Level of professional ethics of medical students in externships and internships in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2018

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

2 General Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Community Medicine Specialist, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the fact that medical errors leading to mortality have been associated with low levels of professional ethics in physicians, this study was performed with aim to determine and compare the level of professional ethics of medical students in externships and internships at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 as a census on 307 students of Mashhad Medical School. In order to collect information, the professionalism level questionnaire including 5 dimensions (duty / responsibility, superiority / independence - dignity / honesty, altruism, respect) was used. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 16) and ANOVA, Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Mean age of the subjects was 23.67±1.5 years. In the three dimensions of responsibility, respect and honesty, trainees of the first year (students in the first year of the externship) had completely opposite views, while most trainees of the second year (students in the second year of the externship) and internship students agreed (p<0.01). In the "independence" dimension, all three groups were relatively agreed (p>0.087). In the "altruism" dimension, trainees of the first-year opinion were relatively agreed, but trainees of the second year and internship students disagreed with this dimension (p<0.01).
Conclusion: In terms of responsibility, honesty and respect, the mean scores of interns and second year stagers were significantly higher than the one year stagers; the mean score of altruism in the one year stagers was higher than the other two groups. Therefore, we must take steps to improve the level of professional ethics of students through the empowerment of professors, appropriate training of professional ethics in the form of theoretical and practical courses.

Keywords

References

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The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 23, Issue 11
January 2021
Pages 15-23

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