Center for Professionalism

Nationally Recognized Recipient of the 2020 AΩA Honor Medical Society Professionalism Award

The Center for Professionalism opened in October 2013 as one of only five such centers among the leading academic medical centers.

The Center was founded with two missions: support and training in professionalism and identification and remediation of perceived lapses in professionalism The Center is focused on creating a culture of civility, compassion, and connection through heightened professionalism. We believe that positive professionalism is supported through education and training, acknowledgement of positive professionalism and respectful remediation of perceived lapses in professionalism.

The Center has received National Recognition:

Awarded the 2025 the inaugural Thomas J. Nasca Professionalism Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Appointed to the ABIM Professionalism Award Selection Committee, 2021
Awarded the AMA Foundation Award for Leadership in Medical Ethics and Professionalism, 2021
Awarded the 2020 AΩA Honor Medical Society Best Practices in Professionalism Education Award
Awarded the Norton Rose Fulbright Educational Grant, 2020
Elected board member for the Academy for Professionalism in Health Care (since 2019)
Selected as the Gold Humanism Society Keynote Speaker, 2018
Awarded a Josiah Macy Presidential Grant, 2017

View 2024-2025 Report

Professionalism Month

March 2026 is Professionalism Month. See the events for the month.

What Is Professionalism?

BCM defines Professionalism as: a “Set of attitudes and behaviors that cultivate competence and connection through positive, respectful and trustworthy relationships.”

In medicine, medical education and training, professionalism includes absolute integrity, awareness of the impact of one's behavior on patients, colleagues and coworkers. It includes clear, honest and timely communication, meticulous, compassionate and up-to-date care, with the highest priority given to the needs and interests of our patients.

In research, professionalism includes absolute integrity and collegial and respectful relationships with colleagues and coworkers. It is respect and concern for the welfare of research subjects, both human and nonhuman, and the respectful management of any potential conflict or appearance of conflict of interest.

About the Center

Since its opening, the Center for Professionalism has made a positive impact at Baylor College of Medicine through educational and training programs that maintain and enhance a culture of positive professionalism and by establishing a respectful and consistent approach to accountability.

The Center has taken steps to create a culture of civility, compassion and connection by engaging each of BCM’s various schools and affiliate campuses.

An advisory committee called the Professionalism Partners has been formed to serve as mission leaders to spearhead activities across the College, with representation across multiple schools and campuses.

In order to focus the attention on positive professionalism, the Center created the Power of Professionalism Awards (POP) to recognize individuals who exemplify outstanding competence and proficiency. Awards are peer-nominated, and recipients are recognized year-round at departmental meetings or Grand Rounds in order to publicly acknowledge the winners. BCM students, with the support of the Center, have created the Professional Educator Appreciation and Recognition (PEAR) Award to recognize individuals who have displayed positive professionalism and meaningful teaching and mentorship.

The impact of the Center has been recognized on a national level, including a Josiah Macy Foundation Presidential Grant to fund the creation of a workshop to address empathy and teamwork among physicians and healthcare workers as well as the 2020 AOA Medical Honor Society Professionalism Award for Best Practices in Medical Professionalism Education. Dr. Ellen Friedman, the inaugural Center director, also received the 2021 AMA Foundation Award for Leadership in Medical Ethics and Professionalism.
The Center for Professionalism strives to extend professionalism programming throughout the BCM community, with innovations and collaborations in support of a positive learning and working environment.