Traditions of Professional Accountability and Social Responsibility of the Morbidity and Mortality Conference.

An editorial is presented the traditions of the morbidity and mortality conference (M&M), tracing its origins to surgeon Ernest Amory Codman in the early 20 century, and highlighting the principles of personal accountability and continuous improvement in medical practice. Topics include Codman's "End Result" system, the nosology of errors guiding M&M discussions, and the historical significance of M&M conferences in addressing maternal mortality.