How are Medical Ethics and Related Themes Treated among Practices of Social Medicine? / 医学教育

ABSTRACT

One hundred fifty-three activity reports, which were published by departments or divisions of social medicine in Japan from 1991 through 1998 were reviewed to examine how medical ethics and related themes were taught. We examined how many departments and divisions taught medical ethics and related themes each year, and teaching methods were examined in reports from 1998. The number of departments and divisions teaching medical ethics and related themes gradually increased. Instruction in medical ethics was conducted for medical students in the 3rd through 5th years for periods of 3 to 12 months. All instruction employed small-group learning. Most groups learned actively, by conducting such activities as field surveys outside the school.