Elevation: developing a mentorship model to raise the next generation of plastic surgery professionals
Ida Janelle Wagner1, Charles Scott Hultman
1Division of Plastic Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|April 2, 2013
Summary
Plastic surgeons (PSs) and other practitioners (OPs) agree on core professionalism, but PSs are more cautious about specific ethical issues in plastic surgery. This highlights differences in perception and potential areas for improved professionalism education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Ethics
- Professionalism in Medicine
Background:
- Professionalism is a cornerstone of medical practice, encompassing ethical conduct, patient-centered care, and accountability.
- Understanding perceptions of professionalism within specific surgical fields like plastic surgery is crucial for targeted education and maintaining high standards.
- Previous research has explored general medical professionalism, but specific nuances within subspecialties require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To define the central components of professionalism within plastic surgery.
- To compare the perceptions of professionalism between plastic surgeons (PSs) and other practitioners (OPs).
- To gather data on attitudes toward professionalism to inform educational strategies.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was distributed via SurveyMonkey to surgeons, anesthesiologists, and fourth-year medical students at a public university.
- Responses from plastic surgeons (n=22) were compared with those from non-plastic surgeons (OPs, n=294).
- A total of 316 participants completed the survey, representing a 53% response rate.
Main Results:
- Both PSs and OPs identified 'development and conformance to a body of ethics' as the most important component of professionalism.
- Plastic surgeons cited 'not enough mentors' as the primary obstacle to teaching professionalism, while OPs indicated 'not a priority in medical school curriculum'.
- Significant differences emerged regarding specific plastic surgery scenarios, with PSs showing more conservative views on practices like 'charity raffles' for cosmetic surgery and the use of another surgeon's before-and-after photographs.
Conclusions:
- While plastic surgeons share common views on general professionalism with their peers, they exhibit more conservative attitudes towards specific ethical issues.
- These differences may stem from focused educational efforts in mentoring, training, and maintenance of certification within plastic surgery.
- The findings underscore the need for tailored professionalism education that addresses the unique ethical considerations in plastic surgery.
