KNOWLEDGE OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALISM AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF ARMY MEDICAL COLLEGE, RAWALPINDI

Abstract

Objective: To determine the knowledge about medical professionalism of pre clinical and clinical MBBS and BDS students.

Study Design: Cross sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Army Medical College. The duration from its approval by the Ethics Review Board to the writing of the manuscript was of 6 months, from May 2019 to Sep 2019.

Methodology: Second and final year MBBS and BDS students were asked to complete a questionnaire. It was designed to assess the participants’ knowledge of professionalism. Mean scores were compared in each course between the two years and between the same years but different courses. SPSS-23 was used for statistical analysis.

Results: The number of participants of this study was 454. The total mean score was 12.94 ± 2.01 the mean scores of females and males were not significantly different. The final year MBBS mean score was 13.18 ± 1.49 while the second year MBBS mean score was 12.85 ± 1.99 they were not significantly different. While the final year BDS the mean score of 13.95 ± 1.91 was significantly higher than the second year BDS score of 11.18 ± 2.96. Second year MBBS had a significantly higher score than second year BDS, the result was opposite in final year with regards to the course.

Conclusion: The statistically insignificant difference between the scores of second year and final year MBBS was because of medical professionalism not being formally taught.