RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Teaching medical ethics: what is the impact of role models? Some experiences from Swedish medical schools
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 315
OP 316
DO 10.1136/jme.2007.021147
VO 34
IS 4
A1 N Lynoe
A1 R Löfmark
A1 H O Thulesius
YR 2008
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/34/4/315.abstract
AB The goal of the present study was to elucidate what influences medical students’ attitudes and interests in medical ethics. At the end of their first, fifth and last terms, 409 medical students from all six medical schools in Sweden participated in an attitude survey. The questions focused on the students’ experience of good and poor role models, attitudes towards medical ethics in general and perceived effects of the teaching of medical ethics. Despite a low response rate at some schools, this study indicates that increased interest in medical ethics was related to encountering good physician role models, and decreased interest, to encountering poor role models. Physicians involved in the education of medical students seem to teach medical ethics as role models even when ethics is not on the schedule. The low response rate prevents us from drawing definite conclusions, but the results could be used as hypotheses to be further scrutinised.