As the Internal Medicine Clerkship and Acting Internship Director at VCU, the title of this paper caught my sleepy eye as I was whizzing through my Google Reader yesterday morning.
The authors reviewed studies investigating personality characteristic and influence on student/resident doctor performance. Four studies focused on personality factors and academic success, one looked at personality factors and clinical competence, and two assessed personality factors and stress. The personality trait known as conscientiousness was a significant predictor of performance in medical school. High neuroticism was associated with stress.
The relationship between personality and performance was increasingly significant as learners advance through medical training.
These are interesting, albeit somewhat predictable findings that must be vetted by larger, nationwide, prospective studies for solid conclusions.
My question is how can knowledge of personality characteristics have practical application in medical training? Must all applicants undergo a personality test prior to medical school and residency selection as part of the interview process? How reliable and ethical would that be?
One point of concern, empathy and humanism, as personality traits, were not mentioned at all as predictors for success.
Let’s hope that the nice guys (girls) don’t finish last.
