Teaching professionalism using the case of impairment for emergency medicine residents

¹Department of Medical Education, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea
²Department of Emergency Medicine, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Wonju, Korea
³Department of Medical Education and Medical Humanities, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁴Department of Medical Education, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju, Korea
⁵Department of Emergency Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
⁶Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea

Correspondence

Kyung Hye Park ,Tel: 033-741-0242, Fax: 033-742-5034, Email: erdoc74@gmail.com,

Received: March 4, 2020; Revised: April 21, 2020 Accepted: June 16, 2020. Published online: December 30, 2020.

ABSTRACT

Objective:
This study was evaluated the behavior intention of emergency medicine residents before and after education using a vignette case about professionalism, particularly in physician impairment. The residents’ reaction to this type of education was evaluated.
Method:
Thirty-four residents from five teaching hospitals participated in this education program consisting of lecture and discussion using cases. They wrote their behavioral intention and their opinions before and after education. Their satisfaction and reaction to the education experience were also collected.
Results:
The frequencies of the common reasons for the action or the basis of the judgment, concerns during decision making, and desired help were similar, but their action decisions changed into more systemic and reasonable ones after the education. They had fewer learning experiences of non-clinical skills and were satisfied with this type of professionalism education. Furthermore, they felt the importance and educational needs of professionalism beyond this topic and would cope with similar problem situations the way they learned in this education.
Conclusion:
In the professionalism education using the case discussion of impairment and self-monitoring, little had changed in the participants’ reasons for the action, concerns when decision making, and desired help, but their behavior intentions changed as they learned. This study provided the opportunity to recognize the importance of professionalism, patient safety, and peer relationship. Small group discussions using the vignette case can be suggested to provide professionalism education for the emergency medicine residents.

Key words: Professionalism; Physician impairment; Emergency medicine; Residents; Education