The difficult problem: assessing medical students’ professional attitudes and behaviour

This report summarises the presentations, discussion themes and outcomes of the National Forum: Assessment of Professional Behaviour of Medical Students held in Brisbane on 5 March 2010

The behaviour of doctors and medical students has received increasing attention in recent years, but its assessment has resisted straightforward integration into academic programs. Attempts to prevent the admission of the small number of students who are unsuitable for graduation and subsequent practice are yet to prove effective.1,2 National registration will require that virtually all Australian health professional students are registered with their respective national body;3-5 these students will therefore formally become members of their professions. The accountability thereby imposed on students and their schools will set new expectations for managing student behaviour in universities.