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Resources

The following professionalism-related resources are available to help faculty, staff and students succeed in conducting daily activities with honesty and integrity.

Human Resources Consulting Services
HR Consulting Services provide subject matter expertise on a variety of HR issues including assistance with job evaluations, qualifications assessment, recruitment, management counseling, policy development and staffing metrics. For more information, contact HR Administration at (409) 772-8699, and they will direct you to the appropriate contact.

Office of Continuing Education (OCE)
OCE is dedicated to helping physicians and other health care providers fulfill their continuing medical education requirements. For information on CME courses over the Internet or other upcoming OCE events, visit its web site at /oce/. Interested parties can also email the office at continuing.ed@utmb.edu or call (409) 772-9300.

Organizational Development, Training and Recognition (ODT&R)
A division of Human Resources, ODT&R provides professional developmental opportunities through educational and consultative services to all levels of UTMB staff. ODT&R offers three levels of Leadership Development, General Employee Training Courses, Emotional Intelligence Courses/Assessments, Values in Professionalism, New Employee Orientation and other developmental assessments such as Birkman. Those interested should contact their supervisor about these programs. ODT&R can also be contacted about these programs or other facilitation, consultation and coaching services at (409) 747-6700 or hr.odtr@utmb.edu.

Compliance, Ethics, Medical Errors Reporting
Ask the HIPPAA Team
A member of the HIPAA Team can respond to your questions or concerns about HIPAA, in general, or as it relates to your department. For other HIPAA information, contact (409) 747-8708 or mcponce@utmb.edu.

Clinical Ethics Consultation Service
Available to physicians, nurses, allied health professionals and administrators, this service helps facilitate discussion, analysis and understanding of ethical issues in patient care. The service also provides recommendations for solving ethical problems that arise in health care practice. Every effort is made to preserve confidentiality and the service is provided at no charge to the patient or department. Ethics consultations can be initiated at (409) 747-1230.

Clinical Risk Management (CRM)
Services A department of the Hospitals and Clinics, CRM works to reduce and control loss to patients, employees and visitors with a focus primarily on loss resulting from the delivery of health care. Reports of hazardous situations and adverse events may be made by completing an Occurrence Report, or by calling CRM directly 24 hours a day at (409) 772-4775.

Conflict of Interest Committee (COI)
The Compliance Office has a web page describing conflict of interest policy. If you still have questions, contact UTMB Conflict of Interest Committee's administrative support at (409) 772-3023.

Fraud and Abuse Hotline
This toll-free hotline enables staff and faculty to anonymously report suspected wrongdoing, including waste, fraud, abuse and violations of any federal or state laws and UTMB or U.T. System policies. The Hotline number is (800) 898-7679.

Office of Institutional Compliance
This office provides a broad range of assistance for compliance-related issues including medical billing coding, standards of conduct guidelines, teaching physician guidelines, compliance training issues, and many other compliance issues. For more information call (409) 747-8700 or visit /compliance/.

Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) is charged with advancing UTMB as the educator, employer and provider of choice by promoting an inclusive environment that actively values diversity among students, faculty, staff, patients and he broader community.

Established in 2012, ODI's mission is to integrate inclusion and excellence into the core aspects of the university's work through though leadership, consulting and service delivery.  To that end, ODI has developed an overarching strategy to accomplish UTMB's commitment to diversity.  For more information contact 409-747-4862 or culture@utmb.edu.

Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are voluntary, employee-led groups that share a common purpose, interest, background or activity and are aligned with UTMB's mission and business objectives.  members of these groups help to create a diverse, inclusive workplace by actively embracing the varying perspectives and experiences of others and promoting our core values.  Currently, UTMB has the following employee resource groups:  EMERGE Resource Group, https://hr.utmb.edu/diversity/emerge/ and Veterans Resource Groups, https://hr.utmb.edu/diversity/veterans/

Professionalism Agreement
The Professionalism Agreement is the product of a 2009 collaborative effort between the Ambulatory Clinics, the Professionalism Committee and Nursing, to have employees sign a commitment of understanding for maintaining professional conduct and behavior.  The agreement is included in new employee orientation.  Many areas annually review the agreement with the Professionalism Charter. Also available is, "Professionalism Agreement Talking Points for Managers".

UTMB Diversity Council
The UTMB Diversity Council is an institutional think-tank that provides oversight and implementation accountability for the various aspects of the institution's diversity and inclusion strategic plan.  Council members are representational thought leaders who drive the institution's diversity and inclusion effort based on a clear charter and operating with the full and visible support of senior executive leadership.  For more information on the UTMB Diversity Council please visit http://www.utmb.edu/diversity/Default.aspx

The John P. McGovern, M.D. Academy of Oslerian Medicine
This School of Medicine organization is dedicated to the application of Oslerian principles of compassion and humanism to contemporary health care and health care education. The Academy is led by William Osler Scholars, practicing physicians in the School of Medicine faculty selected for their history of giving highly competent, humane, compassionate care who serve as outstanding teachers and role models for these qualities. The McGovern Academy meets twice a month to study Osler and to develop ways to integrate his ideals into the UTMB curriculum and culture. Every six weeks, the meeting is open to everyone at UTMB and the public as the UTMB Osler Club. For more information, watch for upcoming events in the UTMB Daily Announcement listings, contact America Hayward at (409) 772-9327 or visit /osler/.

UTMB Professionalism Committee
This working group of UTMB faculty, staff and students meets monthly. For information on how to get involved with the committee's professionalism activities, contact Rebecca Saavedra at (409) 772-2909.

Student Honor Pledge Committee
A student-run committee that works to promote the UTMB Honor Pledge and academic integrity in general. For information, contact the Student Life office at (409) 772-1996.

