Bringing professionalism to the bedside

In February 2002, the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, the American College of Physicians Foundation, and the European Federation of Internal Medicine published the Charter on Medical Professionalism. With the intent of bringing the concepts of professionalism closer to the bedside and the office, Annals will publish a special series in collaboration with the American Board of Internal Medicine. The series will consist of 6 essays, each with an accompanying commentary, that illustrate how the principles contained in the Charter can illuminate the dilemmas of daily practice.