Ethics Education in Medical Schools: Problems, Practices, and Possibilities
38 Pages Posted: 23 Apr 2011
Date Written: April 20, 2011
Abstract
Medical ethics education in the United States has reached a crisis. Recent surveys and studies suggest that newly minted physicians do not feel confident (and many are not capable) when it comes to handling medical ethics issues. A detailed look at medical ethics curricula across medical schools shows that there is currently no standardized – let alone preferred – approach to teaching medical ethics, in contrast to legal ethics education. This article examines current problems and practices in the field of medical ethics education before drawing on innovative implementations, best practices, and progressive educational theories to offer concrete suggestions for forging a consistent national model that all medical schools can use for improving their medical ethics pedagogy.
Keywords: ethics education, medical schools, pedagogy
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