ABSTRACT
Professional identity in the twenty-first century is a rather elusive concept. British general practice is offered here as a case study, illustrating the connections between professional identity and practitioner ethics. Twenty years ago, McWhinney asserted that general practice is different from other medical specialities. While this trend is sometimes derided by health professionals, it can also be seen as an example of the democratisation of medical knowledge. The shocking affair of Dr Shipman, the British GP who, during his career, killed over 200 patients, led to major changes in the regulation of medicines and doctors, prompted by Dame Janet Smith's Shipman inquiry in 2000. The development of principlist thinking through successive editions of Beauchamp and Childress's textbook over many years illustrates the success of this approach. Generalism describes a philosophy of practice which is person, not disease centred; continuous, not episodic; integrates biotechnical and biographical perspectives; and views health as a resource for living and not an end in itself.
