Personal and professional development in undergraduate health sciences education

Abstract

During the last decade, "medical professionalism" has been scrutinized as a consequence of pressures from within and outside the health sciences professions. In response, professional organizations have reviewed ethical principles and developed explicit guidelines for the behavior of their members. Medical educators have revised undergraduate curricula with a view to supporting the development and maintenance of these essential professional behaviors. This article outlines perspectives on professionalism before describing the evolution of personal and professional development curricula in undergraduate health science education. While the bulk of data on personal and professional development ..