The UKCEMP community is currently undertaking a project looking at the teaching of Professionalism

Update Sept 2026: We have been awarded an ASME small grant to support this project.

Project title: Addressing Variation in Professionalism Teaching by Developing a National Curriculum for UK Undergraduate Medical Education.

Background and rationale for the project

Medical professionalism is central to safe, ethical, compassionate care, yet its teaching and assessment across UK medical schools remains inconsistent, leading to inequity in student preparedness.

Studies have shown that unprofessional behaviour is associated with adverse patient outcomes (1, 2) and early lapses at medical school correlate to fitness to practise concerns for doctors (3), supporting the need for a structured approach to the teaching and assessment of professionalism in undergraduate curricula. This project addresses this gap by developing a national, evidence-based professionalism curriculum for UK medical schools.

Methodology

The UK Council for Educators of Medical Professionalism (UKCEMP), representing professionalism educators across UK medical schools, has strong links with the GMC and the Medical Schools Council and is well placed to lead this work. UKCEMP established a Steering Group (SG) comprising of senior educators and curriculum leaders from multiple UK medical schools alongside six short life working groups (SLWGs) to address key areas, including embedding EDI, to support the curriculum development

References:

  1. Guo L, Ryan B, Leditschke IA, Haines KJ, Cook K, Eriksson L, et al. Impact of unacceptable behaviour between healthcare workers on clinical performance and patient outcomes: a systematic review. BMJ Quality & Safety. 2022;31:679–687. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013955
  • Cooper WO, Spain DA, Guillamondegui O, Kelz RR, Domenico HJ, Hopkins J, et al. Association of coworker reports about unprofessional behavior by surgeons with surgical complications in their patients. JAMA Surg. 2019;154(9):828–834. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2019.1738
  • Papadakis MA, Arnold GK, Blank LL, Holmbo ES, Lipner, RS. Performance during internal medicine residency training and subsequent disciplinary action by state licensing boards. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2008;148(11):869-876. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-148-11-200806030-00009