Student Handbook - Professionalism

Purpose and importance of professionalism

1. Professionalism is fundamental to the practice of pharmacy and is a core competency of Waterloo’s PharmD curriculum.
2. Pharmacy students, faculty, and staff share collective responsibility for creating and maintaining an educational environment and culture that promotes professional behaviour and harmonious relationships. 
3. Each student, in accepting their PharmD offer of admission, acknowledges the privilege they have been afforded to study pharmacy. In accepting this privilege, the PharmD student recognizes that they are devoting their professional life to the service of humankind, and agree that throughout their education they will uphold:
    
   1. Student Pledge of Professionalism - University of Waterloo, School of Pharmacy
   2. Academic Integrity Core Values - University of Waterloo
   3. OCP Code of Ethics - Ontario College of Pharmacists
   4. NAPRA Model Standards of Practice - for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians in Canada

Definition

While no universally accepted definition of professionalism exists, it is acknowledged that professionalism is multidimensional and extends well beyond the attributes of an individual person.

Professionalism is:

• A continuum from an individual’s attributes to interpersonal interactions to societal responsibility.
• A set of attitudes, skills and behaviours, and attributes and values, which are expected from those to whom society has extended the privilege of being considered a professional
• Extended to the entire profession of pharmacy including student members.
• A journey. It takes time, learning, and practice to earn the title of a professional.

Guiding Principles

Although “professionalism” and “honourable behaviour” are concepts open to interpretation, there is a set of behaviours that are consistent among most guidance documents used in pharmacy practice and literature. The behaviours listed below help to outline expectations for all members of the School community (including students, faculty, and staff), whether in an academic, experiential, extracurricular, or administrative setting.

Specifically, PharmD students agree to:

• Behave with honesty and integrity in all interactions in and outside the University setting;
• Understand that professional conduct cannot be intermittent or practiced only in certain contexts;
• Value competence and commit to lifelong learning;
• Respect all individuals regardless of differences in beliefs, values, or circumstances;
• Behave with humility, respecting the contributions and perspectives of patients, caregivers and other professionals;   
• Recognize the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries, preserve conflicts of interest, and preserving confidentiality;
• Accept responsibility for their actions and those of individuals under their supervision;
• Accept feedback in a non-defensive, constructive, and positive way and implement it to improve performance; 
• Act reliably and dependably by fulfilling commitments on time;
• And respect the time of others. This includes adhering to class start and end times, group-established timelines, office hours, meeting times, etc.

Reporting and tracking professionalism (in and out of the classroom)

 Pharmacy Links