An interprofessional cohort analysis of student interest in medical ethics education: a survey-based quantitative study

Ethics teaching in medical school: the perception of medical students

BACKGROUND

In times of a pandemic, morals and ethics take center stage. Due to the challenges of the pandemic and ongoing discussions about the end of life, student teaching demands might have changed. This study aimed to evaluate teaching ethics, law, and decision-making skills in medical education via a survey to customize the curriculum to the students' needs. Furthermore, gender differences were examined to determine gender equality in medical education.

METHODS

The medical students at the Medical University of Vienna were requested to complete an anonymous online survey, providing feedback on the teaching of ethics, law, and decision-making skills.

RESULTS

Our study showed the students' strong demand for more teaching of ethics, law, and decision-making skills. Moreover, we found that students were afraid to encounter ethical and moral dilemmas. Gender differences could be found, with female students assessing their knowledge and the teaching as being more insufficient, resulting in greater fear of encountering ethical and moral dilemmas.

CONCLUSION

The fear of encountering ethical and moral dilemmas might be linked to medical students' self-perceived insufficient legal knowledge. The education should guarantee gender equality in medical training and be customized to the students to provide the future doctors with the ethical and legal expertise to preserve the patient's rights and protect their mental health.

Building connections between biomedical sciences and ethics for medical students

BACKGROUND

Medical ethics education is crucial for preparing medical students to face ethical situations that can arise in patient care. Instances of ethics being integrated into biomedical science education to build the connection between human science and ethics is limited. The specific aim of this study was to measure student attitudes towards an innovative curriculum design that integrates ethics education directly into a biomedical science course in pre-clinical medical curriculum.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, three ethics learning modules were designed and built in a biomedical science course in the pre-clinical curriculum. All students of Class of 2024 who were enrolled in the course in 2021 were included in the study. Each module integrated ethics with basic science topics and was delivered with different teaching modalities. The first module used a documentary about a well-known patient with severe combined immunodeficiency disease. The second module was delivered through a clinical scenario on HIV infection. The third module used small group discussion and debate on the topic of blood transfusion. For evaluation, students were asked to self-identify the ethical challenges associated with each module and complete reflective writing to assess their knowledge and attitude. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on student perceptions of each module.

RESULTS

Likert scale ratings on the usefulness of each module revealed significantly higher ratings for the small group discussion/debate module, seconded by the documentary and lastly the case scenario only modules. Narrative analysis on student feedback revealed three themes: General favorable impression, Perceived learning outcomes, and Critiques and suggestion. Common and unique codes were identified to measure the strengths and weaknesses of each module. Overall, students' perception of the curriculum design was extremely positive.

CONCLUSIONS

This curriculum design enabled us to highlight foundational biomedical sciences and clinical conditions with ethical dilemmas that physicians are likely to face in practice. Students found value in the modules, with a preference for the most active learning method. This study provides insight on a novel approach for integrating medical ethics into biomedical science courses that can be tailored to any institution. Strategies learned include utilizing active learning modalities and discussion.

Now, I think doctors can be heroes … Medical student's attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on key aspects of medical education and how the image of the medical profession has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic hit the world in early 2020 and influenced medical education worldwide. Distance learning, risk of infection and patient care, telehealth literacy, medical ethics and research in medical education are key factors of medical education challenged by the pandemic. Additionally, the following question arises: “What do medical students think about their future profession in the face of this crisis?”

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all undergraduate medical students of the Medical University of Vienna. 872 students answered the self-developed questionnaire. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were conducted.

Results

The data show that the COVID-19 pandemic has raised awareness for the key aspects. In all areas of interest, students’ feeling of petaredness is limited. Limitations in practical training and distance learning as well as social isolation concern a majority of students. Neutral, positive, and negative themes emerged in qualitative data analysis. Only 8% of the students of the first 3 years of study versus 13.4% of the students in higher years commented negatively. 18.7% of male vs. only 12.5% of all female students’ comments were positive. A large proportion of positive comments were dedicated to the relevance and deeper meaning of the medical profession. Infection risk and the demanding nature of the medical profession were predominant in negative comments.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 crisis has turned the spotlight on several aspects of medical education in need of reform. In addition, the occupational image of the medical profession seems to shift under the weight of this pandemic.

An analysis of the implementation effects of new paths and methods of occupational ethics education for medical students in higher vocational colleges

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the implementation effects of new paths and methods of occupational ethics education for medical students in higher vocational colleges.

METHODS

A total of 668 students in higher vocational colleges were selected as the study subjects, and divided into traditional group (n=349) and innovative group (n=319) in accordance with their grades. The data pertaining to the students' views on the educational model of medical and occupational ethics, occupational passion, spirit of occupational risk, occupational ethics and codes, and doctor-patient rights and obligations and communication abilities and skills in the two groups were compared, so as to explore the influences of new paths and methods of occupational ethics education on the occupational ethics of medical students in higher vocational colleges.

RESULTS

The study results showed that the innovative group was significantly superior to the traditional group in the satisfaction with the courses of occupational ethics, pedagogical effects, occupational dedication and passion, doctor-patient communication ability, the fulfillment of doctor-patient rights and obligations, and the cognition of occupational ethics and codes (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The implementation of innovative methods of occupational ethics education for medical students in higher vocational colleges can produce significant feedback effects. The improved teachers' abilities and pedagogical methods, innovative teaching approaches and optimized curriculum can effectively improve the occupational ethics of medical students in higher vocational colleges.