Medical students: professionalism and fitness to practise

These guidance documents (developed with the Medical Schools Council) set out the professional values you should meet as a medical student, and gives advice to medical schools on how to deal with concerns about students’ fitness to practise.

Achieving good medical practice

Medical students are studying to join a trusted profession that will bring them into contact with patients and members of the public. They must demonstrate a high standard of behaviour at all times, which justifies the trust placed in them as a future member of the profession.

This guidance outlines the standards expected of medical students both inside and outside medical school and it shows how the principles and values of Good medical practice apply to them.  Understanding how the guidance applies now and in their future career will help in being a good student and, in the future, a good doctor.

>> Read the guidance: Achieving good medical practice: guidance for medical students

Professional behaviour and fitness to practise

Medical schools and universities must have a process to identify and deal with students whose fitness to practise may be impaired. Fitness to practise is a part of how medical schools help their students become excellent professionals.

This document gives guidance to medical schools and educators on managing processes for professionalism concerns and fitness to practise. It aims to give a consistent framework that can be adapted to local processes.

Although this guidance is mainly aimed at medical schools and universities, medical students may also find it useful, to understand how their institution deals with these issues.

>> Read the guidance: Professional behaviour and fitness to practise: guidance for medical schools and their students

Other versions of this guidance

You can ask for these publications in Welsh, or in another format or language. Please call us on 0161 923 6602 or email us at publications@gmc-uk.org.