Industry sponsorship of continuing medical education is controversial. A standard to adhere to is that before accepting any industry-sponsored education or incentive, a physician should form an independent evaluation of the product.
A first-person account of the development and implementation of a professionalism curriculum at New York University School of Medicine that uses online student portfolios as its principal means for evaluating professional development.
Stanford University Medical School established a positive partnership with a pharmaceutical company to offer an industry-sponsored resident elective course in a way that minimizes conflict of interest and has been accepted by the ACGME.
Research ethics should be included in the medical school curriculum so students and residents can fully understand the ethical implications of medical research.