The literature on professional identity formation (PIF) has helped to elucidate and reframe medical education in terms of a student’s socialization into medicine. In this presentation, considering the vagaries of the hidden curriculum, I scrutinize PIF’s assumptions about the moral agency of learners and argue for a further reframing of medical education in terms of a virtue-based understanding of that agency. I explore some reasons for this reframing and its implications for professionalism education and assessment.

Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds provides a monthly forum for teaching participants to resolve cases based on the best ethical practices. Bioethics and Medical Humanities Grand Rounds also provides information on any legislative changes that occur so that clinicians are ready to implement them. The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities is the only clinical ethics center in Wisconsin. The faculty are leaders in clinical ethics and set the agenda for clinical ethics practice in Southeastern Wisconsin.