Developing recommendations on ethical aspects affecting studies in health professions education research

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Health Professions Education
• Research Ethics

Background:

• Health professions education research must adhere to legal and ethical standards.
• A gap exists in practical guidance for implementing ethical research practices.
• This study addresses the need for actionable recommendations in this field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop practical recommendations for applying ethical research principles.
• To guide researchers in planning, conducting, and publishing health professions education studies.
• To bridge the gap between ethical requirements and their on-the-ground implementation.

Main Methods:

• Recommendations were developed by the DACH Association for Medical Education's Committee on Methodology in Educational Research.
• A three-step process involved identifying problematic areas, deriving measures, and expert review.
• Experts with diverse research perspectives reviewed the proposed recommendations.

Main Results:

• Two distinct sets of recommendations were created.
• The first set focuses on participant protection (data protection, consent, no harm, autonomy) with 29 measures across six areas.
• The second set addresses study and publication quality assurance with 14 measures across four areas.

Conclusions:

• The recommendations offer practical assistance for ethical considerations in research.
• They supplement existing rules and individual researcher judgment, not replace them.
• Continuous development and investigation into the application and impact of these recommendations are advised.