Table 2 Codes and code definitions

1.a. Diagnosis

Conduct physical exam, interview patient and collect history of present illness, recognize signs and symptoms, link symptoms to disease processes, assess risk factors for disease, form initial impressions, formulate a testable hypothesis, create a differential diagnosis, select diagnostic studies and labs, interpret diagnostic data, identify likely etiology

1.b. Patient management

Select treatment/therapy, understand treatment mechanism of action, understand treatment limitations, identify treatment contraindications, plan for short and long term clinical management, patient follow-up, anticipate/recognize course of illness, anticipate worsening condition, anticipate disease outcomes/prognosis, anticipate longitudinal changes to health, anticipate future healthcare needs, make recommendations for preventative care, anticipate side effects/complications of treatment, optimize treatment plans

1.c. Tolerance of ambiguity

Recognize patient variability with respect to disease, anticipate complications of disease, recognize comorbidities influencing outcomes, tolerate unusual, novel, complex or ambiguous cases, recognize patient variability with respect to response to treatment, recognize comorbidities influencing treatment, anticipate and recognize confounding factors or variables contributing to disease

1.d. Patient safety

Prevent a missed opportunity for early treatment/intervention in disease, prevent misdiagnosis, prevent medical errors, avoid use of inappropriate treatments

2.a. Continue learning throughout practice

Continue to acquire new knowledge by engaging with the literature to understand advances in science and medicine, continue medical education and training throughout practice, critically evaluate the research literature to apply new and emerging diagnostics, therapies, interventions, personalized medicine, approaches for prophylaxis, and approaches for disease prevention/preventative medicine to patient care

3.a. Educate patients

Answer patient questions and respond to patient concerns, dispel incorrect medical information, destigmatize misconceptions of disease, explain disease and treatments in terms that are understandable to patients

3.b. Empower patients

Advocate for lifestyle changes, empower patients to become actively involved in their own health and health maintenance, engage patients in share decision making regarding their health and various treatment options

3.c. Develop patient trust

Patients expect physicians to have a wealth of biomedical science knowledge and this contributes to development of patient trust and provides the foundation for empathetic and compassionate care

4.a. Develop confidence and competence as a physician

Knowledge of biomedical science contributes to the development of confidence and competence as a physician, biomedical science knowledge provides a common language used to engage with colleagues and other members of the healthcare team

4.b. Transition from layperson to physician

Knowledge of biomedical science is expected of oneself, one’s colleagues, and patients and thus forms the basis of one’s emerging role as a physician