Towards a Framework for Research Ethics Education for Physicians in Serbia

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Research Ethics
• Health Sciences Education

Background:

• Increasing opportunities for physicians in academia and industry necessitate robust research ethics training.
• A significant gap exists in comprehensive research ethics curricula for physician researchers in Serbia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and classify essential research ethics topics for physician researchers.
• To propose a structured framework for enhancing biomedical research ethics education in Serbia.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of existing research ethics curricula from medical schools and international organizations.
• Review of Serbian legislative codes and PubMed database using key search terms.
• Classification of identified topics into eight distinct syllabi.

Main Results:

• Eight syllabi were developed: Responsible Conduct of Research, Justice in Human Subjects Research, Research on Human Subjects, Vulnerable Populations, Conflict of Interest, Research on Animals, Research on Genes/Cells/Embryos, and Organization of Research Ethics.
• Each syllabus is justified by empirical evidence and local context.

Conclusions:

• The proposed eight-syllabus framework provides a comprehensive structure for research ethics education.
• This framework can guide higher education authorities in Serbia to strengthen and refine curricula for physician researchers.