Description of a skills oriented health ethics program

Continuing change requires that the primary goal of ethics education be the development of competencies to address changing ethical issues. To develop the skill of critical ethical thinking, a two component model was developed. The first component is a two semester hour course in ethical theory. This component is analogous to the theoretical component of a science curriculum and it emphasizes that ethical theory, like scientific theory, is held hypothetically, subject to revision and replacement as it develops in response to "data." The other component, a one semester hour course in health ethics, is designed as the "laboratory" in which theory interacts with ethical problems in health-care situations. Skill development takes place by requiring students to find and defend solutions to ethical dilemmas by applying and refining ethical theory. the ethical issues addressed include but are not limited to current issues in pharmacy. The ongoing evaluation of this model by external evaluators from the funding agency, local consulting faculty, and students has consistently emphasized the value of concrete involvement in cases concomitantly with the exposure to ethical theory.