Bridging the Gap Between Ethical Theory and Practice in Medicine: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Physicians face significant burdens balancing patient care with ethical obligations.
• A key ethical dilemma involves physicians acting against their moral compass despite awareness of unethical behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop models addressing the theory-practice gap in medical ethics.
• To propose optimal solutions for enhancing ethical practices in medicine by improving self-motivation and removing external obstacles.

Main Methods:

• Constructivist Grounded Theory Methodology was employed.
• Qualitative data were collected through observation and semi-structured interviews with 21 physicians and medical students.
• MAXQDA software was utilized for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Four key notions influencing the ethical theory-practice gap were identified: education, motivational/emotional factors, regulatory reconstruction, and systematic studies.
• Effective education can change attitudes and behaviors.
• Reconstructing regulations and processes can remove practical obstacles to ethical practice.

Conclusions:

• The medical education system requires reconsideration to boost internal motivation, optimize persuasion, increase student participation, and foster emotions.
• Reconstructing regulations and processes can promote ethical practice with minimal impact on self-motivation.