Questions and Answers
What are doctors expected to demonstrate?
Compassion, integrity, and respect for others; responsiveness to patient needs; accountability to patients; sensitivity to a diverse population.
What are the fundamental principles of the medical profession?
Principle of patient welfare, principle of patient autonomy, principle of social justice.
What are some key professional responsibilities?
Professional competence, honesty, patient confidentiality, maintaining appropriate relations, improving quality of care.
Describe the fiduciary nature of the doctor-patient relationship.
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What are the reasons for the fiduciary relationship?
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What are the main unprofessional behaviors in WVU medical students, and why does it matter?
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What is professional identity?
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How does the school develop a student's professional identity?
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What is code switching and why do we do it?
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Describe sexual contact between a physician and patient.
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What is the justification for sexual contact between doctors and patients?
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What are objections to sexual contact between doctors and patients?
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Study Notes
Expectations of Doctors
- Expected to demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for others.
- Prioritize responsiveness to patient needs over self-interest.
- Accountability to patients, society, and the medical profession.
- Must be sensitive to diverse populations, including variations in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation.
Fundamental Principles of the Medical Profession
- Patient Welfare: Dedication to serving patient interests; market forces and administrative needs should not compromise this principle.
- Patient Autonomy: Empowering patients to make informed decisions; decisions must be ethical and not lead to inappropriate care.
- Social Justice: Advocating for fair resource distribution and striving to eliminate discrimination in healthcare based on race, gender, socioeconomic factors, ethnicity, or religion.
Key Professional Responsibilities
- Maintain professional competence and honesty.
- Uphold patient confidentiality and appropriate patient relations.
- Focus on improving quality of care and access to healthcare resources.
- Collaborate effectively with colleagues and manage finite resource distribution.
- Ensure scientific knowledge is current and manage conflicts of interest to maintain trust.
- Self-regulate within the medical profession.
Fiduciary Nature of the Doctor-Patient Relationship
- A fiduciary relationship is one based on trust, holding a legal or ethical obligation to act in the best interest of the patient.
- The fiduciary duty imposes a high standard of care from healthcare providers.
Reasons for Fiduciary Relationships
- Patients are vulnerable and depend heavily on their physicians.
- Physicians possess expertise that patients typically lack.
- Patients place trust and rely on the competence of their physicians.
Unprofessional Behaviors in Medical Students
- Common issues include irresponsibility, tardiness, and failure to fulfill assignments.
- Such behaviors correlate with unprofessional conduct in medical practice.
Professional Identity
- Professional identity is complex and influenced by power dynamics, situations, and relationships.
- It often forms more through informal experiences rather than formal education.
Development of Professional Identity by Medical Schools
- Medical schools help students identify positive role models and integrate into social networks.
- They facilitate meaningful patient interactions and provide constructive feedback to shape professional identity.
Code Switching
- Refers to adjusting behavior based on social context to fit in or convey certain sentiments.
- It serves to express empathy, communicate thoughts privately, or make others comfortable.
Sexual Contact Between Physician and Patient
- Such contact is deemed unethical if exploited trust or patient vulnerability.
- Approximately 9% of doctors report sexual contact with a patient (predominantly male doctors and female patients).
- Between 5% to 10% of mental health professionals admit to similar conduct.
Justifications for Sexual Contact
- Advocates suggest respecting the privacy of consensual relationships.
- Some argue that the perceived harm to patients is minimal compared to relationships outside the healthcare context.
- Limited social opportunities for physicians, particularly in small communities, contribute to these dynamics.
Objections to Sexual Contact
- Exploits the trust inherent in the doctor-patient relationship, especially during illness.
- Physicians hold significant power, making patient refusal of a relationship difficult.
- Potential erosion of public trust in the medical profession if such relationships are accepted.
- Vulnerable patients may see their care compromised due to personal relationships.
- Legal ramifications can arise from relationships between doctors and patients that impact licensing and professionalism.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the essential principles of professionalism in the healthcare field. This set of flashcards covers key concepts such as compassion, integrity, accountability, and sensitivity to diverse populations. Perfect for healthcare students and professionals looking to enhance their understanding of medical ethics.
