Ethics

To the Editor: We were not surprised by the results of Birden and Underwood’s study of the attitudes of medical students to professionalism programs.1 In the context of similar issues at our university, we have recently implemented a professionalism program (“Ethical Practice–Empathic Practice” [EP2]) in our Doctor of Medicine (MD) course. This program begins in the first full-time clinical year (Year 2) as weekly small-group tutorials ...

Geoffrey J McColl · Barbara D Goss · Eleanor M Flynn · Agnes E Dodds

To the Editor: Personal and professional development (PPD) as part of the medical school curriculum has been the subject of recent interest and debate in the MJA.1,2 The authors highlighted the disjunction between what is intended to be taught, what is learned and what is valued by students, with one of the conclusions being the importance of gaining student feedback on PPD. To promote medical student ...

Paul M McGurgan

To the Editor: Like Birden and Usherwood, we have struggled with the need to facilitate the learning of professionalism for our medical students.1 We also recognise the importance of using authentic, real-world situations and clinical teachers to inspire meaningful reflection and discussion between students1 and to counterbalance the negative impact of poor role models or unsuccessful clinical experiences that contribute to the hidden curriculum. At our ...

Lisa M Parker · Lisa D Watts

To the Editor: Birden and Usherwood’s article regarding medical students’ perceptions of the teaching of professionalism1 would have struck a chord with countless recent graduates from Australian medical schools. Being forced to reflect on one’s clinical experience is artificial; and after some trial and error by students (with respect to writing style and content), they develop an understanding of what will attain good marks, and submit ...

Alexander M Owen

To the Editor: The article by Birden and Usherwood1 presents a very limited view of professionalism, one that is based solely on doctor–patient interactions. Both the focus groups and the authors have failed to discuss the breadth of professionalism that includes a doctor’s relationship with other doctors, allied health, nursing staff and other craft groups. Although made during the focus group interactions the derogatory comment ...

Tom R Sutherland

Into a fourth edition — and my, how it’s grown! Having started life in 1998 at a portable (but hardly pocket-sized) 500 pages, it is now a hefty 1200. Most of the growth comes from the doubling in size of the chapters, with a few entirely new sections for this edition, most notably some cautionary tales about emerging biotechnologies. Sexuality and reproduction has received much greater attention, ...

Peter W Saul

Effective control requires timely and appropriate antibiotic treatment of patients with confirmed infection as well as their sexual partners, but only a minority of partners currently receive treatment.

Sarah E Huffam FAChSHM, MPH · Katherine M Brown MB BS, MSc, FAChSHM · Marcus Y Chen FRCP, FAChSHM, PhD · Christopher K Fairley FRACP, PhD

This qualitative study gained a clear picture of students’ dissatisfaction with current methods of teaching and assessing professionalism. Teaching methods need review in light of students’ preference for experiential learning and informal group reflection with their peers.

Hudson H Birden MPH, PhD · Tim Usherwood MD, FRACGP, FRCP

To the Editor: In his article on the German Medical Association’s apology for medical crimes under Nazism, Weisz states “One can but hope that it will be soon followed by an apology from the Austrian Medical Association”.1 Having been in Vienna on the 75th anniversary of the Anschluss (the annexation of Austria by Germany in March 1938), I would like to comment as to why ...

Peter M Winterton

In reply: I thank Winterton for providing important information about Austria’s attitude towards its participation in Nazi atrocities. Nazi crimes perpetrated in Austria include those at the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, where over a quarter of a million inmates perished. The Austrian government has acknowledged this by establishing the Mauthausen Memorial. However, the Austrian Medical Association remains silent. Recall Irmfried Eberl, the Austrian doctor who was the ...

George M Weisz

Women living near a remote PNG goldmine have experienced brutal sexual violence, amplified over the years by gross failures in justice and poor access to psychosocial support, amid other serious social, health and environmental concerns.

Sarah Knuckey BA, LLB, LLM