Professionalism: Courtesy/Politeness-Dr. Calendar

Question 1

What does professionalism mean?

Answer 1

The ability to understand the nature of, and demonstrate Courtesy (Politeness)and ethical behavior in, the act of medical care. This includes respect, responsibility and accountability, excellence and scholarship, honor and integrity, altruism, leadership, cultural competency, caring and compassion, and confidentiality.

-doing the right thing at all times even no one is looking

Question 2

What does culture mean?

Answer 2

• way of life that makes you what you are from the time your born until now
• ex. some may have parents or may not

Question 3

Why has professionalism become a big issue?

Answer 3

some Dean deemed that professionalism should be a priority in medicine (Training) prior to become a doctor

-In response to several unprofessional events exhibited by some medical students, then Dean Robert Taylor organized during the summer of 2010, three groups composed of faculty and medical students

Question 4

Hidden curriculum (goal)

Answer 4

• it is not taught
• the behavior you demonstrate
• what was practiced is what was not preached

-Our goal will be to replace the “Hidden Curriculum” by one curriculum

Question 5

Honor Council (facilitated by the code of honor)

Answer 5

• this code is what is used to define what professionalism is or is not
• honor council is the only one that makes the decision or recommendation of whether a behavior was professional or not

The Honor Council Committee which oversees the Code of Honor, Professionalism and Ethics was created in 2010. Since its inception the Council has heard several cases brought against students.

Question 6

Task Force on Professionalism (TFOP)

Answer 6

-looks at what are the actions that characterizes professionalism

they interact with the curriculum committee where it becomes the code of behavior

Question 7

The Howard University Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS)

Answer 7

the only group where peers that identify individuals that will be in this committee

Question 8

What is courtesy and politeness? What are barriers to that?

Answer 8

• Courtesy is kindness and consideration expressed in a sophisticated and elegant way.
• Politeness is best expressed as the practical application of good manners or etiquette.
• culture could be a barrier to courtesy and politeness

Question 9

What are the 13 characteristics of professionalism?

Answer 9

• respect
• responsibility
• accountability
• excellence
• scholarship
• honor
• integrity: doing the right thing even no one is looking
• altruism
• leadership: vision, the ability to effectively communicate, ability to listen (need to hear from others as you go along-important because you do not know everything)
• cultural competency: allows you to be in harmony with whatever culture you encounter and individuals with all walks of life
• caring
• compression
• confidentiality

one of the ways of showing caring, compassion and kindness is through listening (NONVERBAL communication) -why altruism is so important

Question 10

Professionalism in Medicine

Answer 10

• you have a responsibility to make sure you are doing what you ought to do even when others are not
• you report those who do not

Question 11

What is respect?

Answer 11

1. Defending patients’ dignity by using the patient’s proper form of address and by paying attention to the patient’s comfort and modesty in every encounter
2. Choosing to appropriately groom and dress oneself whenever working in a professional environment
3. Identifying and supporting all individuals’ choices.

Question 12

What is responsibility and accountability?

Answer 12

Demonstrate responsibility and accountability by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Managing emotions in order to maintain personal control amidst adverse and trying circumstances
2. Recognizing impairments in peers and reporting
   them to the appropriate entities
3. Intervening on behalf of patients, colleagues, or
   co-workers when others behave unprofessionally, confronting all unprofessional behavior
4. Attending and being punctual at all required
   educational sessions

Question 13

What is excellence and scholarship?

Answer 13

Demonstrate excellence and scholarship by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Choosing to be thorough in all assignments
   including reading about patients’ problems
2. Recognizing and managing uncertainty
   Practicing self-reflection as a tool for life-long
   learning

Question 14

What is honor and integrity?

Answer 14

Demonstrate honor and integrity by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Being honest about student identity/role and
   experience level in all encounters with patients, colleagues and co-workers
2. Recognizing and respecting personal, emotional, and physical boundaries with patients,
   teachers, and peers
3. Accurately reporting only data that has been
   personally verified
4. Making appropriate attribute on to sources of ideas and data
5. Admitting mistakes and errors
6. Evaluating own performance and being honest about shortcomings

Question 15

What is altruism?

Answer 15

Demonstrate altruism by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Identifying when patients’ needs supersede the student’s
2. Advocating for the individual patient’s needs
   when they arise
3. Recognizing the social issues that impact the health of patients
4. Know the importance of patient advocacy

Question 16

What is leadership?

Answer 16

Demonstrate leadership by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Sharing responsibility for group learning,
   feedback and discussion
2. Supporting colleagues by creating a collegial
   learning environment
3. Allowing others to demonstrate excellence when
   appropriate

Question 17

What is cultural competency?

Answer 17

Demonstrates cultural competency through:

1. The ability to adapt communication style to the patient’s language and cultural background
2. The ability to recognize and respond to culturally-based challenges during the clinical encounter

Question 18

What is caring and compression?

Answer 18

Demonstrates caring and compassion by exhibiting behaviors such as:

1. Expressing sensitivity to others’ circumstances such as emotional state, care expectations and socioeconomic perspective
2. Recognizing when to listen, when to talk, and when to be silently present

Question 19

What is confidentiality?

Answer 19

1. Protect patient confidentiality at all times

2. Demonstrate awareness of mandated privacy regulations. e.g., HIPPA

Question 20

The Behaviors that Comprise Professionalism can be Organized around Four Areas:

Answer 20

1. Responsibility
2. Capacity for self-improvement
3. Relationship with patients
4. Relationship with the health care team and the environment, including systems and organizations

Question 21

We have the following hospital/medical school committees that exist to foster an
appropriate learning environment:

Answer 21

(1)Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) – the National Honor Medical Fraternity
(2) The Gold Humanism Honor Society
(3) The Sub-Committee on Professionalism of the Curriculum Committee
(4) The Honor Council
(5) The Faculty Senate
(6) The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate
(7) The Promotions Committee
(8) The Social Networking Policy Committee
(9) The Office of Faculty Development
The Faculty Hand Book
The Faculty House Staff and Student Affairs Committee (FHSAC)
(12) Curriculum Committee
Credentials Committee of the Medical Staff
Committee on Professionalism of the Medical Staff
Professional Affairs Committee of the Faculty Practice Plan

Question 22

In 1914, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis Defined a Profession:

Answer 22

First, A profession is an occupation for which the necessary preliminary training is intellectual in character; involving knowledge, and to some extent learning, as distinguished from mere skill.

Second, A profession is an occupation which is pursued largely for others and not merely for one’s self.

Third, It is an occupation in which the amount of financial return is not the accepted measure of success.