The ethics of teaching in medicine: A personal view. 2019

Mario Vaz
Department of Physiology, St. John's Medical College; Division of Health and Humanities, St. John's Research Institute, Koramangala Bengaluru INDIA.

While there is considerable literature on the teaching of medical ethics, much less has been written about the ethics of medical teaching. This article is a personal reflection on the latter. The devaluation of medical teaching, in part, but not only because of the difficulties of objectively assessing it, has serious ethical implications. Teaching, including medical teaching is a moral enterprise. The most serious consequence of inadequate medical teaching/learning is the graduation of incompetent and unethical medical students. Medical teachers have multiple functions and are positive or negative role models to the students they teach. Senior faculty have a moral imperative to continue to teach while mentoring their junior colleagues. Faculty and institutions need to be aware of the ethical consequences of a hidden and null curriculum that is at odds with the values and goals of medical teaching. Remedial measures are needed; there are several steps that medical teachers and administrators can take to address this issue.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D003479 Curriculum A course of study offered by an educational institution. Curricula,Short-Term Courses,Course, Short-Term,Courses, Short-Term,Short Term Courses,Short-Term Course
D004501 Education, Medical Use for general articles concerning medical education. Medical Education
D005180 Faculty, Medical Teaching and administrative staff having academic rank in a medical school. Faculties, Medical,Medical Faculties,Medical Faculty
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013663 Teaching A formal and organized process of transmitting knowledge to a person or group. Teaching Method,Training Activity,Training Technique,Academic Training,Educational Technics,Educational Techniques,Pedagogy,Teaching Methods,Technics, Educational,Techniques, Educational,Training Activities,Training Technics,Training Techniques,Activities, Training,Activity, Training,Educational Technic,Educational Technique,Method, Teaching,Methods, Teaching,Pedagogies,Technic, Educational,Technic, Training,Technics, Training,Technique, Educational,Technique, Training,Techniques, Training,Training Technic,Training, Academic
D024382 Professional Role The expected function of a member of a particular profession. Professional Roles,Role, Professional,Roles, Professional
D028681 Moral Obligations Duties that are based in ETHICS, rather than in law. Moral Duties,Duties, Moral,Duty, Moral,Moral Duty,Moral Obligation,Obligation, Moral,Obligations, Moral

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