Investigating the Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Professional Behavior Among Medical Residents at Urmia University of Medical Sciences

Authors
Ali Parvin
Shahsanam Gheibi
Alireza Alemi
Parsa Shadnezhad
Mohammad Heidari
Seyed Fahim Irandoost
10.61186/ibj.25th-11th-IACRTIMSS
Abstract
Introduction: Professional behavior entails prioritizing patient interests alongside those of the physician and delivering healthcare services that meet patient needs while adhering to ethical standards. additionally, it addresses the broader health requirements of society. The professional conduct of each individual has a significant impact on both organizational performance and personal life. Research has demonstrated a positive correlation between job satisfaction and professional behavior among healthcare providers. Given the prominent role of medical residents in patient care and management, especially concerning job satisfaction, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and professional behavior among medical residents at Urmia University of Medical Sciences in the year 2023.

Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study included 217 medical residents from various clinical specialties. Data collection tools comprised a standardized Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and a researcher-developed Professional Behavior Questionnaire. The content validity of the professional behavior questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of 25 experts in different health and medical fields, with a content validity ratio greater than 0.37 and a content validity index exceeding 0.79. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.98) established internal consistency and reliability. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytical tests in SPSS-22 and STATA-16 software.

Results: Job satisfaction was reported as 55.8% in the moderate range and 29.5% in the low range among respondents. The mean total score for professional behavior was 4.43 ± 0.55. Significant associations were observed between professional behavior and variables such as age, gender, financial assistance during residency, number of children, monthly duty shifts, and birthplace (p ≤ 0.05). Job satisfaction also had a significant relationship with professional behavior (p = 0.05). However, no significant associations were found between professional behavior and marital status, residency grade, native status, or living location (p = 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the variables of number of duty shifts per month (β = -3.81), living in a personal home (β = -3.27), grade of residency (β = -3.15), and job satisfaction (β = 2.41) were the strongest predictors of professional behavior.

Conclusion and Discussion: Given the positive link between job satisfaction and professional behavior, strategic planning and interventions targeting medical students, especially specialized residents, are essential. Measures such as improving working conditions, increasing financial support for residents, and reducing duty shifts can foster positive changes in job satisfaction and create an environment conducive to professional behavior based on medical standards.



Keywords
Behavior
Job Satisfaction
Medical students