The teaching of medical ethics

The subject of medical ethics is intended to run like a thread throughout the whole undergraduate period at the Nottingham Medical School which was established in 1970, the first such foundation in Britain this century. Dr J S P Jones, who is the Clinical Subdean, and Dr D H H Metcalfe,of the Department of Community Health, describe the plan of the course leading to qualifying, and how the thread of medical ethics has been woven into that fabric. The final objective of the course is to train men and women to become technologically capable and at the same time alive to the human needs of their patients. The authors define the two crucial characteristics of the fully trained professional as a person - self regulating and self policing - who advises and does not command those who come to him as patients.