Table 2.
Key Points for Professionalism Presentations or Remediation: Using Professional Identity to Discuss Professionalism
| Presenters may want to use these questions and possible answers in a Socratic format, generating as much audience participation—and investment in the topic—as possible. During remediation, try to elicit appropriate responses from the individual, but be prepared to stimulate him or her, as required. |
| What do you want to accomplish during your medical career? What are your career goals? |
| Help others? |
| Clinical excellence? |
| Academic excellence? |
| Professional leadership? |
| Scientific advances/publications? |
| How about your personal goals? |
| Enjoy practicing medicine? |
| Fulfilling family life? |
| Minimizing stress and enjoying personal time? |
| Financial, personal and geographic stability? |
| What ideal physician characteristics (e.g., virtues, values, attitudes) do you possess or are working to achieve?3 |
| Fairness |
| Honesty |
| Kindness |
| Teamwork |
| Judgmenta |
| Leadershipa |
| What factors that you control in your professional life could advance your opportunities to achieve or prevent you from achieving these goals? |
| Avoid or get treatment for substance abuse.b |
| Get prompt treatment for psychological issues |
| If suggested or suspected, get counseling for problematic personality traits such as narcissism, perfectionism, and selfishnessb |
| Learn to control anger, especially under heightened stressb |
| Leave personal problems out of the work environmentb |
| Be a reliable worker (e.g., no chronic lateness or absenteeism, come prepared to work) |
| Demonstrate positive team member behavior (e.g., do not cheat, falsify data, or disrespect or argue with other team or staff members) |
| Do not resist constructive advice (e.g., arrogance, defensiveness) |
| Work to improve relationships with patients and their families |
| Ask for help (clinically and emotionally) when you need it |
| Have a study plan and follow it |
| Read relevant professional literature |
| Identify a mentor and meet with him or her regularly |
| Know and follow the departmental, institutional, other relevant governing rules for your professional work. Accept supervisors’ directives |
| Actively participate in professional meetings, groups, and associations |
| Teach others, whenever possible |
| Ask for feedback on your clinical work and professional relations |
| Develop a career plan after investigating its feasibility for you |
| What are the professional consequences of persistent unprofessional behavior?c |
| Delay in educational progress |
| Diminished professional status |
| Required remedial interventions (short‐ or long‐term) |
| Limitations on specialty, fellowship or locations for graduate medical education |
| Probation at or expulsion from school, training program |
| Fewer patients and referrals |
| Limitations of clinical privileges |
| Diminished income |
| Negative media exposure |
| Altered working relationship with colleagues and staff |
| Loss of clinical privileges |
| Difficulty obtaining future positions |