Proximity morality in medical school – medical students forming physician morality 'on the job': Grounded theory analysis of a student survey
2007

Medical Students' Attitudes Towards Ethics Education

Sample size: 409 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Hans O. Thulesius, Karl Sallin, Niels Lynoe, Rurik Löfmark

Primary Institution: Lund University, Sweden

Hypothesis

How do medical students view ethics education in Swedish medical schools?

Conclusion

Medical students prefer to form their own physician morality through tutored group discussions rather than being taught ethics directly.

Supporting Evidence

  • Students expressed a desire for ethics education to be interactive and discussion-based.
  • Many students reported that good role models positively influenced their interest in ethics.
  • Students indicated that they wanted to process difficult clinical experiences through group discussions.
  • Ethics education is seen as essential for developing a professional identity among medical students.

Takeaway

Medical students want to learn about ethics by talking about it with their peers instead of just listening to lectures.

Methodology

Questionnaire survey analyzing open-ended responses and multiple-choice questions using grounded theory.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to low response rates and reliance on self-reported data.

Limitations

The study does not account for teachers' views and relies solely on written comments from a multiple-choice survey.

Participant Demographics

409 Swedish medical students, 75% women and 25% men.

Statistical Information

P-Value

OR 7.2 (CI: 1.2–43)

Confidence Interval

CI: 1.4–11

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6920-7-27

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