In late 2007, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) charged their National StuNet Advisory Committee to formulate tenets of professionalism, with the primary goal of introducing students to essential attitudes and behaviors of professionalism. The committee's list of tenets served as a working document for the development of this White Paper. This collaborative effort of the ACCP Board of Regents and the National StuNet Advisory Committee sought to complement other published documents addressing student professionalism. The purpose of this White Paper is to enhance student understanding of professionalism, emphasizing the importance of the covenantal or “fiducial” relationship between the patient and the pharmacist. This fiducial relationship is the essence of professionalism and is a relationship between the patient and the pharmacist built on trust. This White Paper also outlines the traits of professionalism, which were developed after an extensive review of the literature on professionalism in medicine and pharmacy. The traits of professionalism identified here are responsibility, commitment to excellence, respect for others, honesty and integrity, and care and compassion. It is from these traits that student actions and behaviors should emanate. Students, pharmacy practitioners, and faculty have a responsibility to each other, to society as a whole, and to individual patients whom they serve to ensure that their words and actions uphold the highest standards of professional behavior.
It is important that students, pharmacy practitioners, and faculty recognize what is truly at the heart of professionalism—the pharmacist‐patient fiducial or covenantal relationship. Professionalism is driven by much more than one's actions and behaviors—professionalism hinges on a trust relationship. The pharmacist‐patient fiducial or covenantal relationship obligates the pharmacist to act in the best interest of the patient. As a result, the patient has a firm belief, an unwavering trust that the pharmacist will provide him or her with the best possible care. The traits of professionalism (responsibility, commitment to excellence, respect for others, honesty and integrity, care and compassion) should be discussed, practiced, and, most important, modeled. Students, pharmacy practitioners, and faculty have a responsibility to each other, to society as a whole, and to the individual patients and students whom they serve to ensure that their words and actions both within and outside the classroom uphold the highest standards of professional behavior.
