Content area
Full text
A Systematic Review
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: The development of professionalism among healthcare students is challenging because these skills are complex concepts rather than technical skills. The purposes of this systematic review were to investigate: 1) the teaching methods used to promote the development of professionalism and 2) the effectiveness of the teaching methods found. METHODS: We searched healthcare and educational databases. Of 4,371 articles identified, we included 54. The variables of interest included teaching methods and professionalism outcomes in physical therapy, medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy education. Two reviewers independently screened each title, abstract, and full-text article to determine if inclusion and exclusion criteria were met. RESULTS: The quality appraisal of the studies was performed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. We identified 12 teaching methods. The 3 most used teaching methods were self-assessment/reflection, group discussion, and lecture. The teaching methods were frequently used in combination. An assessment of study outcomes showed overall, 89% of the studies resulted in positive changes in professional behaviors or attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Teaching methods promoting the development of professional behaviors and attitudes in healthcare students commonly use a combination of methods. This systematic review offers healthcare educators evidence-based options for facilitating growth of professional behaviors and attitudes in students. J Allied Health 2024; 53(4):308-325.
THE ROLES of state medical boards and other healthcare licensing bodies in the United States are to protect the public and the professions and ensure that healthcare practitioners are qualified to practice. While each profession has a set of values laid out in their Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice, and Core Values, allegations related to professional misconduct remain one of the primary reasons healthcare practitioners are disciplined.1-4 As many healthcare professions are moving to a competency-based educational model, the importance of preparing professional healthcare graduates who have all the necessary skills to provide effective patient care increases in importance.5,6 Healthcare practitioners are responsible for attaining and maintaining the professional knowledge and skills, similarly to the technical ones, necessary to provide effective and highquality patient care. The teaching of professionalism to healthcare students is central to developing ethical and competent practitioners.7 Other investigators have defined professionalism, based on competency and the safe clinical practice as a complex set of behaviors, attitudes, and dispositions that clinicians...