Tolerance for ambiguity: An ethics-based criterion for medical student selection

Academic Medicine

Volumn 88, Issue 5, 2013, Pages 581-584

  Geller, Gail ^a,b  

^a JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 84878929283     PISSN: 10402446     EISSN: 1938808X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e31828a4b8e     Document Type: Review

References (33)

1. Geller G, Faden RR, Levine DM. Tolerance for ambiguity among medical students: Implications for their selection, training and practice. Soc Sci Med. 1990;31:619-624.
2. Rosenthal E. Pre-med's new priorities: Heart and soul and social science. New York Times. April 13, 2012: Education Life section:23.
3. Grenier S, Barrette A-M, LaDouceur R. Intolerance of uncertainty and intolerance of ambiguity: Similarities and differences. Pers Individ Dif. 2005;39:593-600.
4. Han PK, Klein WM, Arora NK. Varieties of uncertainty in health care: A conceptual taxonomy. Med Decis Making. 2011;31:828-838.
5. Ellsberg D. Risk, ambiguity, and the savage axioms. Q J Econ. 1961;75:643-669.
6. Han PK, Reeve BB, Moser RP, Klein WM. Aversion to ambiguity regarding medical tests and treatments: Measurement, prevalence, and relationship to sociodemographic factors. J Health Commun. 2009;14:556-572.
7. Kimmelman J. Ethics, ambiguity aversion, and the review of complex translational clinical trials. Bioethics. 2012;26:242-250.
8. Frenkel-Brunswik E. Intolerance of ambiguity as an emotional and perceptual personality variable. J Pers. 1949;18:108-143.
9. Budner S. Intolerance of ambiguity as a personality variable. J Pers. 1962;30:29-50.
10. Furnham A, Ribchester T. Tolerance of ambiguity: A review of the concept, its measurement and applications. Curr Psychol. 1995;14:179-199.
11. Evans L, Trotter DR. Epistemology and uncertainty in primary care: An exploratory study. Fam Med. 2009;41:319-326.
12. Ghosh AK. On the challenges of using evidence-based information: The role of clinical uncertainty. J Lab Clin Med. 2004;144:60-64.
13. Carney PA, Yi JP, Abraham LA, et al. Reactions to uncertainty and the accuracy of diagnostic mammography. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;22:234-241.
14. Allison JJ, Kiefe CI, Cook EF, Gerrity MS, Orav EJ, Centor R. The association of physician attitudes about uncertainty and risk taking with resource use in a Medicare HMO. Med Decis Making. 1998;18:320-329.
15. Geller G, Tambor ES, Chase GA, Holtzman NA. Measuring physicians' tolerance for ambiguity and its relationship to their reported practices regarding genetic testing. Med Care. 1993;31:989-1001.
16. Benbassat J, Pilpel D, Schor R. Physicians' attitudes toward litigation and defensive practice: Development of a scale. Behav Med. 2001;27:52-60.
17. Kvale J, Berg L, Groff JY, Lange G. Factors associated with residents' attitudes toward dying patients. Fam Med. 1999;31:691-696.
18. Geller G, Rushton CH, Francomano C, Kolodner K, Bernhardt BA. Genetics professionals' experiences with grief and loss: Implications for support and training. Clin Genet. 2010;77:421-429.
19. Sobal J, DeForge BR. Reliability of Budner's intolerance of ambiguity scale in medical students. Psychol Rep. 1992;71:15-18.
20. DeForge BR, Sobal J. Investigating whether medical students' intolerance of ambiguity is associated with their specialty selections. Acad Med. 1991;66:49-51.
21. DeForge BR, Sobal J. Intolerance of ambiguity in students entering medical school. Soc Sci Med. 1989;28:869-874.
22. Nevalainen M, Kuikka L, Sjoberg L, Eriksson J, Pitkala K. Tolerance of uncertainty and fears of making mistakes among fifth-year medical students. Fam Med. 2012;44:240-246.
23. Wayne S, Dellmore D, Serna L, Jerabek R, Timm C, Kalishman S. The association between intolerance of ambiguity and decline in medical students' attitudes toward the underserved. Acad Med. 2011;86:877-882.
24. Dogra N, Giordano J, France N. Cultural diversity teaching and issues of uncertainty: The findings of a qualitative study. BMC Med Educ. 2007;7:8.
25. Sherrill WW. Tolerance of ambiguity among MD/MBA students: Implications for management potential. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2001;21:117-122.
26. Kearl GW, Mainous AG 3rd, Harrell PL. Students' expected practice locations and their tolerance of ambiguity. Acad Med. 1992;67:413-414.
27. Fox RC. The evolution of medical uncertainty. Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc. 1980;58: 1-49.
28. Atkinson P. Training for certainty. Soc Sci Med. 1984;19:949-956.
29. Pilpel D, Schor R, Benbassat J. Barriers to acceptance of medical error: The case for a teaching program (695). Med Educ. 1998;32:3-7.
30. Luther VP, Crandall SJ. Commentary: Ambiguity and uncertainty: Neglected elements of medical education curricula? Acad Med. 2011;86:799-800.
31. DeForge BR, Sobal J. Intolerance of ambiguity among family practice residents. Fam Med. 1991;23:466-468.
32. Gerrity MS, DeVellis RF, Earp JA. Physicians' reactions to uncertainty in patient care. A new measure and new insights. Med Care. 1990;28:724-736.
33. McLain DL. Evidence of the properties of an ambiguity tolerance measure: The Multiple Stimulus Types Ambiguity Tolerance Scale-II (MSTAT-II). Psychol Rep. 2009;105(3 pt 1):975-988.