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The principles of professional behaviour for medical students
Although medical students have legal restrictions on the clinical work they can do, they must be aware that they are often acting in the position of a qualified doctor and that their activities will affect patients. Patients may see students as knowledgeable, and may consider them to have the same responsibilities and duties as a doctor.
Basic medical training gives students the opportunity to learn professional behaviour in a supervised environment that is safe for patients. It is also an opportunity for medical schools to identify types of behaviour that are not safe, and to take appropriate action to help students improve their behaviour; or if this is not possible or is unsuccessful, to make sure they do not graduate as doctors.
One of our key priorities is to set the standards for professional behaviour. Good Medical Practice is our core guidance for doctors and sets out the principles and values on which good practice is founded. Tomorrow's Doctors is our guidance for undergraduate medical education, and states that the principles in Good Medical Practice must form the basis of medical education. The Trainee Doctor sets out the outcomes that provisionally registered doctors must demonstrate as professionals in the workplace before they can be fully registered. The outcomes are set against the guidance in Good Medical Practice.
Students must be aware that their behaviour outside the clinical environment, including in their personal lives, may have an impact on their fitness to practise (see examples – Most frequent areas of concern).
Their behaviour at all times must justify the trust the public places in the medical profession.
Read about
- Good clinical care
- Maintaining good medical practice
- Teaching and training, appraising and assessing
- Relationships with patients
- Working with colleagues
- Probity
- The student’s health