Explain a professional way to run a practice office. Part of being a doctor means being a boss, and students are likely to eventually have many different individuals working under them. Describe the correct way to treat office managers, nurse technicians and janitorial staff--it should be in an authoritative but not overbearing manner. Have the students role-play an interaction in which one of them is the doctor and the other is her employee. Give them a script to follow of a typical daily interaction. Let the other students analyze what went right, what went wrong and how the exchange could have been improved.
Explain a professional way to relate to patients. Many doctors feel extremely empathetic toward the ill, and this can cause inappropriate cases of transference and counter-transference. Teach students the importance of being friendly toward patients, yet at the same time maintaining an emotional distance. Role playing patient-doctor interactions can also be helpful in these instances. Being professional with patients can also mean valuing their time as individuals. Stress the need to see patients as close to their scheduled appointments as possible, and prevent unnecessary delays in care or treatment.
Explain a professional way to relate to other physicians. No doctor's practice is isolated in the truest sense--each physician is part of a network of others. Teach students how to relate to these other doctors--whether they are co-workers, conference attendees or consultants--in a polite and and courteous manner. Describe the importance of returning phone calls promptly, sending needed records as soon as possible and providing referrals and references when requested. Show students how working together with these other professionals benefits both patients and the medical profession as a whole. Provide examples of the kinds of things that can go wrong when physicians do not work well together or fail to communicate effectively.