The Dirtiest Word...

DocVirk · Oct 11, 2006

Is this unique to my school?

Our new word for the year has become "professionalism". To be deemed "unprofessional" is probably worse than being compared to Saddam Hussein. We can actually submit "Professionalism feedback" on our peers. It has kind of become a gigantic joke among the students

45408 · Oct 11, 2006

Well, we don't have any peer reviews or anything, but we have been getting the professionalism push since orientation. We joke about it though. This thread is actually pretty unprofessional.

SoCuteMD · Oct 11, 2006

DocVirk said:
Is this unique to my school?

Our new word for the year has become "professionalism". To be deemed "unprofessional" is probably worse than being compared to Saddam Hussein. We can actually submit "Professionalism feedback" on our peers. It has kind of become a gigantic joke among the students

Ugh! We need that...or SOMETHING.

Some of my fellow students are very professional and mature. A number are not. I notice that those who have worked full time jobs tend NOT to have issues while those who seem to have difficulty with the concept have usually never really worked at a job.

hyperbaric · Oct 11, 2006

DocVirk said:
Is this unique to my school?

Our new word for the year has become "professionalism". To be deemed "unprofessional" is probably worse than being compared to Saddam Hussein. We can actually submit "Professionalism feedback" on our peers. It has kind of become a gigantic joke among the students

We have also had the professionalism push. A first I thought it was silly. After spending some time with a handful of my classmates, I know why it is an issue.

DoctorFunk · Oct 11, 2006

We were told that we were being unprofessional by forgetting to reset the chairs and tables that we used in small group sessions after they were done.

They proceeded to spend 20 minutes in our ethics lecture describing just how to reset these chairs and outlining the negative effect on our grades that not resetting the chairs would incur. This left them little time to cover the lecture material, which was skimmed over quickly in an effort to stay on-time for the next lecture. I guess that is still considered professional, though.

fantasty · Oct 11, 2006

Professionalism is a component that will be expected on your dean's letter.

I realize that many go too far in using that word to describe petty things (as others already mentioned). But, it's a necessary evil. We'd like to think that it would just be inuitive but obviously a lot of people need reminders and feedback in a structured educational setting because it continues to be a problem (I'm not sure who the biggest offenders are though - I doubt students are any worse than residents or practicing physicians).

tiredmom · Oct 11, 2006

Our school also has big professionalism issues going - they've actually failed people in clerkships for being unprofessional.
Dante - what a cute dog!

Doctor Bagel · Oct 11, 2006

It's an important issue, but it does seem like many schools are abusing it. Basically, if you don't do exactly what they want you to do, it's "unprofessional." The example above about reorganizing the tables and chairs is classic. Also, there actually are schools that read this board and will contact students for their "unprofessional" behavior here (unprofessional meaning saying something that's not glowing about your school). Pretty crazy if you ask me.

Wizard of Oz · Oct 11, 2006

Yes, and it is exacerabted when control-freak deans use this part of the dean's letter to bully students into adopting their meaning of the word.

yellowcat322 · Oct 11, 2006

dante201 said:
Professionalism is a component that will be expected on your dean's letter.

I realize that many go too far in using that word to describe petty things (as others already mentioned). But, it's a necessary evil. We'd like to think that it would just be inuitive but obviously a lot of people need reminders and feedback in a structured educational setting because it continues to be a problem (I'm not sure who the biggest offenders are though - I doubt students are any worse than residents or practicing physicians).

I agree. My school also makes a big to do out of professionalism and true it can go overboard sometimes. Because it's such a vague concept almost any "deviant" behaviour can be labeled as unprofessional. But that is to be expected - in the same way that being PC can go overboard and become a rediculous walk on egg shells. Having said that I still think that its overall a good thing that professionalism is being addressed. Med school may not teach us anything new about the concept that we didn't know already but at least it gets you thinking about it and being constantly aware of it which in the end i think makes a bigger impact on your attitude later on in life than you may think.

erin682 · Oct 11, 2006

My school has a "professionalism forum" for all incoming students every year. Of course 'professional dress' is expected and lots of professional people speak for ages on what professionalism means to them. And in case the professionalism police are watching I will refrain from commenting on what I thought of that event.

45408 · Oct 11, 2006

dante201 said:
I'm not sure who the biggest offenders are though - I doubt students are any worse than residents or practicing physicians.

How dare you! When that surgeon throws the surgical instruments across the room, he does so professionally.

DrThom · Oct 11, 2006

DocVirk said:
Is this unique to my school?

Our new word for the year has become "professionalism". To be deemed "unprofessional" is probably worse than being compared to Saddam Hussein. We can actually submit "Professionalism feedback" on our peers. It has kind of become a gigantic joke among the students

Talking about professionalism with those that don't attend our school is very unprofessional....expect a classwide email

beefballs · Oct 11, 2006

i come on here to be unprofessional, where is that thread about sporting wood in the anatomy lab btw. Professional is different things to different people-see the thread about people showing up in pajama for instance, there are some places where dress is a big issue others not so much. As for peer review about professionalism they can blow it out their kazoo- Isn't that a little peculiar to narc out people-disclaimer I am not talking about gross displays that require you ethically to say something-I am talking more about the guy who makes jokes about being a necrophiliac, but stops short of actually becoming one

ForbiddenComma · Oct 11, 2006

"professionalism" and "empathy" are the two key words at my school... the endless talks on these subjects seem to be less for the students' benefits and more for the benefit for those doing the talking. In other words, it's the same as any other politically correct fad.

joe6102 · Oct 11, 2006

We get it a lot, too. But it's ok if a professor fails to show up for his lectures 3 straight times, or they say something won't be on the test and then it is. Or they say students will be allowed to remediate a subject they failed during the summer and continue on with their class, and then once that student fails, they make him repeat the entire first year.
We can't wear flip-flops, but they get away with that crap.

beefballs · Oct 11, 2006

your in socal and can't wear flip=flops, I think I could show up in singlet and nobody would bat an eye-save for the jaws dropping at my package

veenut · Oct 11, 2006

maybe your professionalism wouldn't be such a concern if you would just PUT THE FCUKING COVER SHEET ON THE TPS REPORTS!!! 😡

deuist · Oct 12, 2006

ForbiddenComma said:
the endless talks on these subjects seem to be less for the students' benefits and more for the benefit for those doing the talking.

We have lots of professionalism, geriatrics, and other areas of the soft side of medicine. But by far the worst is evidence-based medicine. The class sucks the life out of me just to "learn" how to use PubMed.

braluk · Oct 14, 2006

professionals?! hah! u should hear some of the jokes thrown around at a patient under surgery or some of the dirty jokes i hear while shadowing a surgery.

racerx · Oct 14, 2006

TheProwler said:
How dare you! When that surgeon throws the surgical instruments across the room, he does so professionally.

Only a professional could throw the split-fingered fastscalpel or the knuckle-forcep.

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