Embracing Professionalism to Cultivate Vaccine Positivity and Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy.

Abstract

Fueled by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy has become more pronounced and challenging given the increased distrust of science, pervasiveness of misinformation, and polarization of ideas. As such, pediatric providers are increasingly on the frontline of vaccine conversations with their patients, families, colleagues, and communities. To respond effectively to vaccine hesitancy, providers should employ professionalism in all aspects of their practice, including commitment to learning and growth, cultural awareness and humility, ethical responsibility to self and others, oral communication, reliability and dependability, teamwork, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning, and the engagement in public discourse around vaccines. By ensuring excellence in each professionalism domain, pediatric providers will have the best chance of enhancing vaccine positivity and minimizing vaccine hesitancy. [Pediatr Ann. 2024;53(12):e465-e472.].