'As You Set Out for Ithaca': VIEW- A Visual Tool for Teaching Ethical Decision Making in Medical Practice

Ethical dilemmas in healthcare often involve navigating emotional and value-laden challenges. Traditional teaching approaches, such as principle-based frameworks, highlight the theory but do not contain tools to integrate emotional reflection and value prioritization, leaving a gap in preparing physicians for real-world ethical decision making.

We introduce a novel visual tool named VIEW (Visual Insight for Ethical Wisdom) that enhances ethical decision making by fostering reflection on values, emotions, and professional identity.

The VIEW tool was developed as an interactive framework that allows users to map ethical dilemmas visually. It was implemented in three workshops with 31 participants, including junior and senior physicians and medical educators. Participants used the VIEW to analyze real-life ethical challenges. They created 31 visual maps that captured emotional responses, core values, and interpretations of dilemmas. We qualitatively analyzed these maps, alongside other observations and interviews, to identify key themes.

Preliminary evaluations indicated that the VIEW tool effectively bridges theory and practice. It externalized thought processes, encouraging emotional awareness, and promoting value-based reasoning. Participants reported improved capacity to navigate complex dilemmas and deeper engagement with their professional identity.

This visual tool integrates cognitive and emotional dimensions of ethical reasoning, addressing the limitations of traditional approaches. Its implementation highlights the importance of reflection in medical education and clinical practice. Further research is needed to explore the tool's broader applicability.