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CME / ABIM MOC

Professional Attire and the Patient-Physician Relationship

  • Authors: Case History by Janet A. Jokela, MD, MPH; Case Commentary by Daniel T. Kim, MPH, MA, and Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD
  • CME / ABIM MOC Released: 2/21/2020; Reviewed and Renewed: 2/6/2023
  • Valid for credit through: 2/6/2024, 11:59 PM EST
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  • Credits Available

    Physicians - maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

    ABIM Diplomates - maximum of 0.25 ABIM MOC points

    You Are Eligible For

    • Letter of Completion
    • ABIM MOC points

Target Audience and Goal Statement

This article is intended for physicians involved in direct patient care.

The goal of this activity is to describe the role of physician attire in supporting the patient-physician relationship, according to an American College of Physicians (ACP) ethics case study and commentary.

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the role of physician attire in the patient-physician relationship and its impact on trust in the medical profession, according to an ACP ethics case study and commentary
  • Determine patient preferences and context regarding physician attire, according to an ACP ethics case study and commentary
  • Identify the role of physician attire in patient safety, according to an ACP Ethics case study and commentary


Disclosures

As an organization accredited by the ACCME, Medscape, LLC, requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of an education activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines "relevant financial relationships" as financial relationships in any amount, occurring within the past 12 months, including financial relationships of a spouse or life partner, that could create a conflict of interest.

Medscape, LLC, encourages Authors to identify investigational products or off-label uses of products regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration, at first mention and where appropriate in the content.


Author, Case History

  • Janet A. Jokela, MD, MPH

    Acting Regional Dean
    Professor of Clinical Medicine
    College of Medicine
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Urbana, Illinois

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Janet A. Jokela, MD, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Authors, Case Commentary

  • Daniel T. Kim, MPH, MA, PhD Candidate

    University of Chicago
    Chicago, Illinois
    (Former) Senior Associate
    Center for Ethics and Professionalism
    American College of Physicians
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Daniel T. Kim, MPH, MA, PhD candidate, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

  • Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD

    Director
    Center for Ethics and Professionalism
    American College of Physicians
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Editor

  • Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD

    Director
    Center for Ethics and Professionalism
    American College of Physicians
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

CME Author

  • Laurie Barclay, MD

    Freelance writer and reviewer, Medscape, LLC

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Laurie Barclay, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

CME Reviewer

  • Hazel Dennison, DNP, RN, FNP, CPHQ, CNE

    Associate Director
    Accreditation and Compliance
    Medscape, LLC

    Disclosures

    Disclosure: Hazel Dennison, DNP, RN, FNP, CPHQ, CNE, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Medscape, LLC staff have disclosed that they have no relevant financial relationships.

The planning for this activity began in 2019, prior to full implementation of the 2022 Standards. Our transition to the 2022 Standards was in place at the time of renewing this activity. Planning actions for obtaining disclosures from those in control of content, occurred prior to our organization's full implementation of the new Standards.


Accreditation Statements

Medscape

 
Interprofessional Continuing Education

In support of improving patient care, Medscape, LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

    For Physicians

  • The case history and commentary were developed by the American College of Physicians.

    Medscape, LLC designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ . Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 0.25 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

    Contact This Provider

For questions regarding the content of this activity, contact the accredited provider for this CME/CE activity noted above. For technical assistance, contact [email protected]


Instructions for Participation and Credit

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This activity is designed to be completed within the time designated on the title page; physicians should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period that is noted on the title page. To receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, you must receive a minimum score of 70% on the post-test.

Follow these steps to earn CME/CE credit*:

  1. Read the target audience, learning objectives, and author disclosures.
  2. Study the educational content online or printed out.
  3. Online, choose the best answer to each test question. To receive a certificate, you must receive a passing score as designated at the top of the test. We encourage you to complete the Activity Evaluation to provide feedback for future programming.

You may now view or print the certificate from your CME/CE Tracker. You may print the certificate but you cannot alter it. Credits will be tallied in your CME/CE Tracker and archived for 6 years; at any point within this time period you can print out the tally as well as the certificates from the CME/CE Tracker.

*The credit that you receive is based on your user profile.

CME / ABIM MOC

Professional Attire and the Patient-Physician Relationship

Authors: Case History by Janet A. Jokela, MD, MPH; Case Commentary by Daniel T. Kim, MPH, MA, and Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JDFaculty and Disclosures

CME / ABIM MOC Released: 2/21/2020; Reviewed and Renewed: 2/6/2023

Valid for credit through: 2/6/2024, 11:59 PM EST

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Case History

Joe, a third-year medical student, is a few weeks into his first clerkship in July, in internal medicine. He has a number of questions regarding appropriate professional attire. During orientation for the third-year clerkships, male students were instructed to wear a shirt and tie every day, and all students were told to wear a white coat. He has noticed that some male residents and attendings do not wear a shirt and tie. In fact, especially on the weekends, most male attendings wear polo shirts or scrubs under their white coats, if they wear a white coat at all. Jeans are also common on the weekend. Moreover, he has seen the intensive care unit attendings exclusively wearing scrubs and white coats, and one hospitalist, in particular, always wears scrubs and no white coat.

He has discussed this with his fellow third-year student Elisa, and she shares his observations. Although Elisa agrees with him that it seems easier for women, she shares that she was told by female nurses that she should avoid wearing open-toed shoes. When Joe and Elisa asked their residents about the hospital dress code, they were referred to the residency program’s policy, which states "professional attire is required." Joe also heard the residents say that white coats and ties may harbor numerous bacteria and could cause infections in patients. Joe and Elisa are confused about what "professional attire" means, how they should dress and why, and what is best for patients.

 

Table of Contents

  1. Case History
  2. Commentary
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