The Program

The Medical Professionalism Project was created by the (Dis)Honesty Project and the Center for Advanced Hindsight in collaboration with Duke Health.

With this program, we wanted to design a new and innovative type of continuing medical education series that explores the complexities of the healthcare system and the multitude of expectations medical professionals face each day. While professionalism is a core competency of all medical professions, it is difficult to qualify. What does it mean to be a medical professional in today’s practice environment? What are the challenges that work against that aim? How does one maintain integrity in this high-stakes profession? We explore these questions and more in twelve short documentaries that feature over twenty Duke medical professionals and utilize cutting-edge social science as a lens through which to view our behavior.

The research of behavioral economist Dan Ariely has shown that there are certain factors that allow even the best of us to fudge the truth and still feel good about ourselves. We apply this research to the world of medicine, exploring the challenges, both systemic and individual, to maintaining integrity, while highlighting some unique solutions that support both the patient and the provider.

about

About the team

Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely

Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology & Behavioral Economics at Duke University, is dedicated to exploring questions about human behavior in order to help people live more sensible – if not rational – lives. His interests span a wide range of behaviors, and his creative experiments are consistently interesting, amusing and informative, demonstrating profound ideas that fly in the face of common wisdom. Dan is the founding member of the Center for Advanced Hindsight, and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty. Dan’s latest book is Dollars and Sense, co-written with Jeff Kreisler.

Ross McKinney, Jr., MD

Ross McKinney, Jr., MD

Ross McKinney, Jr., MD, is currently the Chief Scientific Officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges. He’s a graduate of Dartmouth College, went to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and did a residency and fellowship in Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases at Duke University Medical Center. He joined the faculty of Duke and stayed for 37 years, retiring as a Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics in 2016. During his time at Duke, Dr. McKinney did clinical research regarding Pediatric HIV infection and its treatment, and from 2002-2007 he was the Vice Dean for Research for the Duke University School of Medicine.

Yael Melamede

Yael Melamede

Yael Melamede is the co-founder of SALTY Features – an independent production company based in NYC whose goal is to create media that is provocative, vital, and enhances the world. SALTY’s recent documentaries include STRAIGHT/CURVE – an exploration of body image through the lens of fashion and media, and (DIS)HONESTY: THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES – based on the work of behavioral scientist Dan Ariely.  Additional productions include INOCENTE, winner of the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary Short ; DESERT RUNNERS, winner of multiple audience awards in the US and around the world; WHEN I WALK, winner of a 2015 News and Documentary Emmy Award; BRIEF INTERVIEWS WITH HIDEOUS MEN, based on the book by David Foster Wallace; THE INNER LIFE OF MARTIN FROST, written and directed by Paul Auster; and MY ARCHITECT, nominated for an Academy Award in 2004. Melamede was an architect before becoming a filmmaker.

Rebecca Ortega

Rebecca Ortega

Rebecca Ortega, MHA, is the Director of Strategic Development for the Center for Interventional Cardiovascular Research and Clinical Trials at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York where her interests include generation and translation of health data into real world application. She was previously the Director of Education at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, NC and prior, the Director of Education at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions in Washington, DC. She holds a master’s degree in health systems administration from Georgetown University and a bachelor of arts degree from Davidson College.

Contact

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. We welcome your feedback.

You can reach us at contact@professionalismproject.com.