A framework for professionalism in surgery: what is important to medical students?
BACKGROUND
The purposes of this study were to develop a comprehensive framework for professionalism in surgery and to determine which attributes are most valued by medical students.


METHODS
A framework for professionalism in surgery, consisting of 11 attribute categories, was developed. All 3rd-year medical students (n = 168) participated in a focus group and completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions about professionalism. Students' responses were transcribed verbatim, coded, and assigned attribute categories.


RESULTS
Students rated respect as the most important attribute of professionalism (56%), followed by altruism (21%) and interpersonal skills (8%). Fifty-three percent of students witnessed unprofessional behavior among faculty members while on the surgical clerkship. Of these incidents, 74% were related to respect, 28% to practice improvement, and 1% to altruism.


CONCLUSIONS
Respect was rated as the single most important characteristic of professionalism and was the attribute with the most witnessed violations.
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA. Electronic address: mesulliv@usc.edu.
Maura E
ME
Sullivan
Department of Medical Education, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Janet
J
Trial
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Craig
C
Baker
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Kenji
K
Inaba
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Josette
J
Etcheverry
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Mary
M
Nally
Department of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1520 San Pablo Street, Suite 4300, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
Peter
P
Crookes
D000533:Altruism; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Hidden curriculum; Professionalism; Undergraduate medical education