Strides in Development of Medical Education

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MD, Afzalipour Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Afzalipour Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

3 Professor of Medical Parasitology, Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Afzalipour Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Afzalipour Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

5 Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, Faculty of Iranian Traditional Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

Background: A person’s appearance and his/her adherence to the dress code standards are essential in the medical profession.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate patients’ and physicians’ viewpoints on interns’ professional outfits.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, with the participation of patients and physicians of general departments in a teaching hospital of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2018. The patients and physicians were selected through convenience and census method, respectively. To examine the participants’ perspectives on the professional dressing, six schematic images, three for males (1, 2, 3) and three for females (A, B, C) were designed. Data were collected through a structured interview in this way, the schematic images were displayed to the participants and they were asked to express their perspective using a series of questions. Data analyzed using SPSS version20.
Results: Totally, 381 patients and 34 physicians participated. The majority of the participants preferred the professional outfit A for female interns and the professional outfit 1 for male interns in response to questions regarding the knowledge, responsibility, patient-care, hygiene, reliability of diagnosis and treatment of diseases, giving emergency consultations, the possibility for discussing sexual and psychiatric problems, as well as life problems. The physicians and patients had the same perspective except for the item about knowledge. (p <0.05).
Conclusion: Our study shows that the outfits of physicians were considered by the participants in forming an effective relationship between the doctor and the patient, and the amount of patients' trust. Therefore, training interns for dressing professionally and complying with the necessary standards should be considered.

Keywords

  1. Semnani Y, Shahpouri HR. Psychiatrists’ attitude to the psychiatrist’s style of dressing and addressing. Sci J Forensic Med 2007; 13(1): 21-4. [In Persian]
  2. Shojaei A, Abolhasani Niaraki F. Criteria of trust in the physician-patient relationship. Iran J Med Ethics History Medicine. 2013;5(7):79-90. [In Persian]
  3. Kawari Lefor A, Ohnuma T, Nunomiya S, Yokota S, Makino J, Sanui M. Physician attire in the intensive care unit in Japan influences visitors' perception of care. J Crit Care. 2018 Feb;43:288-293. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2017.09.181. [PMID: 28965038].
  4. Kurihara H, Maeno T, Maeno T. Importance of physicians’ attire: factors influencing the impression it makes on patients, a cross-sectional study. Asia Pac Fam Med. 2014 Jan 8;13(1):2. doi: 10.1186/1447-056X-13-2. [PMID: 24397871]. [PMCID: PMC3890493].
  5. Lorestani F, Dehghan Nayeri N, Nouroozi M, Aramesh K. Dress code: interns' and trainees' perspective. Iran J Med Ethics History Medicine. 2010; 4(1):40-6. [In Persian]
  6. Zollinger M, Houchens N, Chopra V, Clack L, Werner Schreiber P, Kuhn L, et al. Understanding patient preference for physician attire in ambulatory clinics: a cross-sectional observational study. BMJ Open. 2019 May9;9(5):e026009. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026009. [PMID: 31072853]. [PMCID: PMC6528053].
  7. Kamata K, Kuriyama A, Chopra V, Saint S, Houchens N, Petrilli Ch, et al. Patient Preferences for Physician Attire: A Multicenter Study in Japan. J Hosp Med. 2020 Apr;15(4):204-210. doi: 10.12788/jhm.3350. [PMID: 32118558].
  8. Petrilli CM, Saint S, Jennings JJ, Sousa Alcântara GA, Ribeiro LG, Rodrigues-Júnior AL, et al. Understanding patient preference for physician attire: a cross-sectional observational study of 10 academic medical centers in the USA. BMJ Open. 2018 May 29;8(5):e021239. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021239. [PMID: 29844101]. [PMCID: PMC5988098].
  9. Leiko Yonekura C, Certain L, Kee Karen SK, et al. Perceptions of patients, physicians, and medical students on physicians’ appearance. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). Sep-Oct 2013;59(5):452-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ramb.2013.04.005. [PMID: 24119377].
  10. Rehman SU, Nietert PJ, Cope DW, Kilpatrick AO. What to wear today? Effect of doctor’s attire on the trust and confidence of patients. Am J Med. 2005 Nov;118(11):1279-86. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2005.04.026. [PMID: 16271913].
  11. Batais MA. Patients’ attitudes toward the attire of male physicians: a single-center study in Saudi Arabia. Ann Saudi Med. Sep-Oct 2014;34(5):383-9. doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2014.383. [PMID: 25827694]. [PMCID: PMC6074558].
  12. Mason L, Mason J. Patients’ attitudes regarding characteristics of physicians in ophthalmology. BMC Res Notes. 2017 Dec 11;10(1):733. doi: 10.1186/s13104-017-3056-0. [PMID: 29228987]. [PMCID: PMC5725841].
  13. Edwards RD, Saladyga AT, Schriver JP, Davis KG. Patient attitudes to surgeons' attire in an outpatient clinic setting: substance over style. Am J Surg. 2012 Nov;204(5):663-5. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2009.09.001. [PMID: 20591408].
  14. Bundy AM, Rogers LC, Mandracchia VJ, Lascher S. The Physician’s Attire and Its Influence on Patient Confidence. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. Mar-Apr 2006;96(2):132-8. doi:10.7547/0960132. [PMID: 16546951].
  15. Gherardi G, Cameron J, West A, Crossley M. Are we dressed to impress? A descriptive survey assessing patients’ preference of doctors’ attire in the hospital setting. Clin Med (Lond). 2009 Dec;9(6):519-24. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.9-6-519. [PMID: 20095290]. [PMCID: PMC4952286].
  16. Hartmans C, Heremans S, Lagrain M, Asch KV, Schoenmakers B. The Doctor's New Clothes: Professional or Fashionable? Prim Health Care. 2014; 3:145. doi: 10.4172/2167-1079.1000145.
  17. Chung H, Lee H, Chang DS, Kim HS, Lee H, Park HJ, et al. Doctor's attire influences perceived empathy in the patient-doctor relationship. Patient Educ Couns. 2012 Dec;89(3):387-91. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2012.02.017. [PMID: 22445730].