Promoting professional behaviour in undergraduate medical, dental and veterinary curricula in the Netherlands: evaluation of a joint effort.
BACKGROUND
From 2002 onwards, a nationwide working group of representatives from all medical (8), dental (3) and veterinary medicine (1) schools collaborated in order to develop and implement recommendations for teaching and assessing professional behaviour.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this article is to describe the outcomes of this process, including hurdles encountered and challenges to be met.


METHODS
By a qualitative survey, information was requested on teaching professional behaviour, assessment, instruments used, consequences of unprofessional behaviour and faculty training.


RESULTS
All schools have adopted at least parts of the 2002 recommendations. Differences exist mainly in the organisational structure of teaching and assessment as well as in the assessment instruments used. In all schools a longitudinal assessment of professional behaviour was accomplished.


CONCLUSIONS
All schools involved have made progress since 2002 with regard to teaching and assessment of professional behaviour, resulting in a shift from an instrumental to a cultural change for some schools. A stimulating factor was society's call to focus on patient safety and therefore on assessment of unprofessional behaviour. Hurdles yet to be taken are the involvement of students in the assessment process, teacher confidence in personal assessment capacities, remediation programmes and logistic and administrative support.
van Luijk
Scheltus J
SJ
Free University Medical Centre, Institute for Education and Training, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. sj.vanluijk@vumc.nl
Gorter
Ronald C
RC
van Mook
Walther N K A
WN
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000592:standards*; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000592:standards*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D036301:Qualitative Research