Defining the competency of professionalism at two military medical centers

The subject of professionalism has received much attention in recent literature, and in the United States is listed in both the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) standards1-4 and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)5 clinical competencies as an essential component of pre-and postgraduate medical education. While definitions and assessment methods for professionalism abound, what is lacking is an understanding of how learners understand and define professionalism. Adult learning theory posits that adults learn best when the material being taught relates to their learning situation and helps them approach problems they are encountering in real life.6 Through better appreciation of the learner’s perspective and understanding of professionalism, educators can develop more efficient and targeted curricula. We surveyed resident physicians at two large military training centers to understand their perspective on professionalism.