14.G. Workshop: Teaching ethics in public health and medicine – International experiences, concepts, challenges

Abstract

Abstract To conduct good public health practice and research, ethical standards and reflection are essential. Therefore, ethics education rightly plays an increasing role in the training of the public health workforce. The organizers of this workshop all have the theme of ethics education for the public health profession as a priority in their activities. In this workshop, we present recent research findings, lessons learned and challenges in a European and global perspective. The aim of this workshop is to present and discuss these to help public health organizations and institutions of higher education to improving their public health ethics education. The added value of this workshop is to engage - personally - during the conference in Rome with senior public health professionals and researchers and to continue the dialogue on this important issue - a key mission of the EUPHA Ethics in Public Health section. Four presentations in different formats are planned, a mixture of “Research Abstract” and “Training and Education Abstracts” and presentations respectively are foreseen. The first presentation gives an assessment of how ethics is (or is not) taught in schools of public health and to the public health workforce in Europe. It shows, for the first time, the results of two surveys, among EUPHA and ASPHER members on ethics education. The second presentation gives examples of a university in Barcelona (Spain) on innovative teaching methods at master level and thus gives impulses on how education can be integrated and improved in public health education. The third presentation reflects on the competencies in public health ethics that are aimed at with innovative and traditional teaching methods. Finally, a presentation from Nigeria contrasts educational experiences of low- and middle-income countries with high income countries and shows challenges and collaborative solutions to improved ethics education in the health field. This perspective is especially suitable to be integrated in this workshop given the global character of this year's “World Conference on Public Health”. Mutual learning and support within Europe and globally is key to develop and promote the field of public health ethics education further. A fifth timeslot for a presentation would be possible in this workshop but is not filled on purpose to have sufficient time for a structured debate on challenges and opportunities with the audience and speakers. Key messages Public Health Ethics education remains key for professional education; more awareness of ethical competences has to be raised. The diversity of experienced ethics trainings offers a challenging but also promising context to develop and integrate better ethics education.