The Goals Institute
The Goals Institute offers facilitation tools and resources for their four most popular programs so you can bring them into your organization and teach them yourself. Visit their website or call and ask about these programs: 1) Professionalism is for Everyone; 2) The Leader's Toolbox; 3) It's About TIME!; and 4) Soar...If You Dare! Visit the Goals Institute at http://www.goalpower.com or call 703-264-2000.

VitalSmarts
VitalSmarts is a full-service organizational development firm that specializes in 1) Training of personal, interpersonal, and organizational skills; 2) Diagnostic and measurement tools and services; 3) Management and culture-change consulting; and 4) Research and development. VitalSmarts applies multidisciplinary theory and practical experience to complex organizational challenges to achieve its mission of helping organizations improve their individual, team, and organizational vitality. They partner with corporate and organizational leaders in diagnosing, designing, implementing, and measuring positive change. More than three hundred Fortune 500 companies and numerous organizations large and small have successfully used products and services produced by VitalSmarts. Visit VitalSmarts at http://www.vitalsmarts.com.

Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy (CPPA) Took Kit
The took kit contains contains several teaching and decision aids that have been developed by the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy, such as situation analysis of an issue, balance beam, promoting professionalism pyramid, infrastructure development checklist, conversation goals and best practices in complaint report documentation.

The National Board of Medical Examiners is pleased to introduce a new website for the Assessment of Professional Behaviors Program:
We invite medical educators, clinicians, students, residents, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and healthcare consumers to learn more about this developmental program.

The Assessment of Professional Behaviors (APB) Program is a multisource feedback/360 evaluation program designed to provide participants with feedback on specific, observable professional behaviors as exhibited in medical education and work settings. The program is currently in development, with a large-scale pilot planned for 2007-08. Our goal is to have the program available for wide use in 2008.

The new APB website offers background information about the program and documentation of our current work, including the behaviors found on our survey instrument and program implementation guidelines. In the discussion forum, visitors have the opportunity to provide feedback and engage in discussions about our current set of behaviors. We welcome your input!

Statement of Principles for Teacher and Learner Conduct in the Educational Setting
UTMB's institutional values of respect and integrity place an obligation on both teachers and learners to conduct themselves appropriately in the educational setting.  UTMB is committed to fostering an environment that promotes academic and professional success in learners and teachers at all levels and in all settings. The achievement of such success is dependent on an environment free of behaviors which can undermine the important missions of our institution. These principles extend to learners enrolled as students in each of the schools and postdoctoral trainees in medicine and the biomedical sciences.  Responsibilities for both Teachers and Learners are delineated in this document/contract.  For more information contact, Dr. Michael Ainsworth at (409) 772-6928.

Early Concern Notes
Faculty who have concerns about the professional behavior of School of Medicine students may include such concerns in the student's formal academic evaluation. When they believe the concerns do not warrant such an inclusion, completion of an Early Concern Note allows confidential referral of students for counseling and less formal intervention. For more information, contact Dr. Michael Ainsworth 

Honor Education Council
This School of Medicine student-advisory organization works to promote honor and ethical principles by sponsoring various activities including the annual White Coat Ceremony and special guest lectures that address professional behavior and ethical issues. The Council also investigates academic dishonesty cases and formulates strategies to reduce academic dishonesty incidence rates.
For additional information, contact the Student Life office at (409) 772-1996.

Student Ombudsman
A neutral third party designated to hear University-related grievances brought forth by students. The ombudsman listens to and discusses student concerns, questions, or complaints, explains University policies. The ombudsman also provides information and referrals to help resolve the student's problem in an objective, non-threatening manner. The ombudsman can handle various academic and non-academic concerns, such as fee payment, housing, financial aid, grades, academic issues, and other university-related issues. Confidentiality is assured.
Calls should be directed to (409) 747-4820.

Resources - Articles

  • 2007 Professionalism Summit

    Biennially, the UTMB Professionalism Committee hosts a summit to raise awareness about the importance of professionalism. The keynote speaker for the 2007 summit was Jordan J Cohen.

  • 2009 Professionalism Summit

    Biennially, the UTMB Professionalism Committee hosts a summit to raise awareness about the importance of professionalism. The keynote speaker for the April 8, 2009 summit was David C. Leach, M.D., retired Executive Director of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The presentation was entitled, " Creating a Culture of Professionalism: Reconnecting Soul and Role".

  • 2011 Professionalism Summit

    Biennially, the UTMB Professionalism Committee hosts a summit to raise awareness about the importance of professionalism. The keynote speaker for the April 1, 2011 summit was Gerald Hickson, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Director for the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy. The presentation was entitled, "A Complementary Approach to Professionalism: Identifying, Measuring and Addressing Unprofessional Behaviors".

  • 2014 Professionalism Summit and Poster Session

    Biennially, the UTMB Professionalism Committee hosts a summit to raise awareness about the importance of professionalism. The keynote speaker for the August 7, 2014 summit was Barbara Balik, RN, EdD Principal, Common Fire Healthcare Consulting Senior Faculty, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Board of Governors, National Patient Safety Foundation. The presentation was entitled, "Interprofessionalism - Why Bother?".

  • 2016 Professionalism Summit and Poster Session

    Biennially, the UTMB Professionalism Committee hosts a summit to raise awareness about the importance of professionalism.The keynote speaker for the April 8, 2016 summit was Dr. Angela Peterman Mihalic, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Professor of Pediatrics at UT Soutwestern.Dr. Mihalic presentation was entitled, "Managing a Respectful Intergenerational and Interprofessional Workforce".

Would you like to let us know about another professionalism program or group within your school or department? If so, please contact Rebecca Saavedra at rsaavedr@utmb.edu.