Professionalism Training

   Promoting professionalism in undergraduate medical education is an important goal of medical schools.  It has been noted that burnout and decreased empathy have been observed in third year students.  Drexel University College of Medicine instituted a Professional Formation Curriculum to try to combat this trend.  This paper investigates a new third year course in this curriculum consisting of peer supported, small groups with specially trained faculty facilitators utilizing Google+ Hangout social networking technology.  The year-long groups promote private, peer support where students post meaningful experiences or self reflections centered on professional behavior.  Via Blackboard, group participants discuss these narratives in a safe environment.  Students’ empathy was assessed using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and their ability for personal reflection was assessed using the Groningen Reflection Ability Scale.  The results showed no decrease in empathy in theses students and an increase in ability for personal reflection at the conclusion of the course.–Lee Ann Schein, Ph.D.

Link To Article

Duke P, Grosseman S, Novack DH, Rosenzweig S., Preserving third year medical students’ empathy and enhancing self-reflection using small group “virtual hangout” technology. Med Teach. 2014 Sep 5:1-6.