Proliferations and Vulnerabilities: Hybridization of Professionalism in the Field of Cancer Medicine

Abstract

Abstract:In cancer medicine, particularly in drug research and development, structural changes in professionalism can be observed as examples. This field is characterized by a strong tension between social expectations concerning the control of existential risks to health, on the one hand, and strong commercial interests of a shareholder value-driven industry, on the other hand. Based on a qualitative empirical analysis, two subfields within the field of cancer medicine are reconstructed. One of these subfields-colon cancer therapy-could be interpreted as representing a renewal of the knowledge-power nexus. The pattern of the other subfield-brain tumour research-refers to a much more vulnerable professionalism. Both fields are characterized by development in professional work, which could be described with the hybridization concept. Therefore, the contrast between the two empirical examples presented still challenges the theoretical interpretation of contemporary professionalism.

Digital Health and the Embodying of Professionalism: Avatars as Health Professionals in Sweden

“…This paper addresses health professionalism and how it is affected by the digitalization of health care. Several researchers have studied how the social and cultural norms affect professionalism, as well as how health professionals are expected to adapt to societal changes (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018;Schnell, 2017). Hansson & Bjarnason (2018) studied how technology affects the work identities of nurses leading to a shift in the traditional cultural boundaries of workplaces.…”

“…Thus, professionalism works as demarcations between different professions, between professionals and non-professionals (Evetts, 2011), in which the demarcations of (non)professionalism are negotiated. However, professionalism is also affected by societal changes and demands (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018;Schnell, 2017), such as new public management (Evetts, 2009) and the digitalization of health care (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018). I view VHPs as examples of such processes of demarcation and negotiation of professionalism.…”

Vol 9 No 2 (2019)

“…This paper addresses health professionalism and how it is affected by the digitalization of health care. Several researchers have studied how the social and cultural norms affect professionalism, as well as how health professionals are expected to www.professionsandprofessionalism.com Page 3 adapt to societal changes (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018;Schnell, 2017). Hansson & Bjarnason (2018) studied how technology affects the work identities of nurses leading to a shift in the traditional cultural boundaries of workplaces.…”

“…Thus, professionalism works as demarcations between different professions, between professionals and non-professionals , in which the demarcations of (non)professionalism are negotiated. However, professionalism is also affected by societal changes and demands (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018;Schnell, 2017), such as new public management (Evetts, 2009) and the digitalization of health care (Hansson & Bjarnason, 2018;Lindberg & Carlsson, 2018). I view VHPs as examples of such processes of demarcation and negotiation of professionalism.…”