A framework for professionalism in surgery: what is important to medical students?

BackgroundThe 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsStudents 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.ConclusionsRespect was rated as the single most important characteristic of professionalism and was the attribute with the most witnessed violations.