Professionalism - what does it mean?

This page for medical students asks what professionalism means. It includes a podcast for students to listen to or download, which examines the issues around professionalism.

When you begin your studies at medical school you are not just learning how to do a job, you are preparing to join a profession. In addition to learning about the scientific basis of medicine and how to perform a range of practical procedures, you also need to learn about the professional aspects of becoming a doctor.

The new edition of Tomorrow’s Doctors specifies a range of outcomes related to professionalism that medical students must be able to demonstrate before they graduate.

But what is actually meant by ‘professionalism’? And why does it matter?

The podcast below explores why it is so important that students learn about professionalism during their time at medical school.

In addition to the podcast, you can also see some extra interview material and find out more about why practising doctors, current medical students and members of the public, think professionalism is so important. Click here to see this extra material (pdf)

Podcast

We have produced a podcast to explore why it is so important that students learn about professionalism during their time at medical school.

• Download a transcript of the podcast (31 kb, pdf). 
• Download the podcast (right click and choose 'save target/link as' to save onto your computer)(5 MB, MP3)
• Listen to the podcast online - click twice on the play button below to start