Medical professionalism
Find out what medical professionalism means for you at medical school and in your future career.
Medical school should not only teach you about the science of medicine, it should also prepare you to become a professional doctor.
Your values and behaviours
Professionalism is how a doctor should look and behave even when faced with challenges, such as insufficient time with patients. It’s all about treating others how you would like to be treated.
During your training you will be assessed on various aspects of professionalism, such as your bedside manner. The General Medical Council (GMC) website has advice on good medical practice, a podcast on professionalism and information on what professionalism means.
The GMC also publishes guidance on professional values and fitness to practise for medical students. You will be required to adhere to the following principles of professional behaviour:
Medical ethics
Medical students and doctors face many ethical dilemmas. You can download various guidance documents on ethics from the British Medical Association (BMA) website. For example, Using social media: practical and ethical guidance for doctors and medical students explains the need to be aware of the potential risks in posting personal materials on the internet or communicating with patients via social media.