The teaching of professionalism in ...

The teaching of professionalism in US medical gymnasiums needs to be improved, according to a application of mind published in the Sept 1 1999 issue of JAMA. Responding to disturbs about the effect of managed care in succession physicians' attitudes about their parts and responsibilities, researchers at the Association of American Medical corporations surveyed the nation's 125 undergraduate medical educates and found that most furnish some type of formal instruction related to professionalism however that the educational strategies used may be inadequate.

The investigation was conducted through a two-stage observe The schools first were questioned about general activities related to the teaching of four essential components of professionalism--subordinating one's self-interest to the interest of patients; adhering to high ethical and moral standards; responding to societal needs; and evincing core humanistic values, similar as empathy, integrity, altruism, and trustworthiness. The other survey instrument gathered more specific information about the format by means of which professionalism was taught and the goals of the curriculum.

Of the 116 denominations that responded to the initial observe 104 (90%) indicated they tendered formal instruction related to professionalism. Of the 90 institutes that responded to the other survey, 56 (68%) said they had written goals and objectives that guarded professionalism. Forty-one schools submitted their course materials for review, and in the materials, 31 of the institutes (75%) addressed the attribute "adhere to high ethical and moral standards," still only 17 of the educates (42%) addressed the attribute "respond to societal needs"

Researchers conclud that institutes use diverse strategies for teaching professionalism, from one-time "white-coat" orientation ceremonies to integrated seriess of courses. Many of the schools' administrators recognize inadequacies in their curriculums and believe that their close examiners would benefit from more formal approaches.

H M Swick et al, "teaching professionalism in undergraduate medical education," JAMA 282 (Sept 1 1999) 830-832

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