Medical professionalism project

To the Editor: Young doctors and medical students are acculturated into healthcare systems in which governments, corporations, consumer groups and other stakeholders have an increasing presence. These forces have so significantly altered medical practice in the United States, for example, that many doctors have questioned the applicability of traditional patient-centred values. Whether or not Australian doctors have faced such adversity, medical practice is becoming increasingly complex, and the Medical Professionalism Project's charter1 encourages us to consider how we might best serve the future needs of patients, families and the community.