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Medical ethics education: past, present, and future
1Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago 60612, USA.
Summary
This study reviews 25 years of undergraduate medical ethics education in the US, highlighting traditional and alternative teaching models. It identifies emerging trends focusing on everyday, student-centered, and macro-level ethics in medical training.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Bioethics
- Curriculum Development
Background:
- Medical ethics education has evolved significantly over the past 25 years in the United States.
- Traditional models focused on cognitive skills for ethical decision-making.
- Alternative approaches emerged, emphasizing personal values, attitudes, and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the 25-year history of undergraduate medical ethics education in the US.
- To discuss traditional and alternative teaching models.
- To identify current consensus and incipient trends in the field.
Main Methods:
- Historical review of medical ethics education efforts.
- Analysis of traditional and alternative pedagogical approaches.
- Identification and illustration of key trends through course and curriculum examples.
Main Results:
- The field has moved from a purely knowledge-based approach to incorporating values and behavior.
- Consensus exists on core ethical principles in medical training.
- Emerging trends include a focus on everyday ethics, student ethics, and macroethics.
Conclusions:
- Undergraduate medical ethics education has broadened its scope beyond cognitive skills.
- Future directions point towards more integrated and comprehensive ethical training for medical students.
- The evolution reflects a growing understanding of the multifaceted nature of ethical practice in medicine.
Keywords:
Bioethics and Professional Ethics