Medical professionalism, which prioritizes patient welfare above personal interests, is a cornerstone of ethical practice. However, claiming professionalism may not be enough when economic incentives cloud physicians' judgment. Johnson School Professor Dr. Sunita Sah's research indicates that an exaggerated sense of professionalism can contribute to greater unethical behavior.
Sah's study, involving 400 managers, revealed that professionals with an inflated sense of professionalism were more inclined to accept conflicts of interest, mistakenly believing they could resist any unwanted influence. This is akin to dieters confident in their ability to resist unhealthy food and are less likely to remove such foods from their home and thus end up eating more than they want.
According to Sah's research, medical professionals who see themselves as unbiased are, paradoxically, more susceptible to bias after accepting a conflict of interest. Moreover, physicians with an inflated sense of professionalism fail to recognize their vulnerability in advance or their biases in hindsight, ultimately compromising patient care.
Read the full story on the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business website.
Sarah Magnus-Sharpe is the director of Media Relations at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
