Current Global Trends in Medical Professionalism

Medical professionalism is a complex topic which must include a consideration of both individual and collective physicians, societal and patient rights and obligations. While attempting to propose a definition which might capture the various aspects of this issue, this paper also examines current global trends in medical professionalism such as care during a pandemic, professionally‐led regulation, conflict of interest, and conscientious objection. All of these are issues that are often dealt with on a systemic level as a medical collective but they also have a real and lasting impact at the individual physician level. While much of the attention in medical professionalism is paid to the individual practitioner, there is also an important role to be played in policy development, and national and international advocacy efforts by physician organizations such as the World Medical Association and others.