In July 2025, experts, health care leaders, and educators came together at the ABIM Foundation Forum to explore what professionalism means in today’s rapidly changing health care landscape.
Over two days, participants:
- engaged in candid conversations,
- examined tensions between values and systems, and
- worked toward actionable strategies to strengthen professionalism in ways that honor patient voices, support clinicians, and build a more trustworthy health system.
WEBINAR: Navigating Financial and Corporate Influences on Medical Professionalism
Join us on September 29 or a webinar featuring Erin Fuse Brown, JD, MPH, and moderated by Fredrick Cerise, MD, MPH. They will discuss how financial priorities are shaping the practice of medicine and the implications for medical professionalism.
President’s Lecture
Lisa Rosenbaum, MD (Beth Israel Deaconess / NEJM)
Dr. Rosenbaum explored generational perspectives on whether medicine is a “calling” or a “job,” the role of patient care at the heart of professionalism, and the risks of conflating discomfort in training with moral injury.
Watch the Recording (For Forum Participants Only — use the login provided or request access at info@abimfoundation.org)
Corporatization and Financialization
A panel discussion examined the growing influence of corporate structures on health care and its consequences for professionalism. Panelists debated the role of profit motives, regulation, and physician unionization in shaping patient care.
Panelists:
- Dhruv Khullar, MD, MPP (Weill Cornell Medical College)
- Erin Fuse Brown, JD, MPH (Brown University School of Public Health)
- Troy Brennan, MD, JD (Former EVP & CMO, CVS Health / Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)
Professionalism and Medical Education
Panelists discussed fairness, bias, and evolving norms in how professionalism is taught and assessed in medical training, calling for a shift from punitive to developmental approaches.
Panelists:
- Marianne Green, MD (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
- Nora Yusuf Osman, MD (Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women’s Hospital)
- Adaira Landry, MD, MEd (Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women’s Hospital)
- Londyn Robinson, MD (University of Washington)
Bright Spots
In this session, participants heard from experts who highlighted innovative ways professionalism can be applied in practice. The panel addressed the tension between advocacy and perceptions of professionalism, showing how strategic engagement and storytelling can advance patient-centered outcomes even within conservative systems.
- Kevin Schulman, MD, MBA discussed macroeconomic forces shaping health care delivery, including consolidation and physician employment, and explored unionization as a tool to preserve professional voice and agency.
- Lilia Cervantes, MD shared her advocacy work for undocumented patients with kidney failure, emphasizing how sustained collaboration with patients and policy partners can drive meaningful change.
- Brad Spellberg, MD used a Dungeons & Dragons framework to examine professional attitudes toward rules, illustrating how flexible policies can empower staff to prioritize patient care and act in accordance with professionalism.
Small Group Ideas
Participants collaborated in small groups to develop actionable concepts for applying professionalism to today’s health care challenges. The most highly rated ideas included:
- Redefining Patient Safety Through Narrative: Use specific patient stories to highlight “never events” and expand the definition of patient safety beyond financial and organizational constraints.
- Physician Roles in the Information Age: Develop a white paper and convene a summit to explore physician roles amid AI and evolving health information landscapes.
- Reimagining the US Preventive Services Task Force: Create a group to fill the gap left by the Task Force, promoting patient autonomy and clear communication about scientific uncertainty.
- Exploring Patient Perspectives on Medical Self-Regulation: Partner with patient advisory groups to better understand public perceptions of physician self-regulation.
- Aligning Medical Competencies with Patient Needs: Standardize alternative competencies and foster community partnerships to better reflect patient priorities and rebuild trust.
- Advancing Clinical Well-Being through Education: Integrate well-being and advocacy into curricula, cross-specialty modules, and team redesign initiatives.
Closing Reflections
Participants concluded the Forum by reflecting on both the challenges and opportunities in modern health care. Across sessions, there was a shared recognition of the pressures clinicians face from corporatization, regulatory complexity, and evolving societal expectations. At the same time, the Forum highlighted bright spots of innovation — from advocacy initiatives to educational redesigns — demonstrating how professionalism can serve as a guide for patient-centered, values-driven care. Attendees left with actionable ideas, strengthened connections across disciplines, and renewed optimism for advancing professionalism in ways that build trust, support clinicians, and improve patient outcomes.
Recap of Values Exercises
2025 ABIMF Forum
Relevant Readings
2025 ABIMF Forum
Background Paper
2025 ABIMF Forum
Summary Paper
2025 ABIMF Forum
