The core competencies in this domain are:
- Encourages scrutiny of professional behaviour, is open to feedback and demonstrates a willingness to change.
- Exhibits high standards of moral and ethical behaviour towards patients, families, and colleagues, including an awareness of appropriate doctor-patient boundaries.
- Appropriately manages ethical dilemmas that arise.
- Identifies and manages clinical situations where there are obstacles to the provision of duty of care.
- Implements strategies to review potential and actual critical incidents to manage consequences and reduce future risk.
- Personal health issues are identified and managed by accessing professional support as needed.
Professionalism encompasses a range of behaviours and attitudes that reflect the core values of the medical profession, including integrity, accountability, respect, and ethical practice.
How to Demonstrate Professionalism
- Encourages Scrutiny of Professional Behavior, is Open to Feedback, and Demonstrates a Willingness to Change
- Self-Reflection and Improvement: Actively seeks out feedback from colleagues, mentors, and patients to improve clinical practice and interpersonal skills.
- Shows a readiness to make changes based on constructive criticism.
- Continuous Learning: Engages in lifelong learning to maintain and enhance professional performance, embracing new knowledge and techniques that can benefit patient care.
- Self-Reflection and Improvement: Actively seeks out feedback from colleagues, mentors, and patients to improve clinical practice and interpersonal skills.
- Exhibits High Standards of Moral and Ethical Behavior Towards Patients, Families, and Colleagues
- Ethical Conduct: Adheres to medical ethics as outlined by professional governing bodies, showing honesty, integrity, and transparency in all professional interactions.
- Respectful Interactions: Treats all patients and their families with dignity and respect, ensuring that all interactions are culturally sensitive and appropriate.
- Appropriately Manages Ethical Dilemmas That Arise
- Ethical Decision-Making: Skillfully navigates complex ethical issues, such as issues of confidentiality, informed consent, and end-of-life care.
- Utilizes ethical frameworks and seeks counsel from ethics committees when needed.
- Balanced Judgement: Weighs the benefits and risks of clinical decisions, putting the welfare of patients at the forefront of care.
- Ethical Decision-Making: Skillfully navigates complex ethical issues, such as issues of confidentiality, informed consent, and end-of-life care.
- Identifies and Manages Clinical Situations Where There Are Obstacles to Provision of Duty of Care
- Problem Solving: Identifies barriers to effective care, whether systemic, social, or economic, and works to overcome these obstacles.
- Advocacy: Advocates for individual patients or populations to ensure that they receive the standard of care necessary for their well-being.
- Implements Strategies to Review Potential and Actual Critical Incidents to Manage Consequences and Reduce Future Risk
- Incident Analysis: Participates in or leads morbidity and mortality meetings to discuss clinical incidents critically, without blame, focusing on learning and prevention of future occurrences.
- System Improvements: Proposes and helps implement changes in practice or system processes to improve safety and care quality.
- Personal Health Issues are Identified and Managed by Accessing Professional Support as Needed
- Self-Care: Recognizes the importance of personal health and well-being in maintaining professional competence and quality of care provided to patients.
- Professional Support: Seeks help for personal health issues through appropriate channels, maintaining an effective balance between professional responsibilities and personal health.
By demonstrating these aspects of professionalism, a GP candidate ensures they are adhering to the high standards expected in medical practice. This not only fosters trust among patients, colleagues, and the community but also contributes to the overall integrity and efficacy of the healthcare system. The ability to maintain professional conduct under all circumstances is a fundamental attribute that defines the quality of a practitioner and the care they provide.