A Comparison Study of Ideal Medical Professionalism in Internal Medicine between the First and Last Year Residents
Khamsai S, MD1,2, Chattakul P, MD1, Sawanyawisuth K, MD1,3, Apichatvullop T, MD1, Limpawattana P, MD1, Chindaprasirt J, MD1,4, Chotmongkol V, MD1, Kongbunkiat K, MD1, Pongkulkiat P, MD1,3
Affiliation : 1 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 2 Sleep Apnea Research Group, Research Center in Back, Neck and Other Joint Pain and Human Performance, Research and Training Center for Enhancing Quality of Life of Working Age People, and Research and Diagnostic Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (RCEID), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand 3 North-Eastern Stroke Research Group, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Objective : To evaluate the ideal medical professionalism of Thai Internal Medicine residents and compare the differences on this
issue between the first-year (PGY1) and the final-year (PGY3) residents.
Materials and methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study and enrolled the PGY1 and PGY3. A self-reporting
questionnaire regarding their ideal medical professionalism in practice was used (10 items and the ideal professionalism). The
residents were asked to rate each item by using a range of 0 to 10; while 0 was the least and 10 was the most. Scores of each factor
were compared between both groups (PGY1 and PGY3).
Results : There were 15 PGY1 and 14 PGY3 participated in the study. The PGY1 group rated the top item was item No. 2 (Greeting
you warmly; calling you by the name you prefer; being friendly, never crabby or rude), while the PGY3 rated item No. 10 (Using
words you can understand when explaining any technical medical terms in plain language) as the highest score at 9.50/10. The PGY1
also rated the ideal professionalism lower than the PGY3 group (8.00 vs. 8.86; p-value = 0.129).
Conclusion : The ideal medical professionalism between the PGY1 and PGY3 may be different but not significantly. The PGY1 focused
more on greeting/communication gestures, the PGY3 paid more attention on understandable communication with patients.
Keywords : Communication, ACGME, Attitude
