Purpose This follow-up study focused on 3 overarching questions: what keywords can be extracted from experts’ definitions of character?; what is the operational definition of character for medical students?; and what possible solutions can be suggested to address the issues of character education that were identified in the previous study?
Methods Sixty-three medical education experts recruited through expert sampling and 19 non-medical education experts recruited through snowball sampling answered a questionnaire that addressed the 3 major questions of the study. The responses were analyzed for descriptive statistics with supplementary keyword extraction tools, including the Cortical and Monkey keyword extractors.
Results A total of 93 definitional statements were counted, and 138 keyword terms were extracted. The top 5 keyword terms mentioned by the medical education experts were “patient”, “empathy”, “qualities”, “attitude”, and “ability”. These keyword terms were quite different from those mentioned by the non-medical education experts. Based on the extracted keywords, an operational definition of character education by the medical education expert group was presented as follows: the basic qualities and ability to empathize with patients affected by illness based on respect for patients and others. Various methods were proposed to solve the issue of character education, and many of them pointed to curriculum development, such as improvements in teaching and learning methods and evaluation methods, including role modeling.
Conclusion A clear statement of the concept of character education is the start to resolve issues of character education. Character education improvements will be possible at the institutional level according to the above results.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Development of a character qualities test for medical students in Korea using polytomous item response theory and factor analysis: a preliminary scale development study Yera Hur, Dong Gi Seo Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2023; 20: 20. CrossRef
Medical students’ self-evaluation of character, and method of character education Yera Hur, Sanghee Yeo, Keumho Lee BMC Medical Education.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
The role of mentoring, supervision, coaching, teaching and instruction on professional identity formation: a systematic scoping review Rachelle Qi En Toh, Kai Kee Koh, Jun Kiat Lua, Ruth Si Man Wong, Elaine Li Ying Quah, Aiswarya Panda, Chong Yao Ho, Nicole-Ann Lim, Yun Ting Ong, Keith Zi Yuan Chua, Victoria Wen Wei Ng, Sabine Lauren Chyi Hui Wong, Luke Yu Xuan Yeo, Sin Yee See, Jolene J BMC Medical Education.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
This preliminary study aimed to determine how medical students perceive character education in Korea. A structured survey questionnaire was distributed to 10 medical students between September and December 2018, of whom 6 students replied. Students’ responses were classified into elements, which were also categorized. Twenty-nine core elements of characters in 8 categories were verified as essential for doctors and as needs for character education. The most frequently suggested categories were “care and respect,” “empathy and communication,” and “responsibility and calling.” Participants also stated that various forms of character education are necessary and that they were not satisfied with the teaching methods of the character education that they had received. These results verified the most essential character traits for doctors and identified problems related to current character education. The results of this study will be helpful for preparing the character education curriculum in medical schools.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Medical students’ self-evaluation of character, and method of character education Yera Hur, Sanghee Yeo, Keumho Lee BMC Medical Education.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Definition of character for medical education based on expert opinions in Korea Yera Hur Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2021; 18: 26. CrossRef
Purpose Medicine requires uniquely high levels of motivation, ethics, and altruistic values and behavior. This study was conducted to redefine character education in medical education and to identify and evaluate the core elements of physicians’ character.
Methods A 3-round Delphi survey was conducted among professors of medical education, physicians, experts from nursing schools, and a head nurse in Korea. A consultant group (CG) was formed to prepare the Delphi survey, discuss the research results, and set directions for future initiatives. The 3 rounds of the Delphi survey were conducted between September 2018 and February 2019.
Results From the first-round Delphi survey, which inquired about the 10 key character elements required for medical students, a total of 420 elements were collected. The top 10 categories were selected and classified. After the second and third rounds of the Delphi consensus process and a series of CG meetings, the following 8 core categorical elements were identified: service and sacrifice, empathy and communication, care and respect, honesty and humility, responsibility and calling, collaboration and magnanimity, creativity and positivity, and patience and leadership. The average score of medical graduates for the core elements ranged from 2.45 to 3.46 (standard deviation, 0.23–0.60) on a 5-point Likert scale.
Conclusion Eight core categorical elements of the character of medical students were identified. The results of this study can be used as a reference for establishing the goals and desired outcomes of character education at the level of undergraduate or graduate medical education.
Citations
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Defining Leadership in Undergraduate Medical Education, Networks, and Instructors: A Scoping Review Pablo Rodríguez-Feria, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Suzanne Babich, Daniela Rodríguez-Sánchez, Fredy Leonardo Carreño Hernández, Luis Jorge Hernández Flórez International Medical Education.2023; 2(1): 49. CrossRef
Divergence and Convergence of the Public Health Leadership Competency Framework Against Others in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Scoping Review Pablo Rodríguez-Feria, Katarzyna Czabanowska, Suzanne Babich, Daniela Rodríguez-Sánchez, Fredy Leonardo Carreño Hernández, Luis Jorge Hernández Flórez Public Health Reviews.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Development of a character qualities test for medical students in Korea using polytomous item response theory and factor analysis: a preliminary scale development study Yera Hur, Dong Gi Seo Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2023; 20: 20. CrossRef
Medical students’ self-evaluation of character, and method of character education Yera Hur, Sanghee Yeo, Keumho Lee BMC Medical Education.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Definition of character for medical education based on expert opinions in Korea Yera Hur Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2021; 18: 26. CrossRef
Core elements of character education essential for doctors suggested by medical students in Korea: a preliminary study Yera Hur, Keumho Lee Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions.2020; 17: 43. CrossRef