‘Professionalism’ standards used to punish protest and manage dissent, medical students claim

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By Daniel Pye

‘Professionalism’ standards intended to mirror the conduct expected of registered doctors are being used punitively and to punish freedom of speech, medical students said.

A British Medical Association (BMA) survey found that many students believed medical schools fostered a “tick-box” culture heavily focused on attendance monitoring, behavioural compliance and administrative infractions rather than professional development and support.

More than 70% of medical students who had a professionalism concern raised against them felt the description was unfair, with many reporting the process was used disproportionately to manage student feedback or dissent, the report found.

More serious concerns such as sexual assault were treated similarly to persistent lateness, the survey reported

Two-thirds of the 2,573 UK medical students who responded to the BMA’s survey said they would feel unable to participate openly in lawful political activism or protest because of fears about consequences to their future career.

This is despite the General Medical Council (GMC) explicitly stating that medical students are entitled to their political opinions.