A symposium and webinar series offered by the Division of Continuing Professional Development at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) addressed the challenges associated with fostering professionalism in medical education in Qatar’s highly diverse multicultural context.
The symposium, titled, Fostering Professionalism in Medical Education: Exploring Effective Approaches for Diverse Learners, featured a full day of interactive sessions led by highly experienced WCM-Q faculty and visiting experts from leading medical education institutions in Europe and the US. Sessions focused on identifying and defining the key attributes of professionalism, examining how conceptions of professionalism vary among different cultures, methodologies to assess professionalism, and discussions about how learners develop their professional identities through education and other experiences.
The sessions also explored how assessment data can be used to inform the professionalism remediation process and optimize coaching, and how to design and implement an appropriate remediation plan using coaching skills. The symposium, which was offered for the first time in June this year, is augmented by a regular webinar series on professionalism in diverse learning contexts.
The symposium was directed and presented by WCM-Q faculty members Dr. Amal Khidir, associate professor of pediatrics; Dr. Fatimah Isa, assistant professor of psychology teaching in medicine; Dr. Moune Jabre, assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynaecology; and Dr. Mange Manyama, assistant professor of anatomy in radiology.
International and Qatar-based speakers included Dr. Adina Kalet, Stephen and Shelagh Roell Endowed Chair at the Medical College of Wisconsin; Dr. Goran Stevanovski, health professions education consultant and the founder and former director of the Medical Education Department at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, North Macedonia; Dr. Marianne Mak-van der Vossen, assistant professor of general practice at Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC); and Dr. Majda Sebah, assistant professor of chemistry in pre-medical education at WCM-Q.
Coaching model to help develop professionalism
Reflecting on the coaching model that can be used to help healthcare professionals develop professionalism and cultural awareness, Dr. Isa stressed that the aim was to empower healthcare professionals by equipping them with new skills. She said: “To develop and/or improve professionalism in diverse learning environments, it is essential that we reflect on how people from other cultures perceive our behaviour. Also, we need to consider various factors – it is not only about behaviour but also attitude, morals, values, and so on. For this session [at the symposium], I used a model rooted in the Schön reflection model with the humanistic approach and framed it to reflect some ICF (International Coaching Federation) core competencies. This approach empowers healthcare professionals to reflect, explore options, and formulate an action plan to achieve the desired results. The role of a coach is facilitating the process rather than instructing or directing them, and reflection is the key to this coaching process.”
The symposium and webinar series were accredited locally by the Ministry of Public Health’s Department of Healthcare Professions – Accreditation Section and internationally by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
The role of a coach is facilitating the process rather than instructing or directing them, and reflection is the key to this coaching process.
Dr. Manyama explained that professionalism in diverse learning environments is assessed through multiple dimensions that reflect cultural sensitivity and inclusive practices. “Some of the important aspects evaluated include communication skills, cultural competence, adaptability, collaboration abilities, ethical behaviour, ability to create an inclusive atmosphere, language sensitivity, conflict resolution skills, and receptivity to feedback from diverse sources,” he said. “The evaluation process usually focuses on an individual’s ability to interact respectfully with peers and instructors from various backgrounds, understand and respect diverse perspectives, adjust approaches based on different cultural contexts, work effectively in diverse teams, and adhere to ethical standards that consider cultural variations.”
Values, behaviours, and relationships Dr. Jabre said: “Medical professionalism is a set of values, behaviours, and relationships centred on trust, integrity, and accountability, that prioritize patient welfare and societal well-being. It encompasses a commitment to ethical behaviour, compassion, and continuous self-assessment to adapt and grow.
“Clinical experiences, mentorship, and reflection, coupled with regular assessment, feedback and diverse, real-world learning opportunities, foster professional identity formation in trainee physicians. In this way, learners develop the skills necessary to navigate and contribute positively to increasingly multicultural academic and professional environments. Assessment methods may include peer evaluations, self-reflections, case studies, role-playing exercises, and observations of group interactions.” Another of the learning objectives of the program is equip the participants with the skills and knowledge to apply culturally adept coaching skills in interacting with learners. Dr. Khidir said: “The diverse learning environment includes learners, instructors, staff and patients from diverse cultural background; learners in such environment usually acquire humility and soft skills. Exposure to a variety of cultures, styles and professionals from different backgrounds supports the learner’s professional identity formation, which is the process that leads to thinking, feeling and acting like a physician. The learner educated in a diverse environment will gain the ability to cope and handle patients from different cultures and backgrounds.”
