Introduction:

Clinical performance varies due to academic, clinical, and behavioral factors. However, in many countries, selection of medical professionals tends to focus on exclusively academic ability and clinical acumen. Appropriate selection processes for medical professionals should consider behavioral factors, which may vary across contexts. This study was conducted to identify behavioral competencies considered relevant for effective medical practice in Nigeria, by medical students and doctors, and compared with other contexts.

Methods:

This mixed methods study draws on a scoping review and nominal group technique exercises. We undertook a scoping review to develop a list of behavioral attributes that may correlate with effective service provision in the empirical literature, across contexts. Drawing on nominal group technique exercises with 17 medical students and 11 physicians, this starting list was modified through scoring and ranking of selected competencies. We compared the list of competencies and rankings between medical students, doctors, and the scoping review.

Results:

The scoping review identified 9 articles for full-text review, resulting in a starting list of 21 behavioral competencies defined in studies, all of which had been conducted in non-African countries. The nominal group technique exercises conducted with medical students and doctors yielded a condensed list of 32 and 27 behavioral competencies respectively. For doctor-client interactions, effective communication and patient-centeredness were ranked highly, while for doctor-colleague interactions, teamwork, respectfulness, and management ability were ranked highly. There were also divergences in the condensed list of behavioral competencies and the scoping review, which may be explained by cultural and non-cultural factors.

Discussion:

This study is one of the few to examine the perspectives of medical students and physicians on behavioral competencies for effective medical practice in an African country. We found differences in the perspectives of medical physicians and students, and in the prioritized competencies across countries. Our study illustrates the need for careful consideration in identifying subject matter experts and in generalizing competencies across contexts. Future research in this field in Nigeria should examine effective ways of testing for key behavioral competencies among medical students and for residency programs. Also, investigating the perspectives of medical faculty and administrators on important competencies, and exploring the generalizability of these competencies across cultures in Nigeria should be considered.

中文翻译：

---

探索尼日利亚有效医疗实践的行为能力

介绍：

临床表现因学术、临床和行为因素而异。然而，在许多国家，医疗专业人员的选择往往只关注学术能力和临床敏锐度。Appropriate selection processes for medical professionals should consider behavioral factors, which may vary across contexts. 进行这项研究的目的是确定医学生和医生认为与尼日利亚有效医疗实践相关的行为能力，并与其他情况进行比较。

方法：

这项混合方法研究利用了范围界定审查和名义小组技术练习。我们进行了范围审查，以制定一系列行为属性，这些行为属性可能与实证文献中的有效服务提供相关，跨环境。根据 17 名医学生和 11 名医生的名义小组技术练习，通过对选定能力的评分和排名来修改这个起始列表。我们比较了医学生、医生和范围审查之间的能力和排名列表。

结果：

范围审查确定了 9 篇文章进行全文审查，产生了研究中定义的 21 种行为能力的起始列表，所有这些都是在非非洲国家进行的。与医学生和医生进行的名义小组技术练习分别产生了 32 项和 27 项行为能力的简明清单。在医患互动方面，有效沟通和以患者为中心排名靠前，而在医患互动方面，团队合作、尊重和管理能力排名靠前。行为能力的简明清单和范围审查也存在分歧，这可能是由文化和非文化因素造成的。

讨论：

这项研究是少数研究医学生和医生对非洲国家有效医疗实践的行为能力观点的研究之一。我们发现不同国家的医生和学生的观点以及优先考虑的能力存在差异。我们的研究表明，在确定主题专家和概括跨环境的能力时需要仔细考虑。尼日利亚这一领域的未来研究应该研究测试医学生关键行为能力和住院医师计划的有效方法。此外，还应考虑调查医学教师和管理人员对重要能力的看法，并探讨这些能力在尼日利亚跨文化的普遍性。