A model for teaching ethics in a family practice residency

The model used for teaching ethics at the Ghent Family Medicine Residency at Eastern Virginia Medical School consists of a monthly one-hour noon conference integrating ethical principles and clinical decision making. The underlying objective is to help produce effective physicians by developing their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The model combines didactic material and clarification of personal values in a case study format. The most important kind of learning to be derived is the self-awareness of one's own value structure and its contribution to the clinical decision-making process. Such a conference will succeed in capturing resident participation in direct proportion to faculty support. Medical ethics teaching in family medicine is appropriate, important, and consistent with the principles of a good family practice residency. An illustration of a typical ethics noon conference on confidentiality is given.