Table 2.

Characteristics of role models

Positive	Negative
Clinical competencies
• Clinical knowledge and skills (107, 112, 118) • ‘diagnostic and clinical skills’ (111) • ‘comprehensive approach to management, treatment and investigations’ (111) • Communication with patients and staff (107, 174) • Sound clinical reasoning and decision making (107, 118)	• Insufficient medical knowledge (118) • Insensitive to the needs of patients (102) • Inadequate relations with patients (118) • Uncooperative interaction with health care workers (102, 118) • Focused on tutor-centred patient interactions in order to save time (102) • Inappropriate medical reasoning (118)
Teaching skills
• Concern for student well-being (75) • Approachability (75, 77) • Inspirational (174) • Student-focused (174) • Knowledgeable (174) • Patience (174) • Aware and prepared for their roles as role models (59, 63–66, 73, 81, 85, 88–91, 93, 95, 96, 98, 99, 101, 103, 107, 110, 117, 119, 126, 130, 132, 134, 135, 137, 153, 154, 176, 177, 186, 187) • Keeping the teaching simple, clear, informative, well-organised, and well-illustrated (172) • Demonstrating professionalism in daily work, • Explicitly explaining to learners the rationale behind actions, • Guiding the reflective process of learners, and providing timely • And meaningful formative feedback (86, 88, 96, 98, 110, 119)	• Rarely give feedback (116) • Humiliation of students (102) • Demoralising to learners (109)
Personal characteristics
• Empathy (77, 112, 150) • Respect (77, 112) • Effective interpersonal skills (107, 112, 150) • Compassion (77, 107) • Positive outlook (112) • Leadership (112) • Dedication (112) • Commitment to excellence (107, 112) • Altruism (150) • Honesty (107, 112) • Politeness (112) • Inspiring (112) • Enthusiasm (112) • Integrity (77, 107, 112) • Ethical and moral practice (77) • Care and compassion (77) • Punctuality, professionalism (77) • Commitment to job (77) • Honest communication (77) • Good listening (77) • Discipline (77) • Rule-following (77) • Charismatic individual (1, 60, 150) • Humanistic and collaborative relations with patients and colleagues (118) • External manifestations of professional (118) • Cooperation rather than competitiveness (109) • Gender or sexual identity (71, 72, 75, 159), race (72, 75), and personality (111) • Learners emulate role models that they feel are closer to their own present identity (71, 72, 74, 75, 111, 159)	• Poor interpersonal relations (1) • Lack of self-confidence (118) • Absence of leadership (118) • May be rude to patients, students or staff, and may exhibit condescending behaviour (77) • Lack of integrity (1) • Lack professionalism (77) • Inadequate external appearance (118)
Institutional factors
• Promotes balanced working practices, • Incentivises tutors, • Provides them with ‘protected time’ to teach and role model (84, 94, 107, 121, 127, 134, 136, 153, 157) • Time for reflection (59, 60, 65, 67, 69, 81, 86, 88, 89, 94, 98, 101, 106, 107, 110, 114, 121, 146, 147) • Aligned implicit curriculum, or “hidden” or “informal” curriculum, with the explicit, or “formal” curriculum boosts positive role modelling(108), • Consistent approach (175) • Making behaviours more intentional (86, 88, 96, 98, 110, 119)	• Time pressures • Lack of protected time, • External stress, • Bureaucracy, • Conflicts between explicit and implicit curriculums (63, 79, 86, 88, 96, 98, 108, 110, 119, 123, 154, 175, 188)