Barriers of physician-patient relationships in professionalism: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Undoubtedly, there are several obstacles in the path of medical professionalism. This study examines these obstacles in the relationship between physician and patient. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the barriers of physician-patient relationships in professionalism based on physician experiences. Methods: It was a qualitative study with a conventional content analysis approach. Our participants were 14 patients and 11 physicians. The sampling method was purposive, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes. Interviews continued until data saturation. Results: Findings of the study regarding barriers of patient-physician relationship were classified into five main categories: misperception of the physician's identity, unprofessional behavior of the physician, physician's sense of self-superiority, patients' cultural differences, and lack of supportive services in the health care system. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the communication challenges between physician and patient were not limited to the physicians' education. Part of these challenges depends on the patients and their culture. Another part of these challenges is directly related to the medical and management system structure.

Challenges and opportunities from the COVID-19 pandemic in medical education: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many higher education and health centers have faced challenges. Educational leaders have tried to manage the new situation, but the human infrastructure was not ready for such an event. This study aims to explain the challenges and opportunities of the COVID-19 pandemic for medical education. METHOD: This qualitative study used conventional content analysis to collect data from face-to-face and semi-structured interviews. The interviews continued until data saturation was reached. The participants were 12 students and 14 faculty members at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. To ensure data rigor, we used member checks, peer checks and an external observer. RESULTS: Three main categories and 15 subcategories were extracted. The findings showed that four subcategories, e.g. perception on feasibility of e-learning, standardizing of e-learning, dedicated teaching, and networking and interdisciplinary collaborations, affected the development of medical e-learning. The main opportunities from the COVID-19 pandemic for medical education were classified into five subcategories: attitudes to e-learning and adaptability, preventing students' separation from the educational environment, documentation and monitoring education, take control of own learning, and increasing perceived usefulness. The main challenges were divided into four subcategories, e.g. noncompliance with virtual classroom etiquette, inadequate interactions, time limitations, and infrastructure defects and problems. Finally, participants believed that methods of evaluation in e-learning were more suitable for diagnosis and formative evaluations. Generally, two subcategories were extracted, e.g. formative and summative. CONCLUSION: Medical schools have necessarily moved towards e-learning to compensate for the interruption in classroom education, such that traditional classes have been replaced with e-learning. These rapid, extensive changes in teaching and learning approaches have consequences for medical schools.

How to develop an undergraduate medical professionalism curriculum: Experts' perception and suggestion.

INTRODUCTION: Medical professionalism as a main ability of physicians is very important just like its teaching and learning. This study investigated medical professionalism experts' perspectives and experiences about professionalism as a step towards developing a medical professionalism curriculum. METHODS: A qualitative approach was adopted for this study. The data were obtained from 10 semi-structured interviews with medical professionalism experts with a variety of experiences in Iran between June and September, 2016. All sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed and analyzed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: The participants expressed their experiences on professionalism and its features. The data analysis revealed two main categories: 1) teaching and learning strategies including three categories of learning outcome, teaching and learning and evaluation of medical professionalism, 2) role of context with three sub-categories of rules and regulations to develop professionalism, strengthening the hidden curriculum and executive resources. CONCLUSIONS: To address the development of professionalism in medical students, the main factors, i.e., teaching and learning strategies and context with their categories and subcategories should be considered and revised. To sum up, designing a formal medical professionalism curriculum would be necessary and the notion of professionalism must be integrated with all its phases. Employing effective learning and assessment methods by means of qualified teachers and staff in a supportive learning environment provides students with valuable experiences and facilitates the process of teaching.