A Meaningful and Actionable Professionalism Assessment: Validity Evidence for the Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) Across 8 Years

Abstract

PurposeWith the growing importance of professionalism in medical education, it is imperative to develop professionalism assessments that demonstrate robust validity evidence. The Professionalism Mini-Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) is an assessment that has demonstrated validity evidence in the authentic clinical setting. Identifying the factorial structure of professionalism assessments determines professionalism constructs that can be used to provide diagnostic and actionable feedback. This study examines validity evidence for the P-MEX, a focused and standardized assessment of professionalism, in a simulated patient setting. MethodThe P-MEX was administered to 275 pediatric residency applicants as part of a 3-station standardized patient encounter, pooling data over an 8-year period (2012 to 2019 residency admission years). Reliability and construct validity for the P-MEX were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). ResultsCronbach's alpha for the P-MEX was 0.91. The EFA yielded 4 factors: doctor-patient relationship skills, interprofessional skills, professional demeanor, and reflective skills. The CFA demonstrated good model fit with a root-mean-square error of approximation of .058 and a comparative fit index of .92, confirming the reproducibility of the 4-factor structure of professionalism. ConclusionsThe P-MEX demonstrates construct validity as an assessment of professionalism, with 4 underlying subdomains in doctor-patient relationship skills, interprofessional skills, professional demeanor, and reflective skills. These results yield new confidence in providing diagnostic and actionable subscores within the P-MEX assessment. Educators may wish to integrate the P-MEX assessment into their professionalism curricula.

Oncological big data platforms for promoting digital competencies and professionalism in Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study

“…It consists of 24 items representing four skill categories: doctor–patient relationship skills, reflective skills, time management and interprofessional relationship skills 23 24. And the reliability and validity of P-MEX have been confirmed in both Eastern and Western cultural backgrounds 25–27. The attitude scale is a self-created scale focused on measuring participants' pedagogic evaluation, acceptance and expectation of the big data platforms.…”

“…23 24 And the reliability and validity of P-MEX have been confirmed in both Eastern and Western cultural backgrounds. [25][26][27] The attitude scale is a self-created scale focused on measuring participants' pedagogic evaluation, acceptance and expectation of the big data platforms. It consisted of eight questions: (1) Big data platform could assist future medical education, (2) Big data platform could assist future medical research, (3) Big data platform could assist future clinical practice, (4) I am willing to learn how to use big data platform, (5) I am willing to use big data platform in the future, (6) I am willing to recommend big data platform to my colleagues, (7) Big data platform could benefit my career, and (8) Big data platform could benefit all medical careers.…”

Disruption and Dissonance: Exploring Constructive Tensions Within Research in Medical Education

“…Bajwa and colleagues use the lens of validity to address challenges in one of the most difficult competencies to assess: professionalism. 10,11 Medical education has had a sea-change in recent years in understanding validity as a construct and the appropriate methods for generating and collating validity evidence. 12,13 Bajwa and colleagues' application of a validity framework to professionalism assessment may create new opportunities to reconsider the challenges and limitations of our approach to assessing professionalism.…”

“…12,13 Bajwa and colleagues' application of a validity framework to professionalism assessment may create new opportunities to reconsider the challenges and limitations of our approach to assessing professionalism. 10 While validity is a well-known theme in assessment work, consideration of systems of assessment and the dynamic role of assessors as co-creators of that system are relatively new threads in our discourses on assessment. Anderson et al's scoping review on the implementation of workplace-based assessments (WBAs) highlights the need to take a broader view of our assessment initiatives beyond the level of just the tool.…”

Translating and validating a Japanese version of the instrument for patient assessment of medical professionalism (J-IPAMP): a cross-sectional survey

“…In recent years, the importance of medical professionalism has been increasingly highlighted by scholars [1][2][3]. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most intangible and challenging concepts in medical education [1].…”