Developing, implantation and evaluation of a guide and assessment tool of professional behavior for dental residents at Tabriz University

Abstract

Introduction: Today, new medical technologies and their possible abuses have raised public concerns about medical ethics. Therefore, medical ethics is an important part of medical education today. Just as medical ethics education is important, so is medical ethics evaluation. Evaluating medical ethics is one of the most difficult areas in medical education. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop, apply and evaluate guidelines and tools for evaluating the professional behavior of dental residents of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: The present study is a qualitative study (design / evaluation of tests) which was first developed as a tool for evaluating the professional behavior of specialized residents by the working group of the Ethics Committee of Tabriz Dental School. Then, this tool was distributed in all departments of Tabriz Dental School among residents for acquaintance and professors to evaluate residents. Then, to evaluate this evaluation tool, a virtual questionnaire was prepared and sent to specialized professors and residents. Questionnaire responses were collected electronically. Results: In the present study, 41 professors of Tabriz Dental School and 32 residents participated. Based on the results, most of the professors (90.2%) and residents (65.6%) considered this tool as a useful tool and its use as a tool for evaluating professional behavior. Most professors (75.7%) and residents ( 58.1%) considered the evaluation tool as a sufficient tool to evaluate and collect information, but a number of residents disagreed. Also, most of the professors (63.4%) agreed to motivate the residents to improve the professional behavior of the residents using this tool, but half of the residents (50%) agreed with this issue. Most of the professors (75.6) completed the evaluation tool in line with the tasks. They knew their profession and considered the process of completing the tool as an easy process (70.8%) but were opposed to the lengthy and time consuming completion of the evaluation tool (65.8%). Both professors (68.3%) and residents (70.9%) agreed on raising awareness and increasing the knowledge of residents about the components of professional behavior by the evaluation tool and believed that completing this tool would increase the knowledge of residents about Components of professional behavior. In addition to awareness of the components of professional behavior, awareness of the importance of adhering to these principles is also important, which was evaluated and most professors (70.7%) and residents (83.9%) with increasing Awareness of the importance of these principles agreed with the completion of this tool. Conclusion: Given the limitations of the present study, it can be stated that, in general, the checklist developed to assess the adherence of dental residents from the perspective of professors and residents is a useful tool.