Critical incidents as a technique for teaching professionalism

BACKGROUND: The issue of professional behavior in medicine has been extensively discussed in the medical literature and clarity regarding what constitutes professional behavior, and strategies for assessing professionalism have begun to emerge. AIM: To address the information gap on effective strategies for teaching professionalism. METHODS: The critical incident technique (CIT) established by Flanagan has proven to be a useful way to structure teaching and/or evaluation of professionalism. RESULTS: By analyzing 'real-life' occurrences of unprofessional behavior with learners, the CIT yields common terminology and definitions of professionalism that can be explored within a structured framework for discussion. CONCLUSIONS: CIT is a versatile strategy as it can be utilized with varied audiences (e.g., students, faculty), in a wide array of settings (e.g., workshops, grand rounds). Examples of CIT use associated with teaching professionalism are reviewed and key features associated with its success are identified.