ASCP 2019: Why Professionalism Matters—Developing Self-Awareness, Leadership Skills, and Conflict-Resolution Skills in the Workplace

By Marisa Saint Martin, MD, FASCP, and Elizabeth Schulwolf, MD, MA

Unprofessional behavior in health care organizations undermines a culture of safety for colleagues and, more importantly, for the patients we serve. In addition to medical skills and technical knowledge, the current healthcare environment requires leadership skills and the ability to build strategies for self-awareness, resiliency, and professionalism.

Organizations that build cultures of trust — where relationships and open dialogue are common — experience 50% greater productivity. (As per January-February 2017 Harvard Business Review).  Interpersonal and communication skills not only help bring people together and feel more engaged, but also help to keep patients happy and satisfied.

The ability to feel responsible for our own professional behavior is key to engendering a mindset that commits to a culture of care and respect in our institutions.

Our workshop at ASCP 2019 includes the expertise of a pathologist and Certified Life Coach, and an internal medicine doctor in a hospital leadership position. Together we will

• Identify fundamental concepts of professionalism
• Identify sources of conflict and unprofessional behavior, including the role of wellness and burnout in conflict management
• Work through case-based scenarios for multiple party conflict resolution
• Learn and practice of strategies for wellness in real time
• Learn tactics for team effectiveness, including the utilization of a Coach

The culture of the workplace has changed over the years, requiring that we all work towards a culture of safety. Building strategies for self-awareness, professionalism, and leadership in the workplace can have a profound effect on positive performance of providers.

Learn more about education sessions at ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting here. 

Marisa Saint Martin, MD, FASCP, and Elizabeth Schulwolf, MD, MA, will present "Why Professionalism Matters" on September 11 from 2:40-4:10 p.m. at the ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting. Dr. Saint Martin is a pathologist, Medical Director, and Life, Career, and Executive Certified Coach at Loyola University Health System in Chicago. Dr. Schulwolf is an internal medicine hospitalist and Chief Medical Officer at Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas in Austin.