The word “profession” is defined in any standard dictionary as a calling requiring specialized knowledge, and often long and intensive academic preparation—a principle calling,
vocation, or employment. “Professional” and “professionalism” are, likewise,
defined by referring to some aspect of the root word, “profession.” The dictionary definitions of “profession,” “professional,” and “professionalism” are not of real consequence in that most people, when defining these words, refer to a perception of what these words connote, to a mental picture or image of what a profession is, or how a professional looks (for example, abstract thinking, as opposed to manual labor; a suit and tie, as opposed to a uniform; a learned person such as a physician or a lawyer). This perception of a professional is cultural, having been nurtured carefully by those who most directly benefit from the mystique of the professions. The background study of professions that is relevant to an analysis of the clinical engineering profession has four parts. The first part develops a baseline definition of profession. The second part traces the historical development of profession, looking for a developmental history of professions. The third part looks at the relationship of a professional to an employer. The fourth part looks at legal restraints such as licensure. This chapter concludes with a discussion of the role of professional societies in the professionalization process.