculing patients, substance use such as smoking cigarettes in the office, referrals of complicated cases to other hospitals, freeing up beds before holidays, lack of cooperation from paramedical staff, and inadequate role models.Conclusions: Poor medical professionalism among young doctors needs to be addressed by policymakers. There is a need to revisit the medical curriculum to strengthen professionalism. It is essential to develop the qualities of tolerance, teachability, and acceptance in doctors in order to facilitate interprofessional collaborations and avoid medical errors.