美国医学院校的伦理学教育:对教学大纲的研究

Ethics education in the U.S. medical schools: a study of syllabi

为了解美国医学院校中伦理学作为必修课的学习范围 ,课程目标、教学方法、教学内容、参考读物以及学生成绩评定方式 ,研究者进行了一项调查。通过对 5 8份医学伦理学教学大纲的重点研究 ,发现共有1 0种教学目标 ,平均每个院校 3种 ;8种教学方法 ,平均 4种 ;6种学生成绩评定方式 ,平均 2种 ;39个方面的教学内容 ,平均 1 3个。这些教学大纲共要求或推荐 1 1 91种不同的读物 ,其中只有 8种为 6所以上的院校所使用。研究表明 ,美国的医学伦理学教育五花八门 ,但“理想”的伦理学教育在实际教学中还是有所体现 。

The study aims to determine the scope and content of required, formal ethics components in the curricula of the U.S. medical schools. Analysis and codification of 58 syllabi identify 10 course objectives, 8 teaching methods, 39 content areas, and 6 methods of assessing students. The means for individual schools are 3 objectives, 4 teaching methods, 13 content areas, and 2 methods of assessment. The 58 syllabi either require or recommend 1,191 distinct readings, only 8 of which were used by more than 6 schools. The study indicates that ethics education is far from homogeneous in the U.S. medical schools. While the study of syllabi demonstrates significant areas of overlap with recent efforts to identify an 'ideal' ethics curriculum for medical students, several areas of weakness emerged that require attention from medical educators.