According to the general definition (American College Dictionary), a person is in a profession if he or she is making a living out of it; or put more simply, drawing monetary benefits out of it. But is everyone who is in a profession a professional? By the same source, professionalism is defined as “standing, practice, or methods of a professional as distinguished from an amateur.” There are many instances where a person in a profession is not a professional according to the criteria of professionalism. A good example is sports, where the attitude of many players can be defined as nonprofessional although they are making money in sports. Sports celebrities almost always face criticism more for this very reason, their nonprofessional attitude. Although the criteria differ between professions, they have some basic common characteristics. A professional has formal and technical education in the profession, mastery over the theoretical knowledge, and the capacity to apply the theoretical knowledge to the practice. He or she has the expertise, developed primarily by the education and training and then by the experience he or she has gained from working in the profession. But what actually defines a professional is one’s professional attitude. Dedication, motivation, commitment to cause, and progressive thought towards one’s profession set one apart from non-professionals.
Professionalism in more technical fields gains more importance as more responsibility lies with the professionals. Such professions demand sacrifice and prioritizing the interest of those they serve above their own (Bumgarner et al. 28). This definition encompasses the characteristics of professional behavior that relate to sacrifice, compassion, sympathy, altruism, duty, and integrity. Teaching and medicine are examples where professionalism on the part of teachers and doctors is critical to those whose care is entrusted to them. In such cases, there are many stakeholders who can gain or lose a lot depending on the professional attitude of these professionals. In any such profession, the primary interest of professionals is allied with community or public interest. Consequently, they bear great responsibility in keeping this interest. For this very reason, there are systems to verify the competence of the professional members. One has to be updated and informed about improvements, innovations, developments, and requirements of the profession. Commitment to continuous learning about one’s profession is another defining characteristic. The mere experience of working alongside theoretical knowledge no more stands as a certificate to being a professional. There are instances where the theoretical knowledge is evolving steadily, such as accountancy and pharmacy, where new standards are set frequently, and practical knowledge of the application of these standards is crucial to the validity of one’s professional practice.
In addition to characteristics of theoretical and practical knowledge, self-development is needed to keep oneself equipped for changing situations. According to Christopher Day, ‘Reflection’ has a strong role in the ever learning process of a professional (Day 83-93). Also, confrontation is necessary alongside reflection for professional development in any organization. Day also considers the effect of organizational culture on the developmental capacity of reflection and confrontation. The workplace culture is vital in defining the professional attitudes of individuals. A culture driven by commitment and dedication to knowledge, learning, and practice is more likely to draw better professional behavior from its participants. Research and study for self-development are essential at the organizational level. The extent to which confrontation is beneficial is also defined by the organizational culture.
Bibliography
Bumgarner, Gary W., Alan R. Spies, Scott Asbill, and Valerie T. Prince. Using the Humanities to Strengthen the Concept of Professionalism among First-professional Year Pharmacy Students. In: American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2007; 71(2): 28.
Day, Christopher. Reflection: a necessary but not sufficient condition for professional development. Published in : British Educational Research Journal, Volume 19, Issue 1 1993 , pages 83 – 93