HP as a Profession

["Kent N. Lambert" <lambert@auhs.edu>]

My dictionary defines profession as, "a calling requiring specialized 
knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation." and 
"the whole body of persons engaged in a calling."

I agree with the first part of Bill Lipton's post - that a person 
engaged in the objectives of the HPS is certainly a professional HP.  
But, I don't agree with his definition of a professional - almost 
any vocation, trade or activity meets the first two  requirements: 
from auto mechanics to  x-ray technologists.

When the standards for a profession can be understood and judged by 
people outside of the profession then the third part of the
definition fails.  Certainly an engineer could judge whether an 
archetict designed a building with insufficient footings, or vise 
versa.  Yet both archeticts and engineers are clearly thought of as 
professionals.  Other examples where persons outside of a 
profession can judge the performance of members of the profession, 
include:
...Citizen review boards judging law enforcement professionals
...Voters judging professional politicians 
...Health physicists judging professional journalists

Kent N. Lambert, M.S., CHP
lambert@auhs.edu
Allegheny University of the Health Sciences
Hahnemann Division
Radiation Physics and Safety, MS 106
Broad and Vine Streets
Philadelphia, PA  19102-1192

215-762-8768 (voice)
215-762-7683 (fax)  

Disclaimer:  All opinions are well reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not (necessarily) the opinions of my employer.