An ethics core curriculum for Australasian medical schools

TLDR

Teaching ethics requires distinct methods for imparting knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The curriculum aims to cover both foundational ethics and specific ethical topics. Teaching focuses on developing ethical awareness, moral reasoning, communication, collaboration, and core professional attitudes such as honesty, empathy, respect, responsibility, self‑appraisal, and lifelong learning.

Abstract

Teaching ethics incorporates teaching of knowledge as well as skills and attitudes. Each of these requires different teaching and assessment methods. A core curriculum of ethics knowledge must address both the foundations of ethics and specific ethical topics. Ethical skills teaching focuses on the development of ethical awareness, moral reasoning, communication and collaborative action skills. Attitudes that are important for medical students to develop include honesty, integrity and trustworthiness, empathy and compassion, respect, and responsibility, as well as critical self-appraisal and commitment to lifelong education.