Medical professionalism and the clinical anatomist

Medical professionalism has become an important issue for medical education and practice. The core attributes of professionalism derive from the roles and responsibilities of professions and from the nature of medicine as a healing profession. In medical education, most of the focus on professionalism has been directed to the clinical arena, yet it is critically important that the attributes of professionalism be manifested in basic science courses-especially anatomy-as well as in clinical experiences, because the transformation from medical student to physician begins at the outset of medical school. Throughout history, anatomists have exemplified many of the attributes and values of professionalism, and clinical anatomists today still have much to offer. Anatomy faculty have an important responsibility to nurture and exemplify professionalism.