Medicine and psychiatry must continue to build on the initial work undertaken, in the Anglo-Saxon world, towards the formal teaching of professionalism and its assessment. There are different fronts on which the debate on professionalism within psychiatry will continue to take place. The global psychiatric community must urgently take to promote professionalism within psychiatry. First, there must be a clear commitment from all institutions involved in undergraduate medical education, postgraduate psychiatric training and continuing professional development for career psychiatrists to support the teaching and maintenance of professionalism. Second, the profession should lead the charge for greater patient and lay involvement in teaching, training, service delivery and regulation within mental health services. Third, professional societies and associations must engage with policymakers at a national and international level. Finally, the profession needs to work with the legal systems and employers to ensure a new form of professional autonomy.