# Factors associated with professionalism among ophthalmology medical residents

## TL;DR

This study explores factors influencing professionalism among ophthalmology residents in Brazil, finding associations with training year, gender, education type, and interest in professionalism.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific sociodemographic and educational factors linked to professionalism in ophthalmology residents using validated assessment tools.

## Key findings

- First-year residents scored lower in doctor-patient relationship professionalism.
- Male residents had higher interprofessional domain scores.
- Private medical school graduates scored higher in doctor-patient and reflective skills domains.

## Abstract

This study aimed to examine factors related to the professionalism of
ophthalmology residents.

A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 48 ophthalmology residents
in Brazil. Professionalism was assessed using the professionalism
mini-evaluation exercise, completed by both preceptors and residents, and
the Pennsylvania State College of Medicine Professionalism Questionnaire,
completed by the residents. The association between the professionalism
score assigned by the preceptor through the professionalism mini-evaluation
exercise and various sociodemographic and educational variables was
assessed. The correlation between the residents’ self-assessment across both
instruments and the preceptor’s assessments was measured using Spearman’s
Rho.

All 48 residents were included, with equal representation across the 3 years
of residency. The majority were female (58.3%) and between 25 and 29 years
old (66.7%). The average professionalism score on the professionalism
mini-evaluation exercise given by the preceptors was 3.0 (75%). A
significant association was found between the year of training and the score
in the doctor-patient relationship domain, with first-year residents showing
lower scores (p=0.002). Male residents had higher scores in the
“Interprofessional” domain (p=0.031). Graduates from private medical schools
scored higher in both the “doctor-patient relationship” (p=0.015) and
“reflective skills” (p=0.033) domains. Lower interest in professionalism was
linked to lower scores in the “Interprofessional relationships” (p=0.033)
and “time management” (p=0.003) domains. A strong correlation was observed
between preceptor’s professionalism mini-evaluation exercise scores and
residents’ self-assessed professionalism mini-evaluation exercise scores
(r=0.917). However, the correlation between the self-assessed
professionalism mini-evaluation exercise and the Pennsylvania questionnaire
scores was weak (r=0.226).

Professionalism scores among ophthalmology residents were associated with
year of training, gender, type of undergraduate education, and level of
interest in the topic.