BMJ  2004;329 (10 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7457.0-c

Doctors look after the interests of the patients first

Doctors retained a high degree of professionalism as a recent healthcare crisis developed. In interviews with 14 doctors from Toronto who looked after patients with SARS, Straus and colleagues (p 83) found that they felt a professional obligation to care for these patients and acted with professionalism, but professional behaviour was occasionally strained. Medical educators and professional organisations need to focus on exploring the balance between clinicians' personal safety and the needs of the patients, on professional respect and collaboration, and role modelling of professionalism to trainees, say the authors.

Credit: C P PHOTO/KEVIN FRAYER/AP

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