PROMOTING PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH BASIC SCIENCE COURSES

AND PEER-FEEDBACK

Kirsten A. Larson*, Janet D. Smith and Dennis M. DePace. Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Neurobiology and Anatomy Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129, 215-991-8378 or kirsten.larson@drexelmed.edu

RATIONALE AND PURPOSE: The discussion of professionalism is often limited to clinical courses. When looking at the standard first year curriculum, only a fraction of the total student contact hours address this key principle. Our goal was to incorporate the basic sciences into our professionalism curriculum and develop a tool that would complement existing teaching and evaluative components. We used basic science laboratory and small group activities because successful participation required students to demonstrate many characteristics of medical professionalism including respect, responsibility and accountability, excellence and scholarship, and leadership¹.

METHODOLOGY: Students evaluated each group member on 1) participation, accountability, and responsibility, 2) respect for others, 3) leadership and excellence. Narrative feedback was optional. Using a threshold-based criteria, faculty members identified students who demonstrated either exemplary or unsatisfactory behavior, and individual action plans were developed.

RESULTS: Over the past two years, the peer evaluation has allowed the identification of students who demonstrated exemplary behavior (9%), commendable behavior (24%), satisfactory behavior (46%), behavior of some concern (15%), unprofessional behavior (4%), and unprofessional administrative behavior (3%). It also provided written comments to virtually every member of the first year class. Student feedback of the process has been positive.

CONCLUSION: Our evolving peer-evaluation process has 1) increased the discussion of professionalism in the first year, 2) provided an effective tool to promote professionalism, and 3) provided a tool to assess professional behavior, identify commendable behavior and allow for the early identification and remediation of deficiencies.

¹Embedding Professionalism in Medical Education http://www.nbme.org/PDF/NBME_AAMC_ProfessReport.pdf