PURPOSE: The primary concern of this study was to identify the core elements of medical professionalism [in] medical school applicants. METHODS: 250 medical school professors were chosen to participate in a Delphi study and 250 medical students were asked to complete questionnaires. 106 responses from the Delphi survey and 230 completed questionnaires were finally used for analysis. The Delphi survey was repeated four times and from this result, the medical students' questionnaires were made. The questionnaire for pre-medical students included 27 medical professionalism statements. RESULTS: Responses from the Delphi survey and questionnaires revealed the following: 1) of the 27 medical professionalism elements examined, the most important core element was thought to be 'life-long learning skills', 2) the level of professionalism in Korean medical students was mostly assessed to be below 3.0 mean score by the professors, and 3) there were significant differences between the professors' and the premedical students' assessments of the level of medical professionalism inpremedical students. Premedical students tended to rate themselves higher than the professors. CONCLUSION: Medical professionalism includes the areas of professional knowledge, skills, and attitude and their designated domains and elements. These areas should be considered when selecting people into medical schools.
Delphi Technique ; Humans ; Learning ; Schools, Medical* ; Students, Medical ; Students, Premedical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Evaluating the professional attributes of medical students is critical, because medical professionalism is an essential quality of a good doctor. But, few studies have examined the tools for assessing such attributes. This study analyzed factors of medical professionalism in medical students to develop standards that can assess medical professional attributes. METHODS: A total of 1,508 medical students in Korean medical schools or colleges answered a self-assessment survey of medical professionalism elements from 2005 to 2012 that we developed. The survey consisted of core 31 attributes on a 5-point Likert scale. Factor analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0 and AMOS version 20.0. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis revealed six factors with total variance of 59.56%. The factors were termed 'empathy and accountability,' 'self-development skills,' 'academic competence,' 'interpersonal skills,' 'high intelligence,' and 'attitude towards oneself and life.' These factors showed statistically significant correlation (0.310~0.663). From the confirmatory factor analysis a six-factor model were appropriate (CFI=0.873, TLI=0.853, RMSEA=0.065). Cronbach-alpha of six factors ranged from 0.718 to 0.864. CONCLUSION: Good doctors need to have not only appropriate standards of medical knowledge but also skills to understand and communicate well with patients, as well as self-management skills, which should not be overlooked in the medical education curriculum. By optimizing the results of this study, a more refined assessment tool of professionalism can be exploited.
Curriculum ; Education, Medical ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Humans ; Schools, Medical ; Self Care ; Self-Assessment ; Students, Medical

PURPOSE: It is very important to consider student's personality, aptitudes, and interest to choose an appropriate major or career. This study explored three overarching topics: Are there difference in vocational interest types by gender? Do students' vocational interest type concur with type related to medicine? Are the results of Strong Interest Inventory useful in student career counseling? METHODS: The subjects were 124 freshmen in Konyang University College of Medicine. The Strong Interest Inventory (Korean version) was used. This were divided into three scales: general occupational themes (GOT), basic interest scales (BIS), and personal style scales (PSS). The data were analyzed by the frequency analysis, chi-square test and t-test. RESULTS: From GOT six interest types, male and female showed significant differences in realistic (t=2.71, p=0.008), artist (t=-3.33, p=0.001), and social (t=-2.08, p=0.039) types. From PSS, the score of work style was below 50 points, it is mean they prefer to work alone, with the ideas, materials rather than work with people. Investigative type was the most frequent type (63.7%) and social type was the least (8.1%). The interest test results were very useful in student career counseling with professors (n=53). The satisfaction survey results showed 58.5% of professors were very satisfied as the data was "helpful in understanding the students," "useful in leading natural conversation (41.5%)," and "helpful in creating rapport (39.6%)." CONCLUSION: Strong vocational interest types explains an individual's career interests, and reflect the characteristics of medical students are. The finding of the study can be used to provide student counseling and developing a tailored student career guidance program.
Aptitude ; Career Choice ; Counseling ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Students, Medical ; Vocational Guidance ; Weights and Measures

