Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Medicine
Skills Laboratory
Professional attitudes: a golden thread in the medical curriculum
It is important for medical schools to identify and foster positive aspects of professionalism and also to identify aspects that need to be improved and developed. A variety of strategies could be used to inculcate professional behaviour, such as creating a motivational educational atmosphere, good role modelling, creative teaching strategies and mentoring, as well as by assessing observable behaviour in situations that resemble future practice. The assessment process raises awareness among students and faculty members about the core value of professionalism.
Strategies were devised at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, to weave a golden thread of professional attitudes throughout the curriculum. These strategies include the identification and reinforcement of desirable behaviours, the preparation of students for the threats that will arise to their professionalism and the assessment of students’ attitudes through their reflections as well as by direct observation of their behaviours during clinical rotations.
A system should be in place so that students who demonstrate unprofessional behaviours would have an opportunity to remedy their shortcomings and the medical school has an administrative structure to deal with such behaviours.
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