SGO Issues Ethics Quarterly Series: Professionalism | Nefertiti duPont, MD, MPH, FACOG, FACS

Nefertiti duPont, MD, MPH, FACOG, FACS

It seems like yesterday…. I can still hear Dr. Alberto Manetta telling me that professionalism was treating the patients you don’t like just as well as the ones you do. That was fifteen years ago when I was a junior fellow. I don’t remember how we got to the topic of professionalism, but I have never forgotten his words of wisdom. He was a gynecologic oncologist of a different generation. He had a microscope in his office and wore a suit and tie to work every day. Sometimes when I look over tomorrow’s clinic schedule, I remember his words.  

There are those patients who walk into the office with so much joy that they wind up helping me instead of me helping them, but then there are others who are more challenging, and it is at those times that I think about Dr. Manetta. 

Websters dictionary defines professionalism as “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.” I also believe that professionalism includes becoming a skillful mentor to our students and junior faculty, a wise consultant to our fellow clinicians and a strong advocate for our patients. Kathryn McGoldrick in her article on the history of professionalism in anesthesiology states: 

“Since the Middle Ages, the word “profession” has denoted an occupation that is given many privileges by society in return for the obligation to serve it. Professionalism, therefore, is a term used to describe certain attitudes, values, and behaviors that are demanded of physicians. It is at its core the ethical and moral commitment to excellence, altruism, integrity, collaboration, lifelong learning, and deep respect for other human beings. Professionalism requires the physician to fully understand that the most important individual in the special patient-doctor relationship is the patient. Toward that end, the physician strives to deliver the best possible care congruent with the patient’s beliefs, values, and needs. This patient-centeredness is a vital factor in motivating the physician to maintain the highest standards of care, engage in rigorous ongoing education, actively participate in medical organizations, and strive to seek clinical innovations.” 

SGO is committed to the professional development of each member. I encourage you to check out our online resources and ConnectEd. They will improve your health and wellness, augment your knowledge of the current advances in our field and guide you in your interactions with your students, peers and mentors. In my opinion, professionalism is seen in how we carry ourselves at work, at home and in our communities. When you go about your day, think about the image you portray to your patients, your colleagues and your friends. Do they see you as the professional that you aspire to be? 

References  

AMA Code of Medical Ethics. 2022, https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/ethics/code-medical-ethics-professional-self-regulation. Accessed September 6, 2022. 

ACOG Committee Opinion #683, Behavior that undermines a culture of safety. January 2017. 

ACOG Committee Opinion #715, Social Etiquette for Program Directors and Faculty. September 2017. 

McGoldrick, KE. History of medicine: the history of professionalism in anesthesiology. AMA Journal of Ethics. 2015;17(3):258-264. 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professionalism, Accessed September 10, 2022. 

Dr. duPont is a gynecologic oncologist at North Houston Gynecologic Oncology Surgeons in Houston, Texas.