Teaching of Medical Ethics: students´ perception in different periods of the course

Resumen

Introduction: Medical Ethics is structured to guide doctors’ procedures toward a better professional practice; however, its teaching at medical courses seems to be neglected.

Aims: to identify how medical students deal with ethical conflicts before and after the formal teaching in Medical Ethics; to identify situations of ethical conflicts during the academic practice and verify the contribution of Ethics formal courses to face these conflicts.

Methodology: cross-sectional, analytic, observational study. Using a qualitative approach, analytic categories were identified using an open questionnaire for two groups of medical students.

Results: we selected categories related to ethical conflicts experienced during the course and to the academic disciplines dealing with ethics. Relating to medical practice, the participants referred discomfort in front of patients. When considering the relation with the professional/professor, they identified negligence and conflict of interest in their practice. The students also detected bad physical structure and professional relationship in public services, when compared to private ones. In regarding to the conflicts experienced by the students themselves, they mention insecurity, inability to cope with patients’ problems and inadequate perception of medical confidentiality limits. According to respondents, disciplines´ contribution varied from adequate, when were effective to orient their practice and provide confidence, to inadequate or absent because of overall superficial approach.  Conclusion: major deficiencies related to medical ethics training were identified, pointing to the necessity for changes in the current medical education model.