Developing an innovative medical ethics and law curriculum-constructing a situation-based, interdisciplinary,...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Legal Medicine
• Interdisciplinary Studies

Background:

• Traditional medical ethics and law courses often lack engagement and fail to bridge theory with practice.
• A gap exists in motivating students and facilitating effective learning in medical ethics and law.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate student feedback on a novel court-based learning (CBL) component.
• To propose a creative course design for medical ethics and law education based on situated-learning theory.

Main Methods:

• A court-based learning (CBL) module was implemented for fourth-year medical students.
• The module included lectures, court observation, and interdisciplinary discussions with legal and medical professionals.
• Student perceptions were assessed using a mixed-methods survey.

Main Results:

• High student satisfaction (over 70%) and perceived usefulness of the CBL component.
• Improved understanding of medical law applications (over 60%) and reduced anxiety regarding medical disputes (54%).
• Enhanced empathy, mediation skills (80%), and interest in medical law, alongside increased trust in the justice system.

Conclusions:

• CBL significantly boosts student motivation in medical professionalism and law.
• The curriculum fosters empathy, communication skills, and trust in the justice system.
• This interdisciplinary approach offers a viable model for teaching medical ethics and law.