Assessment of Clinical Teachers' Professionalism in Iran: From Residents and Fellowships' Perspective

Abstract

In the present study, professional conduct of clinical teachers in Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran was assessed by their residents (n=292) and fellowships (n=48) using a standard questioner called self-reported measurement equipment. This evaluation was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Professionalism was questioned in four domains including clinical teacher-patient, clinical teacher-student, inter-professional and clinical teacher-self relationships. Accordingly, mean scores of the teachers in cases of clinical teacher-patient; clinical teacher-student, inter-professional (teamwork) and clinical teacher-self relations were 61%, 62.2%, 60.6% and 57.6%, respectively. Generally, the teachers achieved 60.35% of the positive scores, and as a result, they were assessed intermediate in the professional behaviors. The residents and fellowships stated that they were not completely satisfied with their teacher's professional conduct and had hidden concerns. It shows that the clinical teachers in our project may not be ideal role models. As a result, developing a comprehensive professionalism and implementing regulations to ensure a successful professionalism are necessary. The precise evaluation of professional conduct in clinical faculty could encourage the maintenance of professional behaviors and potentially decrease negative role modeling and positively influence the hidden curriculums. Operational approaches to formulating regulations and appropriate measures for establishing professional ethics are of great importance.