Performing a pelvic exam without consent on an anesthetized woman, even for teaching purposes, is unethical and considered sexual battery in some jurisdictions.
Jeffrey T. Kullgren, MPH and Jerome Lowenstein, MD
A physician argues that the question is not whether we can teach professionalism but rather whether we will teach professionalism, given all of modern medicine's economic and other constraints.
Professional behavior and values are often learned outside the classroom, when physicians act as role models for students in patient-physician relationships.
The trend toward casual address and dress in the medical profession could reinforce the power differential that already exists between patient and physician and adversely affect the patient-physician relationship.
The medical profession has the responsibility and obligation in effective self-regulation to ensure the competence of practicing physicians, identifying and taking action against problem physicians, and regulating conflicts of interest.
A physician's role in controlling the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs includes educating patients about the harms associated with these drugs and encouraging them to adopt safe and appropriate training programs.
A physician describes his work with Partners in Health and his public health advocacy work in Haiti and encourages physicians to take health care equity to the global arena.