Developing character during medical education (719.14)

Abstract

Character (qualities that determine one’s response to events regardless of circumstances) determines success and is important because of powerful influences physicians have on patients’ health and well‐being. Medical education should endorse good character, e.g. compassion, empathy, discernment, generosity, honor, justice, self‐control, truthfulness and virtue. Important for patient care, we designed a curriculum to promote character in future physicians. Curricular examples: Neurophysiology: Pornography addiction can destroy marriages, families and culture. Its addiction is taught to encourage a physician’s compassion and to facilitate physician‐patient education of self‐control and virtue. Cardiovascular: Prolonged stress, unresolved anger and CRH release with cardiovascular sequelae, lead to major health problems. Attentiveness and sensitivity are taught to recognize and treat stress preventatively, not only in disease. GI/Nutrition: Responsibility and self‐control in diet, fitness, and wellness are promoted in students, as good examples for future patients. Anatomical Sciences: Unselfishness and self‐control are important in a patient for healthy sexual relationships. Female reproductive tracts allow for pathology (sperm proteins accessing the bloodstream can drag endometrial cells into the Pouch of Douglas) if honor doesn’t restrain intercourse during menstruation.