Teaching professionalism in cadaver dissection: medical students' perspective
Mahboobeh Khabaz Mafinejad1, Mohammad Taherahmadi2, Fariba Asghari3
1Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Education, Education Development Center, Health Professions Education Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine
|January 17, 2022
Summary
Preparing medical students for dissection rooms with ethical codes enhances their professional behavior and learning. This study shows that early exposure to professional conduct significantly improves student attitudes and future practice.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Anatomy
- Ethics in Medicine
Background:
- Dissection room experiences are crucial for medical students.
- Ethical considerations are paramount in anatomical studies.
- Adaptation to the dissection environment requires specific preparation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve freshman medical students' adaptation to the dissection room.
- To familiarize students with professional and ethical codes relevant to dissection.
- To assess the impact of a preparatory program on student attitudes and learning.
Main Methods:
- A single-group post-test design was employed.
- A preparatory program included a lecture, documentary, and expert panel discussion.
- Student understanding and attitudes were evaluated using a questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.89).
Main Results:
- 94.4% of students found the program excellent for reflecting on professional behaviors.
- 92.8% intended to apply the ethical principles in their future practice.
- Content analysis revealed themes of "motivating learning," "application of theory in practice," and "changing attitude toward responsibility."
Conclusions:
- Adequate preparation for cadaver dissection is essential.
- Learning professional behavior codes early aids medical students' understanding.
- The program effectively enhanced students' grasp of professional conduct principles.
