Ethics and professionalism preparation for psychiatrists-in-training: A curricular proposal

Potential ethical issues and challenges to professionalism arise commonly in the care of patients with psychiatric illnesses. As such, education and training in medical ethics especially as applied to psychiatry and professionalism should be offered to trainees during the formative years of residency and fellowship. This article proposes a curriculum for senior residents and fellows that uses a case-centred seminar to discuss ethical dilemmas, approaches to analysing ethical issues, and to develop a course of action for resolution. Representative ethical issues and the clinical arenas in which these are most likely to arise are suggested.