Are Medical Students Satisfied with Their Medical Professionalism

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Are Medical Students Satisfied with Their Medical Professionalism Education? 1

2

3

Yera Hur , Ji-Ha Kim and Chang-Jin Choi 1

Department of Medical Education, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, 2Institution for Educational Research, Department of Education, Yonsei University, 3Department of Family Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Purpose: This study aims to examine the satisfaction of undergraduate medical students with their medical professionalism education. Methods: Two hundred and one premedical students and 1,287 medical students (from year 1 to 4) participated in a five-point Likert scale survey. There were 27 items in the premedical students' survey and 31 items in the medical students' questionnaire. Statistical analysis including one-way ANOVA was performed. Results: Among the 27 items concerning premedical professionalism education, only six topics scored "average" level. In the survey of medical students only nine items out of 31 were rated "average" which did not reach the satisfactory level. Nine items from the medical students' survey showed significant positive improvements in satisfaction as the academic year increased; however, the changes were not large enough for any of the topics to receive a satisfactory score. Conclusion: Overall students were dissatisfied with their professionalism education. The reasons for these results and possible approaches for improving students’ satisfaction should be considered in future research. Key Words: Students, Educational measurement, Professional competence, Program evaluation

of studies investigated effective teaching methodologies

INTRODUCTION

for medical professionalism education [5]. (4) Numerous studies focused on the evaluation of educational

Recently medical education has taken a profound

professionalism. Studies on assessment can be catego-

interest in teaching and evaluating medical profe-

rized by analysis of official medical professionalism

ssionalism[1,2,3,4]. Local and international research

education at the undergraduate level [1]; analysis of the

related to medical professionalism developed in four

correspondence between traditional education frame-

stages; (1) Initially there were many studies about

works and medical professionalism[11,12]; and develop-

redefining concepts and factors of medical profe-

ment of specific methodologies for evaluating medical

ssionalism[5,6,7,8,9]. (2) Research focused on integra-

professionalism[13,14,15]. Although these reports em-

ting those medical professionalism factors into the

phasized the academic value of studying medical

educational curriculum[2,10]. (3) A significant number

professionalism, current assessment of the effectiveness

Received: January 26, 2010 • Accepted: February 14, 2010 Corresponding Author: Yera Hur Department of Medical Education, Konyang University College of Medicine, 685, Gasuwon-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon 302-718, Korea TEL) 042-600-6408 E-mail) shua@konyang.ac.kr

Korean J Med Educ 2010 Mar; 22(1): 65-70. doi: 10.3946/kjme.2010.22.1.65. Ⓒ The Korean Society of Medical Education. All rights reserved.

65

Yera Hur, et al : Satisfaction level of medical professionalism education

of medical professionalism education remains insuffi-

There were 27 items on the questionnaire for premedical

cient. Studying the current state of medical profe-

students, and 31 questions for medical students con-

ssionalism education, Hur et al. [1] reported the results

cerning elements of medical professionalism and their

of Korean medical students’ self-assessment of their

satisfaction rate. Specific explanations were added to

medical professionalism education level.

each element in an effort to facilitate understanding

Following the work of Hur et al. [1], a study is needed

(e.g., ‘Sincerity and Diligence’ – the attitude of a person

to assess medical professionalism education by analyzing

who diligently exerts oneself for self-development and

students’ education satisfaction, which is a standard

faithfully adapts oneself to the rules and principles).

evaluation of the effectiveness of a course. Students’

Each detail was measured by five point scale: 1 point for

education satisfaction level, which is closely related to

‘very dissatisfied’; 2 for ‘dissatisfied’; 3 for ‘average

their attitude towards, devotion to, and maintenance of

(acceptable)’; 4 for ‘satisfied’; and 5 for ‘very satisfied’.

professionalism is important not only as a guideline for

To examine the level of satisfaction descriptive statistics

the educational process and direction but also as an

were used, including average and standard deviation by

index to predict the prospects of students [16]. The

SPSS version 11.5 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA). In the case

object of this paper is to analyze medical students’

of medical students one-way ANOVA with post-test

satisfaction with their medical professionalism educa-

analysis was conducted for comparative analysis on the

tion. Based on the attributes of professionalism for

satisfaction level of medical students from years one to

medical students in Korea [1,17], this study uses the

four. Reliability of the survey was 0.90 in the Cron-

following questions to achieve the research purpose: (1)

bach’s Alpha coefficient.

comparing premedical and medical students how great is the difference in general satisfaction level, and (2) is there any difference in education satisfaction among

RESULTS

medical students according to their academic level?

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

1. Premedical students' satisfaction with medical professionalism education Out of 201 questionnaires returned, 198 were exa-

Out of 41 total medical schools in Korea, five schools

mined. The total satisfaction level of premedical students

in the capital city and three in other provinces (all with

who completed two-year educational courses for medical

six years curriculum) were randomly selected and

professionalism was close to ‘dissatisfied’ (Average [Avg]

classified into private (n=5) and national medical schools

=2.86, Standard Deviation [SD]=0.61, Minimum[Min]=

(n=3). Surveys were carried out at the end of the

1.00, Maximum[Max]=4.56). Average satisfaction with

semester for both premedical students and medical

professional knowledge (Avg=2.65, SD=0.81, Min=1.00,

students. Two hundred and one premedical students who

Max=5.00); skills (Avg=2.79, SD=0.65, Min=1.00, Max=

had completed their two-year premedical courses and

4.75); and attitude Avg=2.97, SD=0.68, Min=1.00, Max=

1,287 medical students (from first-year to fourth-year)

4.83) were similar, but satisfaction with professional

participated in the study to answer the questionnaires.

attitude ranked the highest.

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Korean J Med Educ 2010 Mar; 22(1): 65-70.

Yera Hur, et al : Satisfaction level of medical professionalism education

None of the 27 essential elements of education reached

excluded because of a missing value. The total average

the ‘satisfied’ level. However, the following seven

score was 2.83 (SD=0.62), which was in the ‘dissatisfied’

elements scored at an ‘average (acceptable)’ or higher

level. Students were ‘dissatisfied’ in the fields of

level: ‘knowledge of basic science (3.33)’; ‘Team work

professional knowledge (Avg=2.38, SD=0.73) and skills

(3.03)’; ‘Service oriented (3.04)’; ‘Ethical behavior (3.01)’;

(Avg=2.81, SD=0.68), except for the topic of professional

‘Integrity, diligence, honesty (3.13)’; ‘Sense of duty

attitude. Comparing each field's average by school year,

(3.24)’; ‘Physical appearance (3.04)’. All other elements

a significant difference at p