Assessment of Professionalism Mini-evaluation exercise (P-MEX) among Students in a Private Dental College of Karachi

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate professionalism among final-year dental students using the Professionalism MiniEvaluation Exercise (P-MEX). Study Design and setting: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a private dental college in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology: This study assessed professionalism among 42 final-year dental students using the Professionalism MiniEvaluation Exercise (P-MEX). The students were selected through convenience sampling method after obtaining approval from the Ethical Review Board (ERC reference: 8430224NAOMS). A total of 12 dental faculty members, who served as evaluators, were included, from the departments of Oral surgery, operative dentistry, prosthodontics and periodontics. The data was collected using the P-MEX tool to assess key domains of professionalism, including doctor-patient relationships (8 items), reflective skills (5 items), time management (3 items), and interprofessional relationships (8 items), totaling 24 items. The evaluators observed the clinical encounters of final year dental students with patients while taking history and during oral examinations and scores were provided on the P-MEX tools. Descriptive statistics were computed, and the mean score of each domain was calculated. Results: The P-MEX was found to be a reliable instrument for evaluating professionalism in dental students. The mean score of dental students for P=MEX was 2.70 ± 0.21. However, students demonstrated lower levels of professionalism in the doctor-patient relationship (2.70 0.33) and reflective skills domains (2.56 0.45) Conclusion: The study concludes that final-year dental students exhibit deficiencies in certain aspects of professional behavior. Regular assessment, structured feedback, and capacity-building initiatives are recommended to enhance professional competencies in these areas