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The role of "professionalism" is core to many health professions including Physical Therapy (PT), and the development of competence in professionalism is a key requirement of entry-to-practice PT programs. However, the actual curriculum, teaching methodologies, and evaluation methods currently used to develop professional competence during PT training programs in Canada are unclear. This study explored current teaching practices, evaluation and curricular content related to professionalism in Canadian entry-to-practice PT programs. Results showed that teaching practices related to professionalism were not necessarily congruent with methods promulgated by educational theory and relied heavily on lecture, while more appropriate strategies such as simulation and role play were under-utilized. The numbers of different teaching methods utilized for specific aspects of professionalism were variable. Emphasis on different curricular areas related to professionalism also varied: communication was given the most emphasis while change management was under-represented. It is posited that teaching methods related to professionalism could be improved and curricular content and emphasis should also be reconsidered.

Professionalism is an essential element of healthcare professional curriculum. However, teaching professionalism is complex and requires engaging and effective strategies. Virtual patients, in the form of computer-generated simulated clinical scenarios, can be used as a strategy to teach professionalism. The use of virtual patients provides an interactive and accessible learning tool along with opportunities for repetitive practice. This paper proposes twelve tips for utilizing virtual patients to teach healthcare professionalism. These tips are based on an extensive review of the relevant literature and the author's experience. The application of these tips may facilitate teaching professionalism using virtual patients and improve learning and retention of information.

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