title: Defining Medical Professionalism Across the Years of Training and Experience at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
abstract: Many medical institutions have moved forward with curricular objectives aimed at teaching professionalism, but the question remains: are we teaching the most appropriate content at the most opportune times to maximize sustained learning? The students' point of view of professionalism is helpful in addressing this question.
  
  
  
  To describe the views of professionalism held by students and faculty at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
  
  
  
  In e-mailed surveys, students and faculty free-texted the three most important characteristics of a professional. Qualitative analysis was used to analyze the results. Data were compared on the basis of the percentage of each group affirming one of the characteristics.
  
  
  
  Fourteen characteristics of professionalism were found. There were significant differences across all participant groups in the characteristics that each indicated were most important.
  
  
  
  Differences emerge between definitions of professionalism that appear to relate to training and experience. Students' views of professionalism reflect the immediate context of their educational environment. Curricula targeted to the students' foci are relevant in teaching professionalism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20184.
authors.forename: Virginia F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Randall
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20184.
authors.forename: Christopher W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20184.
authors.forename: Cara H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20184.
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Warwick
authors.affiliation: National Capital Consortium Pediatric Residency, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20889.
authors.forename: Katrina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20184.
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crouch
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum / Q000639:trends*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000379:methods; D000068616:Professionalism / Q000592:standards*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000592:standards