Medical manners: Medical students' perceptions of their own

Background. Because good interpersonal skills are essential for successful careers in primary care, we investigated senior medical students' (SMS) per ceptions of the impression they leave with patients. Methods. To assess the key elements that define the impression we make on o thers, we developed measures for self monitoring/social desirability, sensi tivity, and Machiavellianism. These scales were used to predict SMS' attitu des toward various patient problems and their residency choices. Results. Lower sensitivity scores and higher Machiavellianism scores predic ted negative attitudes toward patients with psychologic problems. Positive attitudes toward elderly patients were predicted by higher self-monitoring/ social desirability scores and lower Machiavellianism scores. Overall, wome n scored higher than men on self-monitoring/social desirability and sensiti vity and lower on Machiavellianism. Conclusions. Among SMS, impression management's dimensions are readily meas ured and the students with the best scores tend to choose primary care care ers.