Professions and Professionals Flashcards
Micro
Individual professionals
MAcro
refer to changes or characteristics of professional occupations
Defining features of a professional
Education, training License Certain demeaner and appearance Language Title Prestige Not easily replaceable high degree of commitment Pay Autonomy – scheduling, decision making
Deprofessionalizaiton vs professionalization
occupational level
maco
professionalism vs unprofessionalism
individual level
Attributes of a profession
Abstract specialized knowledge
Autonomy
Authority
Altruism
Abstract specialized knowledge
Knowledge base: Theoretical Practical Technical Esoteric and mystified Increasingly specialized
esoteric and mystified
Use professionals use – that most general people don’t understand
Doctors notes – might have little meaning for us
Set boundaries around who has access around their knowledge base – by using this challenging language
Acquire it by hearing and using the language
Part of the function is that they’re protecting their turf, so only insiders can communicate with each other
Increasingly specialized
Negative consequence
Many of these knowledge based occupations are growing so fast
You cant be a generalist anyone
Rather you are a specialist so you can keep on top of this rapidly growing knowledge base
The depth of their knowledge is very deep
Narrower range but the depth of knowledge is quite deep
Ex: research methods and work – but she knows a lot about these two subjects in depth
Autonomy
Discretion in decision making
Professional standards may limit autonomy
Code of ethics to ensure accountability
self governance
occupational autonomy
discretion in decision making
How these occupations maintain control over their members
Professional occupation – discretion and decision making and freedom from external control, and other bodies telling them what to do
Can determine if you maintain, or take away your occupations
society
As a society we have granted them control over their members and what is considered part of their activities
Society grants them the permission to perform certain activities
Professional standards may limit autonomy
Profession that sets standards on what you can and cannot do (standards)
Conflict over boundaries across different occupations
Physicians vs pharmacists – battle of who can write prescriptions
Settled that only certain types of prescriptions pharmacists can write
Negotiating the boundaries for who can do a particular task
code of ethics
Also standards of what you have to do to maintain to be able to continue in the practice
Up to your peers (evaluated by them) as to whether you are doing a good job, and maintaining those standards
Expect members to follow