Attitudes of medical students to medical ethics in their curriculum

One hundred and one students at different levels of their medical education were surveyed as to their views about inclusion of medical ethics in their curriculum. The results showed that 88% of the students feel that medical ethics has a place in their curriculum, and 84% rated medical ethics to be of High to Critical Importance to good medical care. They tended to read infrequently about medical ethics, which they would like integrated at all levels of the curriculum, particularly the clinical years. The more senior students were less sensitive to ethical issues. The students mentioned only dramatic issues in their accounts of encounters with cases involving ethical issues. It is felt that a wide gap is left in the education of these students if medical ethics is not included in a positive way in their curriculum.