Abstract
All over the world, we see cases of violation of the code of ethical
conduct by health professionals and students, leading to distrust
between them and their patients. Institutions need to prioritise
the training of students in biomedical ethics. Students face a
variety of ethical issues throughout their course of study. Issues
tend to vary from the preclinical years to the clinical years,
depending upon the exposure to patients and teaching standards
practised in institutions. There appears to be a gap between
ethical issues discussed in classrooms and those faced by students
in real life. Here we intend to provide a brief overview of the
ethical responsibilities of a medical student in varied contexts.
Knowing what their moral duties are will sensitise students to
fundamental ethical principles in the medical field and lessen the
gap between what is taught and what they will encounter in
practice. Moreover, it will draw the attention of teachers towards
the need to provide quality training in biomedical ethics.
Keywords: Ethics, biomedical ethics, responsibility, education
Introduction
The term ethics originates from the Greek word ethos, meaning
“custom” or “character” . Responsibility comes from the Latin
verb ‘respondere,' meaning “to respond” . We see many cases of
violation of the code of ethical conduct by health
professionals. Unethical practices inevitably lead to a lack of
trust between patients and health professionals and
negatively impact both the patient and the doctor. Most cases
of ethics-related challenges observed by students are related
to ethical issues associated with medical education and
professionalism 1). There is a gap between the ethical issues
taken up for discussion in class and those that students
actually encounter in real life 2). To avoid these problems in
the future, we need to learn about biomedical ethics and
devise a curriculum for the best possible ethical standards in
future health professionals 3). In this article, we intend to
discuss medical students' ethical responsibilities and draw
attention to the related bioethical principles. Ethical issues
addressed at the undergraduate level will prove vital for better
healthcare, as we students are the future.
Ethical responsibilities of a medical student in the
preclinical years
The human cadaver is the first teacher in anatomy. The
cadaver, which sacrificed the right to cremation or burial,
preserves life science even in death. It is an educational tool
unparalleled by any other procurable to humankind. With
increasing workload and frequent examinations, students tend
to forget their debt to the cadaver, which is their ethical
responsibility 4). The practice of taking an oath before the
start of anatomical study and memorial ceremonies is helpful
in strengthening students moral values 5).
Students posted in laboratories during the pre-clinical years
conduct several experiments and examine specimens. Every
laboratory in medical college has some rules based on rational
principles, which everyone has to follow. As individuals we do
have autonomy; but autonomy without responsibility is no
autonomy. Exercising autonomy without considering the
benefit and harm caused by a particular decision is not an
ethical practice. Following the universal precautions, wearing
personal protective equipment, and following the instructions
of experienced teachers will help us protect ourselves and our
peers. For instance, we take blood samples from our peers to
do testing in the physiology lab. During this process, we need
to follow the process of informed consent, which is usually
skipped. Overall, understanding and following the principles of
autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and taking informed
consent will help avoid any harm caused directly or indirectly
6). This will help protect us from unnecessary exposure to
harmful chemicals or infectious specimens. We also perform
experiments on animals, and in that too, there is a need to
follow the best ethical practice possible. Also, test results
should not be used for discrimination and stigmatisation of
patients and student volunteers and should be kept strictly
confidential.
Ethical responsibilities of a medical student in the
clinical years
In the clinical years of the undergraduate course, we are
posted in various clinical departments to learn the necessary
clinical skills required for doctors. These skills include taking a
history, counseling patients, and management of patients in
difficult situations. We learn to perform minor procedures
STU ENTS’ ORNER
Ethical responsibilities during undergraduate medical studies: A students
perspective
AYUSH ANAND, ASHWINI GUPTA
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Authors: Ayush Anand corresponding author -
ayushanandjha@gmail.com), Fourth Year MBBS Student and Head,
Students Bioethics Wing, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan,
NEPAL; Ashwini Gupta aaswini108@gmail.com), Fourth Year MBBS
Student and Member, Students Bioethics Wing, BP Koirala Institute of
Health Sciences, Dharan, NEPAL
To cite: Anand A, Gupta A. Ethical responsibilities during undergraduate
medical studies: A students perspective. Indian J Med Ethics. Published
online first on January 23, 2021. DOI: 10.20529/IJME.2021.001.
Manuscript Editor: Vijayaprasad Gopichandran
© Indian Journal of Medical Ethics 2021
Indian Journal of Medical Ethics Online First Published January 23, 2021
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