BackgroundAccrediting bodies now recognize the importance of developing the professionalism competency, by setting standards that require medical schools to identify where professionalism is addressed and how it is evaluated within the formal curriculum.The objective of this study was to compare how professionalism competency is formally addressed in the curricula of Canadian medical schools, and to better understand the Canadian approach to reporting and remediation of lapses.MethodsA literature review was performed and with the input of the AFMC(Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada) Professionalism group, questionnaires were generated. An electronic survey was circulated to key leaders across the country at all the medical schools. In-depth telephone interviews were used to further explore themes, and a subsequent focus group was held to discuss challenges, particularly related to reporting and remediation.ResultsThe preponderance of formal professionalism teaching remains in the form of lectures and small group sessions in the preclinical years. Formal teaching declines significantly in the clerkship/clinical years. Evaluation is usually performed by a clinical supervisor, but OSCE, portfolio, and concern notes are increasingly used. Role modeling is heavily relied upon in clinical years, suggesting faculty training can help ensure clinical teachers recognize their influence on trainees. Formal remediation strategies are in place at most schools, and often involve essay writing, reflection exercises, or completion of learning modules about professionalism. Lack of clarity on what defines a lapse and fear of reprisal (for both trainees and faculty) limits reporting.ConclusionsThis study provides an overview of how professional identity formation is supported in the Canadian context, guided by the standards set out by CanMEDS. Despite a rich literature that describes the definition, program design and evaluation methods for professionalism, in some areas of the curriculum there is still an opportunity to ensure programs embrace the suggested framework. Examples of teaching and evaluation methods, deficiencies in the clinical years of study (clerkship) and challenges in addressing lapses and organizational structure are identified. The results help identify the gaps that need to be addressed and some solutions that can be modeled at other academic institutions.

Most medical students worldwide are using some form of social media platform to supplement their learning via file sharing and to stay up-to-date on medical events. Often, social media may blur the line between socialization and educational use, so it is important to be aware of how one is utilizing social media and how to remain professional. Research has yielded some troublesome themes of misconduct: drunken behaviour, violations of confidentiality and defamation of institutions. Because there is no universal policy to monitor online professionalism, there exists the potential for indiscretions to occur. It has been reported that misdemeanours can affect future residency placements and employment for medical students. Accordingly, studies suggest that educators need to recognize this new era of professionalism and adapt policies and reprimands to meet modern outlets where professionalism may be violated.

Background: Social networking tools are often used in medical education to facilitate teaching, owing to their popularity amongst medical students. This study aimed to determine which tools are most widely used by medical students, particularly for educational purposes, to inform future implementation in medical education. Methods: Preclerkship University of Ottawa medical students were surveyed (response rate n=65/325) regarding the use of social networking tools, including Facebook ® , Twitter ® , YouTube ® , Google+ ® , Skype ® , text messaging, blogs, Flickr ® and Pinterest ®. Results: Overall, 85% of respondents use social networking tools for 2 or more hours a day. The tools utilized most frequently on a daily and weekly basis were Facebook (56%) and YouTube ® (40%), respectively. Facebook ® (53%) and YouTube ® (31%) were the most popular tools used specifically for educational purposes, facilitating learning related to lectures and physician skills development, respectively. Conclusion: The majority of students are using social networking tools, but there is some variability in how the tools are used. The variability should be considered when creating educational initiatives.

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Pompholyx can be challenging to manage, and treatment can involve an assortment of therapies over a prolonged period of time.