III.C. Professionalism

The School of Medicine, in partnership with the Program Directors of its programs provide a culture of professionalism that support patient safety and personal responsibility. The Institution promotes a professional, respectful, and civil environment that is free from unprofessional behavior, including but not limited to mistreatment, abuse and/or coercion of House Officers, other learners, faculty, and staff members. The School of Medicine maintains a commitment to professionalism that is essential to the continued existence of medicine as a profession and the House Officer's successful development and performance as a physician. Daily recognition and commitment to professionalism allows a House Officer the ability to realize his/her potential and to achieve and maintain the expectations of society.  House Officers are exposed to both professional and unprofessional behavior during training and, through learning, mentoring, evaluation, self-reflection, and continued professional development, develop the set of characteristics that define them over time. Many, if not most of the professional problems encountered in the future, can be minimized if not avoided by strict adherence to the following Elements of Professionalism.
The Elements of Professionalism are Altruism, Accountability, Excellence, Duty, Honor and Integrity, and Respect for others. They are in part defined as:
Altruism - the "essence" of professionalism. Putting the best interests of patients, not self-interest, first.
Accountability -

• To patients - for fulfilling the implied contract governing the physician patient relationship.
• To society - for addressing the health needs of the public.
• To our profession - for adhering to medicine's time-honored ethical precepts.

Excellence - entails a conscientious effort to exceed ordinary expectations and to make a commitment to life-long learning.
Duty - a commitment to service which entails:

• being available and responsive when "on call".
• accepting inconvenience to meet the needs of one's patients.
• enduring unavoidable risks to oneself when a patient's welfare is at stake.
• advocating the best possible care regardless of ability to pay.
• seeking active roles in professional organizations (AMA, LSMS, OPMS).
• volunteering one's skills and expertise for the welfare of the community.

Honor and Integrity including:

• being fair, being truthful, keeping one's word.
• meeting commitments, being straightforward
• recognizing conflicts of interest and avoidance of relationships that allow personal gain to supersede the best interest of the patient.

Respect for others including:

• patients, families, other physicians.
• professional colleagues such as nurses, medical students, House Officers, fellows.

House Officers are evaluated for adherence to the above principles in many ways, including monthly evaluations, semi-annual evaluations, OSCEs, 360° and peer evaluations, and others. Behaviors that reflect a commitment to professionalism include completion of all tasks which are assigned. Such tasks are inclusive of accurately logging and adhering to clinical and educational work hour standards, medical records, case logs, attendance at conferences, alertness management, assurance of fitness for duty, recognition of impairment, adherence to policies governing transitions of care, completing curriculum modules and other on line assignments, and maintenance of licensure and certifications. In addition, House Officers must obtain an awareness of, adherence to, and compliance with Institutional and GME policies and procedures inclusive of those in the LSU School of Medicine House Officer Manual, and both the LSU and ACGME institutional and program requirements. GMEC July 2012
Any unprofessional behavior of a House Officer, faculty, staff member or student can be brought forth in a confidential manner to the DIO, or the GME Ombudsman in addition to the chief academic officer or medical director where applicable.