Validating the Medical Education e-Professionalism Framework Using the Content Validity Index

Abstract

The digital realm has changed the evolving landscape of medical professionalism. In this context, the authors have developed the Medical Education e-Professionalism (MEeP) framework to navigate the desired competencies of healthcare professionals in the digital world. This mission-based framework has three constructs of professional values, behaviours and identity, each with several relevant competencies. To determine the content validity of the MEeP framework, we adopted a systematic approach using the content validity index (CVI) by engaging six subject experts in the field. During an online meeting, a brief overview of MEeP was provided, and experts interacting in a real-time manner provided numerical ratings and free-text comments for each competency of all three constructs. The CVI scores ranged between 0.83 and 1.0, indicating acceptable content validity of all 12 items of the three MEeP constructs. Nine out of 12 items (conformity, benevolence, universalism and integrity [values]; communication and self-awareness [behaviour]; reflective, conscientious and self-actualisation [identity]) were unanimously deemed relevant by all experts. However, five out of six experts agreed on tolerance, power and self-direction items. After incorporating the experts' opinions, the validated MEeP framework retained these three constructs. However, the comments of one expert regarding the self-awareness competency in the behaviour construct were given extra attention. We transferred the self-awareness competency from behaviour to the identity construct definition, making it a highly desirable attribute alongside self-regulation. The validated MEeP framework can now be effectively used by healthcare professionals to acquire the desired professional competencies in the digital realm.