Developing ideas of professionalism

Professionalism is widely acknowledged as being central to medical practice, and is taught at most UK medical schools. The impact of this teaching in the context of competing influences on a student's developing view of themselves as professional is, however, unclear. We explored the understanding of professionalism in third-year medical students who have recently completed this element of their formal teaching, and related this understanding to previously unexplored wider influences placed upon them during their development.

A questionnaire consisting of two closed questions and two open questions was distributed via e-mail to third-year students at Imperial College School of Medicine, London. The closed questions explored both beliefs about what constitutes medical professionalism and preferences for the teaching of professionalism. The open questions explored the contexts within which students believed their understanding of professionalism was derived. Content analysis of text-based questions was performed.

The most commonly cited aspects of professionalism by students in this study were confidentiality, good medical knowledge and practical skill. Students also cited promptness, hygiene and appearance as being important, although these factors are rarely cited in the literature. Students cited role models, the media and parents as the three most important influences on their view of professionalism. These merit further consideration in future research and course design. Most students agreed that professionalism should be taught at medical school, but that this would be best achieved within a clinical setting. The favoured model for acquisition of views on professionalism was observation of doctors rather than formal teaching.