This article’s headline may seem to pose some silly questions. You’re probably thinking, “I already know what professionalism is and why it’s important. Everyone does.”

But, do you really know all that it entails? Keep reading to find out.

Professionalism can take many forms depending on the nature of what you’re doing. At Galaxy, we teach our students not only in understanding the concepts and practices of their chosen field, but also in how to present themselves as knowledgeable and qualified.

Some of the key elements of professionalism as it relates to school and the medical field:

• Specialized Knowledge
• Timeliness
• Presentation
• Preparation

Specialized Knowledge

This first step toward your professionalism is what you get while at school. At Galaxy, we develop your knowledge and skills and your graduation and diploma and/or certification serve as the evidence of this knowledge.

This part of professionalism requires demonstrating that you have worked in a serious, thoughtful, and consistent manner to master the specialized knowledge needed to succeed in your field. And moreover, that you keep this knowledge relevant with practice or extracurricular courses, when applicable, to deliver the best work possible.

Timeliness

This aspect of professionalism should be obvious- and easy. Demonstrating professionalism requires you to be on time, preferably early, and never make a potential employer, a boss, a teacher, or even a co-worker wait on you. This is a key factor not only at school but in all aspects of life.  At Galaxy, we enforce a strict schedule for all of our students, instilling the importance of punctuality.

Presentation

Part of professionalism is ‘looking the part.’ Our uniform policy at Galaxy requires students to dress for the job they want even while they’re learning. Our students are polished, and they dress appropriately for the situation- whether it be class, an interview, or just a day on the job. This practice instills pride and commands respect.

Preparation

Professionalism requires preparation. Whether it be mastering that specialized knowledge to get a degree, or researching a potential employer before an interview, professionals are always prepared.

But Why?

Now, the “why.” Why is professionalism important? Because it gets results.

At Galaxy Medical College, we place a great deal of emphasis on professionalism. This is because when our students and graduates enter the workforce, they will be up against others for positions and/or promotions, and it’s most often the manner in which they carry themselves that can make the difference in getting that highly sought-after opening. On paper, many candidates may appear to be the same- with similar education and training- but the Galaxy difference comes with the way we train our students to present themselves.

Don’t believe us? Let the numbers speak for themselves. Galaxy’s graduate job placement rate is 94.8%.

We pride ourselves in our high graduate job placement rate. This is no small feat in an industry where schools are often eager to enroll students with no regard for their actual success.

Now that you have a better understanding of what professionalism is all about, ask yourself if you’re demonstrating these characteristics to the people around you? Perhaps you’re already showing some of the key traits, but you may find you’re not strong with others. Build your own professionalism by focusing on improving each of these characteristics and putting them into practice everyday.