The Importance of Maintaining Medical Professionalism While Experiencing Vicarious Trauma When Working With Human Trafficking Victims

Providing health care services to human trafficking victims may negatively impact the psychological wellness and decision-making process of health care providers, especially mental health providers. This article highlights John Gregory's concept of medical professionalism and discusses how the fundamental virtues, integrity, compassion, self-sacrifice, and self-effacement can guide health care providers in managing their work with trafficked patients. Recommendations are provided to health care providers, and the leadership of their institutions, to develop and support a professional culture of prevention and intervention for health care providers who experience psychological adversities related to their work with victims of human trafficking.