Residents’ perspective on professionalism in the learning environment

Abstract

All accrediting organizations for medical education in the US require teaching hospitals to ensure the learning environment fosters professionalism behaviors of trainees and faculty. This study analyzes the learning environment of professionalism from the perspective of residents. An on-line anonymous survey that explored the learning climate of professionalism was sent to all residents at the University of Virginia in 2013-14. Residents rated their personal commitment, their residency program's, and the institution's commitment to demonstrating professionalism behaviors, described professionalism education, reasons for not participating in curricular offerings, the quality of role modeling, and barriers to professionalism. Nearly half the residents completed the survey (47%, N=365/771). Residents rated their personal commitment and commitment of their residency program significantly greater than the institution's commitment to demonstrating professionalism.(p <0.001) They noted only 25% of faculty modeled these behaviors all the time; and more than half stated poor role modeling impacted their attitudes about the importance of professionalism. Other areas in need of improvement include communicating with patients with cultural differences, and inter-professional teamwork. Despite accreditation requirements for learning environments, residency curricula, and faculty development programs to promote professionalism, residents perceive their commitment to professionalism greater than the institution where they work.