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Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine
The Egyptian Society of Occupational Medicine
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Abstract
Introduction: Medical professionalism encompasses attitudes, values, and behaviours that health
professionals must follow when performing their professions.
Aim of Work: To assess professionalism among medical students at Zagazig University and to identify
risk factors associated with lower levels of professionalism among them.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 425 medical students from
different grades attending Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University from March to May 2025. A self
administered questionnaire was distributed among participants to assess professional attributes and
behaviours.
Results: The current study included 425 medical students with age range from 18 to 30 years and mean
age 21.27 years. Approximately 87% of them were Egyptians and 51.3% were males. About 31%,
36%, 39.8%, 54.4%, 40.8% of students had low commitment to patients’ best interest, honesty and
integrity, professional competency, patient safety and educational responsibility respectively and
overall, 30.1% of students had inadequate professionalism. Increasing age, perceiving that studying
professionalism is of no importance or neutral importance, no history of receiving any self-directed
study or extracurricular studies on professionalism, no history of hearing about professionalism and no
previous bad experience with physician significantly independently increase risk of unprofessional
behaviour by 1.277, 26.186, 4.369, 1.745, 2.067 and 1.701 folds respectively.
Conclusion and Recommendations: Inadequate professionalism is a current problem that needs to be
addressed. Bad experience with unprofessional behaviour, depending only on curricular content, and
lack of interest in professionalism can be addressed as risk factors. Educational program and
extracurricular activities can improve professionalism and ensure competent care provided by future
doctors.
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