The program for professional values and ethics in medical education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professionalism in Medicine
• Ethics in Healthcare

Background:

• Medical educators prioritize teaching and evaluating professional attitudes and behaviors.
• Tulane University School of Medicine established the Program for Professional Values and Ethics in Medical Education (PPVEME).
• PPVEME aims to re-center the medical curriculum on the physician-patient-community relationship and cultivate professionalism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a medical school learning environment centered on professionalism.
• To integrate the teaching and evaluation of professional values and behaviors into medical education.
• To enhance the physician-patient-community relationship through focused ethical training.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a program (PPVEME) involving students, residents, and faculty in learning teams.
• Developed longitudinal curricula around five key themes: integrity, communication, teamwork, leadership, and service.
• Emphasized learner-driven self- and group-reflection on shared experiences to model professional attributes.

Main Results:

• The program's initial event, a retreat for entering medical students, was highly successful.
• Evaluation methods include surveys, focus groups, and student-developed portfolios.
• The program effectively brings together diverse groups to focus on professional development.

Conclusions:

• PPVEME represents an innovative approach to building professionalism into the medical school learning environment.
• Ongoing evaluation will determine the long-term success of PPVEME in achieving its goals.
• The program's structure encourages the modeling of essential professional attributes through shared experiences.