Professional Ethics – How We Best Navigate the (Small and Big) Dilemmas in Ethical Decision Making

​​​​​​​Professionals in medical physics and medical health physics are subject to various codes of ethics published by the professional organisations and associations representing our community of scientists and practitioners. We, collectively and individually, accept those codes’ terms and conditions, and understand the professional consequences of non-compliance. However, while those codes of ethics may be prescriptive with respect to the general understanding of “ethical behavior” or “professional conduct” in our fields, they often provide little guidance on an ethical decision making process when conflicting interests and intentions require professional judgment. We often serve as contractors to clients or advisers to employers while, at the same time, we are expected to emphasize the welfare of and benefit to the general public. We explain and summarize the philosophical approach to an ethical decision making process, and attempt to clarify the role of the “professional” in that process. We investigate the responsibilities, duties, and virtues of a medical physics or medical health physics professional and explain the ethically prescribed position for the professional in the decision making process. Our most ethical conduct may actually be in our intimate involvement in the development and execution of the final “ethical decision” by providing guidance and counsel to the decision maker in a fiduciary professional-client relationship. The main pillars of a trusting professional-client relationship are our integrity and communication skills. We realize that effective communication necessitates more than the transfer of information to the audience, but simultaneously needs to allow for a well-informed decision by our client or employer and motivate the corresponding actions.