Professionalism is a complex definition that has so many different connotations to me, but ultimately it is a key feature of the respected physician. I think the best way to describe professionalism is the ideal behaviors and attitudes congruent with one’s own profession. These behaviors and attitudes are universally accepted as positive qualities in society, and the idea of professionalism conjures endless synonyms in my mind: honesty, courage, accountability, compassion, humility, altruism, and more.
Most people would think of themselves as honest and compassionate people. But if you reflect on those friends, family members, and strangers around you, are they all equally honest and compassionate? I certainly don’t think so. It creates less cognitive dissonance to think of yourself in the best light possible, so our personal judgement may be skewed. So how do you know where you stand? There’s no magical point system measuring behavior that you can reference, like on NBC’s “The Good Place”. One way to truly know whether your actions fit the professional standard is through verification by those around you.
One positive, although cumbersome, aspect of the medical school curriculum at OSU is the “death by evaluations” we receive and perform. These are formal articles of communication for every lecture, skill lab, group project, and rotation to hear how you are performing versus the professional standard. In particular, the Clinical Performance Assessments (CPA’s), which we receive after our rotations, are exceptionally nerve-racking to read, and I simultaneously dread and enthusiastically await their release. In very busy clinical services, there often isn’t time to provide much feedback or deliver praise on the day-to-day, so I find these personally valuable in reflecting on my performance. I was overwhelmed with joy reading the feedback I received from two of my rotations in particular, and feel that they both fit descriptions of professional behavior I described earlier.
From the Medical Toxicology narrative:
“Louis was an exceptional student who performed well throughout his elective in pediatric Medical Toxicology. He was enthusiastic and eager to learn, quickly taking ownership of his patients and actively participating in all aspects of their care. Louis displayed an excellent fund of knowledge, sound clinical judgment, and mature problem-solving abilities. He efficiently and thoroughly obtained patient histories, characterizing all major problems. Louis’s notes were consistently accurate, organized, and complete. His presentations were well-organized with developed problem lists, prioritized working differential diagnoses, and complete management plans. He impressed the team with his ability to offer accurate interpretations, especially under challenging situations, his participation on rounds, and how he was consistently well-prepared. Louis sought out feedback, quickly incorporating any necessary changes into his daily routine. He was a strong team player, who was always willing to go above and beyond to assist other members of the team in any way he could. He knew his patients well and was compassionate and empathetic with patients and families, even under duress. Louis’s diligence and humility made him a pleasure to work with and a true asset to the overall functioning of the team.”
Form the Neuro Critical Care narrative:
“Louis completed his AMHBC mini-internship on the Neuro Critical Care rotation at the Ohio State University Medical Center. During this time, he did an excellent job on the rotation. He was an outstanding team member and sought responsibility for the care of his patients. He was hard working, calm and composed even in the context of a sometimes busy and chaotic neurocritical care unit. He managed his patients well and was an asset to the neuro critical care team. His case presentations were excellent and demonstrated a sound understanding of pathophysiology. He was able to developed thorough and complete management plans for his patients. He was highly professional and interacted very well with other members of the neuro critical care team as well as other staff in the unit and with patients in their families.”
However, there is evidence of my own lapses in professionalism. I attended my longitudinal community (LC) meetings through my first two years of school, but as clinical rotations began in my third year, I thought it’d be easier to simply not go to these meetings anymore. After multiple mass emails emphasized that these meetings were required, I still failed to put the meeting on my calendar and attend. I was met with this email, followed by my response: Apology Email
As detailed in the email, for my lapse in professionalism, I was required to write a reflection on professionalism. I chose to discuss a relevant experience in recent months where I witnessed unprofessional behavior: 030419 Professionalism Paper
Despite the professional behavior detailed in my evaluations above, my failure to meet my responsibilities to LC showed poor judgement and neglect in recognizing the effect my absence had on other people. How does this experience play in to my professionalism overall? Are the words from my evaluations no longer accurate or diminished?
Overall, in reflecting on these experiences, I can better appreciate that being professional doesn’t mean behaving ideally 90% of the time, but being professional in all aspects of life, clinical or not. In my future, it will be important for me to maintain this attitude. As I progress further and further into this profession, my behaviors and actions will have even more drastic effects on the people around me. Not being accountable and maintaining integrity could mean accidentally doing someone harm. With professionalism in mind, this means attending every requested meeting or at least acknowledging my future absence. This means being on-time to clinic every day. This means being committed to excellence and not settling for mistakes without an apology. It’s a dynamic topic that will continue to evolve as I process through medicine. As I graduate and take the Hippocratic oath, I must live by these principles.