title: Professionalism and occupational therapy: an exploration of faculty and students' perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Professionalism is a complex, multifaceted concept embedded within the curricula of occupational therapy programs and professional documents; yet there is no clear explanation in the literature.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore occupational therapy faculty and students' perspectives of the meaning of professionalism.
  
  
  METHODS
  This interpretivist qualitative study used convenience sampling to recruit eight second-year occupational therapy master's students and five occupational therapy faculty members to participate in two separate focus groups. Open-coding and constant comparative methods were used to identify themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data analysis yielded the following student focus group themes: uncertainty about professional expectations; searching for answers through concrete concepts; and the context-specific nature of professionalism. Faculty focus group themes were professional responsibility; professional awareness; and the context-specific nature of professionalism. Understanding and enacting professionalism may be a developmental process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further exploration of the meaning of professionalism from a variety of other occupational therapy stakeholders is needed.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Centre, RR180, 800 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9. ali.robnsn@gmail.com
authors.forename: Allison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Chelsea J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Tanchuk
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004500:Education, Graduate; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010465:Perception; D024382:Professional Role; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013334:Students