Research Article COMPARATIVE STUDY ON PROFESSIONALISM OF FOURTHCOMING MEDICAL DOCTORS BETWEEN TWO PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES IN SAVAR, BANGLADESH ABDUS SALAM 1 , MAINUL HAQUE 2* , ASADUL MAZID HELALI 3 , MD. ZAKIRUL ISLAM 4 , MASUDA MOHSENA 5 , ZAIDA RAHMAN 6 , FARIDA YESMIN 3 , NOR IZA A RAHMAN 7 , AHMED G. ALATTARAQCHI 7 , RABEYA YOUSUF 8 1 Department of Medical Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FPSK), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Terengganu, Malaysia, 3 Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Gonoshashthaya Samajvittik Medical College (GSSVMC), Dhaka, Bangladesh, 4 Department of Pharmacology & Theraeutics, Eastern Medical College, Comilla, Bangladesh, 5 Department of Community Meidcine, Ibrahim Medical College, Shahbag, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh, 6 Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Enam Medical College & Hospital, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 7 FPSK, UniSZA, Terengganu, Malaysia, 8Medical Officer, Blood Bank Unit, Department of Pathology, UKM Medical Center, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Email: runurono@gmail.com Received: 19 Jun 2013, Revised and Accepted: 12 Jul 2013 ABSTRACT Objectives: Medical professionalism forms the basis of the relations between doctors and society. Researchers believe professionalism is extremely important in medicine to alleviate human errors. Professionalism is not inborn social characteristics. Intellects believe to safeguarding and upholding medical professionalism it is compulsory to include in medical curriculum. This study is aimed to compare the professionalism of future medical professionals between two private medical colleges in Bangladesh. Methods: The study was conducted at Gonoshashthaya Samajvittik Medical College (GSSVMC) and Enam Medical Colleges (EMC) in Bangladesh. It was a cross-sectional study carried out on 445 medical students of Year-III (127), Year-IV (205) and Year-V (113) MBBS students of session 2012-2013 selected conveniently from GSSVMC and EMC. Two hundred students were from GSSVMC and 245 were from EMC. Data was collected using a validated instrument which contained core professionalism characteristics measured by 5-points Likert scale giving a maximum score of 220 with few open-ended questions. Results: Response rate of this study was 76%; 48% respondents were male and 52% were female. Mean professionalism scores for Year-III, IV and V were 173, 175 and 189 and for male and female were 179 and 178 respectively. No significant differences observed between gender (p=0.679). Significant differences were observed between study-year (p<0.001) and also between total scores (p<0.001) 172 for GSSVMC and 183 for EMC. However, 43% students were not precise about professionalism. Conclusions: Educators should focus to increase awareness on core professionalism attributes. Keywords: Professionalism, Medical-student, NGO, Private, Bangladesh. INTRODUCTION DzThe term Ǯprofessionalismǯ is a construct of attribution, meaning it consists of various traits, characteristics, behaviours and qualities that are attributed to those that others hold in high esteem, especially colleagues in the same professiondz [1]. In brief, professionalism acts as sunshade, under which different facets of a profession gathers [2]. The common people of any country expect and believe not only physicians; other professionals also should have highest degree of professionalism. They understand doctors must possess the qualities of Dzgood behaviour, high values and positive attitudes related to clinicianship, workmanship and citizenshipdz [3]. A number scientific group in this regard feels DzGood doctoringdz needs very high standard of educational qualifications and later extensive by hand training for technical expertise lead to a person to a professional [4-6]. Professionalism is the core issue of any professional education especially for medicine. Again for medical doctor professionalism is a concern till he retires [7]. Hence, it is the responsibility of the medical teachers to safeguard professional criterions among the medical students as they are the future doctors [8]. Moreover it is an exclusive opening for medical school to develop a strong foundation of professionalism among medical student as they are young, energetic and exposed to odds of life [9]. Researchers believe that collaboration between teachers globally is urgently needed to ensure such critical issue among our students [8]. Scholars think DzProfessional education is above all a shaping of the persondz [10]. Health care and medical care in the new millennium has been changed abruptly which lead to different relations between doctors and society. Actually in new factors such as Dzcost management by insurersdz has changed the age old system of medical doctorsǯ for training and practice. Hence, doctors are not losses their liberty and independence as they are bind and detected by the insuring company thus they do not own Dzpersonal responsibilitydz and promotes deprofessionalism [11]. Free market concept in health care thus eroded Dzpublic trust in medicinedz and Dztraditional values and behaviourdz [12, 13, 14]. These changes health sector create a need for curricular reform in medical schools of modern world [15, 16, 17]. Researcher within curriculum medical student and resident should be taught and trained in such a way that they will able to face and cope up with any unprofessional situation such as Dzadverse patient care and malpractice lawsuitsdz [18]. Medical professionalism is considered as extremely multidimensional concern [19]. Medical professionalism has described by a group of scientist as a Dzset of values, attitudes, and behaviours that results in serving the interests of society before oneǯs owndz [20] or as Dzdoing the right thingdz [21]. Researcher believes professionals must possess the quality to lead the society [22]. Therefore, physicians must demonstrate Dzcore humanistic values, including honesty and integrity, caring and compassion, altruism and empathy, respect for others, and trustworthinessdz [19]. Current curriculum of Bangladesh [23] has no formal programme for the development of professionalism in students; intern or medical doctors. The objective of this research is to establish and associate the conceptual understanding of professionalism with importance on the core professionalism issues among the medical students of Bangladesh aimed at professional development programme that can be integrated in the curriculum. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a cross-sectional study conducted on medical students of GSSVMC, a philosophically motivated NGO control typically community oriented medical college and a private entrepreneur based medical college EMC in Bangladesh. Gonoshashthaya Kendra (GK) means People's Health Centre is a Public Charitable Trust established in 1972 to work with the people of different geographical areas, caste, religions and ethnic origin. It has started with a 480-bed field hospital for freedom fighters and refugees during the war of liberation of Bangladesh in 1971. To expand the scope of work, GK was registered with NGO Bureau in 1981. GK is one of the pioneering NGOs in Bangladesh is well known all over the world. The GK's role since 1972 in the development of women and reducing gender inequality has had far-reaching effect. Moreover, by bringing into effect a system of health insurance, International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences ISSN- 0975-1491 Vol 5, Suppl 3, 2013 A A c c a a d d e e m mi i c c S Sc c i i e e n n c c e e s s