Professionalism in Pediatrics
 

 
 

 

 

RATIONALE
The Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that professionalism must be addressed in residency curricula and that residents’ competency in professionalism must be evaluated.
 

UTMB-Galveston Graduate Medical Education Office requires that Residents evaluate Faculty competency in the Professionalism domain and Faculty evaluate Resident competency in the Professionalism domain.

 

Do residents and faculty know how to evaluate each other in the domain of professionalism?

 

Professionalism is a complex concept, composed of many constructs.  It is important that we understand the component parts of Professionalism if we are to adequately and fairly evaluate each other in the Professionalism domain.  Professionalism in Pediatrics has been developed to assist faculty and residents to better understand the dimensions of the professionalism domain, so to make evaluation of professionalism a more meaningful activity.

 

PREMISES

  1. Specificity.   A primary premise underlying Professionalism in Pediatrics is as follows:  It is not sufficient to say “You’ll know it when you see it and you’ll know when it is absent.”  In pediatric healthcare, we advise families to avoid telling children to “be good” and instead to state specific expectations.  Similarly, we believe it is insufficient and ineffective to strive to “be professional” or to globally evaluate “professionalism.”   It is necessary to identify and define the component behaviors and attitudes of professionalism. Using constructs outlined by the ACGME1, the Gold Humanism Foundation 2, and the UTMB Professionalism Charter3,this series focuses on nine components, creating the acronym CHARACTER.    [1,2,3 go to Resources]

  1. Reflection is a critical element for learning about professionalism.  It is not enough to simply “do” or “observe”; but through reflection, one can consolidate the learning and make it relevant to oneself and useful for evaluation of others.
     

  2. Evaluating professionalism is a requirement and responsibility for all. This resource is designed for faculty and residents. While there is an expectation that faculty serve as role-models for residents, faculty are not inherently experts; and they, too, must learn and reflect. 

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