Promoting faculty professionalism: a case-based approach

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education
• Professionalism in Healthcare

Background:

• Professionalism is a core competency for health professionals.
• Faculty development in professionalism skills and behaviors is understudied.
• Key aspects include boundaries, self-reflection, fitness for duty, and confidentiality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of routine faculty professionalism discussions in a Physician Assistant Programme.
• To evaluate faculty engagement with professionalism as a regular meeting topic.

Main Methods:

• Faculty professionalism integrated as a routine agenda item in monthly meetings over five years.
• Quarterly case discussions on faculty professionalism issues were conducted.
• Faculty survey administered to gauge perceptions and engagement.

Main Results:

• Routine inclusion of faculty professionalism validates its importance in daily practice.
• A majority of faculty surveyed anticipated quarterly case discussions positively.
• Discussed topics included admissions influence, social boundaries, civic professionalism, medical advice, and self-disclosure.

Conclusions:

• A preventive strategy for faculty professionalism issues is more effective than a reactive one.
• Regular discussions normalize professionalism, benefiting all faculty levels.
• Recommends integrating faculty professionalism into regular faculty meeting agendas.