IMPLEMENTATION
OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES TO DEVELOP A CULTURE OF PROFESSIONALISM IN THE
MEDICAL SCHOOL
Enith Rivera, M.S *, Ramonita Correa, Ph.D.
Microbiology and Anatomy Department, San Juan
Bautista School of Medicine, P.O. Box 4968, Caguas, Puerto Rico,
00726-4968
The San Juan Bautista School of Medicine initiated various academic
strategies to develop a culture of professionalism promoting fundamental
values such as; moral ethics, altruism, and humanistic attitudes.
The Professionalism Program was designed and incorporated into the
curriculum on 2003 academic year from the first to the fourth year. The
main goal of this Program is to teach our students to treat the patients
with empathy, compassion and honesty.
Several courses, such as; medical ethics, public health, legal
medicine, previously offered separately at the Medical School were fused
into the program Professionalism, in a logic and coherent sequence.
The learning goals includes; (1) medical ethics (2) effective
communication skills, (3)
excellence in medical practice, (4)
learn about law and medicine, (5) analysis of the importance of public
health in the practice of civic professionalism, (6) appreciation of
humanistic characteristic through art, and (7) proper medical office
management. The students
were exposed to group discussions, interactive lectures, reflection on
assigned reading, writing exercises, and community work activity; which
were also used for evaluation. Besides
the implementation of the Professionalism courses, the program initiated
with a White Coat Ceremony, an initiative that involves the whole academic
community. Also at commencement act a Humana award was given to the graduate that had developed the
highest qualities in professionalism.
After two years of the implementation of the initiatives, the
following outcomes were observed: medical
ethics, and legal medicine both groups demonstrated their appreciation and
acquired the expected competencies. In
proper medical office management has been well accepted and they clearly
understand the importance of this service to the patients. The students
considered the White Coat ceremony a very important initiative that
identifies them with their medical career. In terms of the communication
skills there is a discrepancy between the groups, the first year group
expressed that they are better communicators, however, around fifty
percent of the second year students disagree in this aspect.
Two unexpected results were observed: neither group knew about the
prestigious Humana Award given at the graduation ceremony, the second year
students disagree that the faculty are all observing professionalism. It
can be concluded that the initiatives to develop a culture of
professionalism has been achieved, but changes must be introduced to
comply with all the educational objectives of this program.
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