Do students learn to be more conscientious at medical school?

Andrew T Chaytor,Ann Armstrong,Jacqueline Spence,John C Mclachlan

doi:10.1186/1472-6920-12-54

Andrew T Chaytor, Ann Armstrong + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-12-54

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Journal: BMC medical education	Publication Date: Jul 11, 2012
Citations: 25	License type: CC BY 2.0

Affiliation: Durham University

Abstract

BackgroundProfessionalism in medical students is not only difficult to define but difficult to teach and measure. As negative behaviour in medical students is associated with post-graduate disciplinary action it would be useful to have a model whereby unprofessional behaviour at the undergraduate level can easily be identified to permit appropriate intervention. We have previously developed a scalar measure of conscientiousness, the Conscientiousness Index (CI), which positively correlates to estimates of professional behaviour in undergraduate medical students. By comparing CI points awarded in year 1 and year 2 of study we were able to use the CI model to determine whether teaching and clinical exposure had any effect on students’ conscientiousness.MethodsCI points were collected by administrative staff from 3 successive cohorts of students in years 1 and 2 of study. Points were awarded to students for activities such as submission of immunisation status and criminal record checks, submission of summative assignments by a specified date and attendance at compulsory teaching sessions. CI points were then converted to a percentage of maximal possible scores (CI %) to permit direct comparison between years 1 and 2 of study.ResultsCI % scores were generally high with each year of study for each cohort showing negatively skewed normal distributions with peaks > 89%. There was a high degree of correlation of CI % scores between year 1 and year 2 of study for each cohort alone and when cohort data was combined. When the change in CI % from year 1 to year 2 for all students was compared there was no significant difference in conscientiousness observed.ConclusionsWe have provided evidence that use of a CI model in undergraduate medical students provides a reliable measure of conscientiousness that is easy to implement. Importantly this study shows that measurement of conscientiousness by the CI model in medical students does not change between years 1 and 2 study suggesting that it is a stable characteristic and not modified by teaching and clinical exposure.

Highlights

Professionalism in medical students is difficult to define but difficult to teach and measure
We have previously explored the relationship between an objective measure of the stable personality trait of conscientiousness and the construct of professionalism in undergraduate medical students [10,11]
Conscientiousness Index points Conscientiousness index (CI) points were awarded in years 1 and 2 of study over 3 consecutive cohorts of undergraduate medical students beginning their studies in the academic years 2006–7, 2007–8 and 2008–9

Summary

Introduction

Professionalism in medical students is difficult to define but difficult to teach and measure. Professionalism in a medical context remains hard to define with over 90 attributes having been described [3]. This makes it difficult to teach and difficult to measure [4]. A key question is whether professionalism is a fixed characteristic or whether it can be promoted over time. The implications of these two possibilities are profound as it will explore whether the teaching of professionalism has any effect on the professional behaviour exhibited in medical students and doctors

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Discussion

Conclusion