The Perception of Medical Professionalism: A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Objective: This research is designed to show how doctors conceptualize medical professionalism. Materials and Methods: This research is a phenomenological study. The transcription, the codification and the determination of the meaning of entities and key words, and the consistance of a conceptual framework is produced by an analysis of the data. Results: It has been found that doctors conceptualize medical professionalism under seventeen headings and in three dimensions: emotional, service and philosophical. Attention is drawn to the fact that these headings encapsulate medical professionalism in a broad perspective by including headings such as personal morality/universal humane values, professional ethics and values; expertise in professional knowledge and skill; interpersonal interaction; learning and teaching skills; sacrifice-alturism; the priority of patient interest; professional political understanding and social responsibility; metacognitive skills; balancing between private and professional life; physical appearance; intellectual/artistic skills; professional dominance; professional autonomy; professional organization; commercialism and social contract. The fact that the headings thus defined, explain medical professionalism in a broad perspective, is striking. Conclusion: The diversity of the samples shows that the conceptual framework put forward can represent all of the participants of the medical profession and the headings defined can be taken as providing a path for the education in medical professionalism at medical schools in Turkey.