Mind-set of Recent Medical Graduates: A Channel for Teaching Medical Ethics and Professionalism in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: The medical ethics and professionalism teaching have an influence on knowledge, attitude and skills of physicians. The scope of learning medical ethics and professionalism is limited in Curriculum for Medical Education in Bangladesh. There is an unhealthy situation in physician-patient relationship as a consequence of this limitation. Objectives: This study was aimed to assess attitude of recent medical graduates towards medical ethics and professionalism. The findings of this study might be helpful to strengthen medical ethics and professionalism in the medical education. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on recent medical graduates of seven medical colleges under four universities in Bangladesh from January 2018 to June 2019. Data were collected using a pretested self administered semi-structured questionnaire, based on attitude measuring scale regarding medical ethics and professionalism. Results: Attitude scores of 308 recent medical graduates were in ethical conduct, autonomy, information of wrong doing during treatment, confidentiality, informed consent, sharing the condition of patient to close relatives, paternalism, treating of violent patient, abortion, euthanasia, religious beliefs influencing the choice of treatment, physician-patient relationship, informed decision making, continued medical education and role of pharmaceutical representative were assessed. The average scores were ranging from 2.1 to 4.2; with maximum clustering around score ‘3’ or “not sure”. Majority of the study population thought that the current standard of ethics practice was lower than expectation (59.1%) and should give more attention (76.6%) than the present. Furthermore, most of them (85.4%) felt a need for a separate module on medical ethics and professionalism in undergraduate medical curriculum. Conclusion: The recent medical graduates showed a positive attitude towards medical ethics and professionalism. So, a favourable environment was observed for learning medical ethics and professionalism. Thus, to strengthening of medical ethics and professionalism in medical education curricula is suggested. Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull 2021; 47(1): 57-61