PURPOSE: Patient-centred care can increase patient satisfaction and lead to better clinical outcomes for them, such as improved physical status and higher health-related quality of life. However, doctors' and patients' views on patient-centred attitude might differ and could be affected by culture and the community environment. To clarify the differences in primary care patients' and senior medical students' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitude. METHODS: A total of 1,025 subjects-827 patients from primary care institutions and 198 fourth-year medical students from a medical college in South Korea-completed the Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). The students completed the self-reported questionnaire at the end of their clinical clerkship. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variances were conducted in SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: Firstly, sharing subscale scores were higher among patients than among medical students (students, 3.61 vs. patients, 3.76; p<0.001), but secondly, caring subscale scores were higher among medical students (students, 4.18 vs. patients, 3.82; p<0.001). Thirdly, PPOS total scores were higher among medical students (students, 3.90 vs. patients, 3.79; p=0.001). Finally, male students had the lowest sharing scores (F=6.811, p<0.001) and female students showed the highest PPOS total scores (F=5.805, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Significant differences between medical students' and patients' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitudes suggest the necessity of educational efforts to overcome the gap between the groups.
Clinical Clerkship ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Patient Satisfaction ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Primary Health Care ; Quality of Life ; Students, Medical

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: The implementation of medical professionalism in education and evaluation is a recent trend in medical education. Although many studies on the subject have been carried out, they have generally been not focused specifically on the level of medical student professionalism, and the perception gaps between medical students and professors on this topic remain unresolved. This study attempts to determine whether such gaps exist. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred fifty fourth-year medical students and 53 professors who were randomly selected from 41 medical schools were asked to complete a survey on the level of the professionalism of medical students. Using 31 core professionalism elements that are required for Korean medical students, students self-assessed their level of professionalism, and professors evaluated the professionalism level of medical students who were about to graduate. RESULTS: Of the 31 core elements, significant perception gaps were found in 28 elements. The three domains into which the 31 core elements were divided - professional knowledge, professional skills, and professional attitude - all contained perception gaps, and professors' ratings generally were higher than those of the students, a noteworthy observation. CONCLUSIONS: Medical professors need to encourage their students to elevate their professionalism. Furthermore, what the faculty think that they have taught regarding professionalism may not be fully assimilated by students. Therefore, further research is essential to determine the cause of such perceptional differences.
Attitude of Health Personnel ; Data Collection ; *Faculty, Medical ; Humans ; *Perception ; *Professional Competence ; Students, Medical/*psychology

No abstract available.

PURPOSE: Medical students' personality types and interpersonal needs must be considered. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs. METHODS: A total of 171 students in Konyang University College of Medicine were examined using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B). The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, t-test, and one-sample proportion test. RESULTS: The proportion of the 4 pairs of MBTI dimensions were Extroversion (E)-Introversion (I) (53.2% vs. 46.8%), Sensing (S)-Intuition (N) (63.2% vs. 36.8%), Thinking (T)-Feeling (F) (59.7% vs. 40.4%), and Judging (J)-Perceiving (P) (56.1% vs. 43.9%). The predominant personality types were ISTJ (16.4%), ESTJ (14.0%), and ESFJ (10.5%). The level of interpersonal needs were medium rage that was inclusion (mean=8.1), control (mean=8.8), affection (mean=8.1), expressed behavior (mean=12.1), wanted behavior (mean=12.9), and overall interpersonal needs (mean=25.0). Of the basic social needs, males and females differed significantly with regard to control needs (p=0.028). CONCLUSION: Educational programs that take into account personality types and characteristics of interpersonal needs are crucial in providing effective medical education. Our results suggest that the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs should be considered in developing an interpersonal relations improvement program for medical students.
Education, Medical ; Extraversion (Psychology) ; Female ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Male ; Personality Inventory ; Rage ; Students, Medical ; Thinking