The future of physician advocacy: A survey of U.S. medical students Journal Article
| Authors: | Chimonas, S.; Mamoor, M.; Kaltenboeck, A.; Korenstein, D. |
| Article Title: | The future of physician advocacy: A survey of U.S. medical students |
| Abstract: | Background: Advocacy is a core component of medical professionalism. It is unclear how educators can best prepare trainees for this professional obligation. We sought to assess medical students’ attitudes toward advocacy, including activities and issues of interest, and to determine congruence with professional obligations. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey probed U.S. medical students’ attitudes around 7 medical issues (e.g. nutrition/obesity, addiction) and 11 determinants of health (e.g. housing, transportation). Descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and regression analysis investigated associations with demographic characteristics. Results: Of 240 students completing the survey, 53% were female; most were white (62%) or Asian (28%). Most agreed it is very important that physicians encourage medical organizations to advocate for public health (76%) and provide health-related expertise to the community (57%). More participants rated advocacy for medical issues as very important, compared to issues with indirect connections to health (p < 0.001). Generally, liberals and non-whites were likelier than others to value advocacy. Conclusions: Medical students reported strong interest in advocacy, particularly around health issues, consistent with professional standards. Many attitudes were associated with political affiliation and race. To optimize future physician advocacy, educators should provide opportunities for learning and engagement in issues of interest. © 2021, The Author(s). |
| Keywords: | questionnaire; physicians; medical education; physician; attitude of health personnel; cross-sectional study; cross-sectional studies; health personnel attitude; medical student; students, medical; professional development; humans; human; female; surveys and questionnaires; physician advocacy |
| Journal Title: | BMC Medical Education |
| Volume: | 21 |
| ISSN: | 1472-6920 |
| Publisher: | Biomed Central Ltd |
| Date Published: | 2021-07-24 |
| Start Page: | 399 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12909-021-02830-5 |
| PUBMED: | 34303349 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC8310411 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Article -- Export Date: 1 September 2021 -- Source: Scopus |
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129Korenstein -
66Chimonas -
17Kaltenboeck -
15Mamoor
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