Reframing Professionalism Around Trustworthiness: A Practical Approach to Professionalism Curriculum Development

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Professionalism Studies
• Healthcare Ethics

Background:

• Existing medical professionalism education faces challenges with inconsistent definitions and assessment limitations.
• There's a need for a more adaptable and comprehensive framework to meet evolving professional norms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and refine a revised definition and conceptual framework for medical professionalism centered on trustworthiness.
• To integrate virtue-based, behavior-based, and professional identity formation frameworks into a cohesive model.

Main Methods:

• A working group of faculty and medical students collaboratively developed a trustworthiness-based professionalism framework.
• The framework categorizes performance into four domains: competence, humanity, morality/ethics, and duty fulfillment.
• Professional values are mapped to observable behaviors, emphasizing character and professional identity formation.

Main Results:

• A revised definition and conceptual framework for medical professionalism based on trustworthiness was created.
• The framework integrates key aspects of existing professionalism models.
• It provides clear, observable actions and connects professionalism to professional identity development.

Conclusions:

• The trustworthiness-based framework enhances clarity and comprehensiveness in defining medical professionalism.
• It offers a practical tool for educators to develop longitudinal, competency-based curricula.
• Reframing professionalism around trust provides learners with an explicit rationale for its importance in patient care and workplace relationships.