Ideals in action: the U.S. Schweitzer Fellows Programs

The inclusion of formal courses in medical ethics as part of standard undergraduate medical education has not led to widespread confidence in the moral and professional development of young physicians. As important as classes on informed consent and other such topics are, alternative approaches to professional moral development are needed. One example can be found in The U.S. Schweitzer Fellows Programs, which now support over 100 health professions students annually in six locations. Fellows participate in activities designed to strengthen the ideals that originally attracted them to medicine and other health care fields. Because Dr. Schweitzer is remembered primarily for the way he translated his ideals of human service into action, the core activity of each program is a direct-service project that addresses an important unmet health need of the local community or individuals in the community, with the support of community-based and school-based mentors. Alumni of these programs report that their experiences as Schweitzer fellows have helped them integrate their own ideals into their professional and career development. Such systematic efforts to recognize and support the latent idealism of young health professionals may strengthen the moral dimensions of professional life in ways that have broad social benefits.