Ethics and Social Science in Medical Education: A view from Chile

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. BackgroundWe used a participatory action approach to explore the teaching of ethics and social science in medical schools in Chile. Here we report on themes and challenges that emerged from our discussions, and discuss commonalities and contrasts that may provide insight in the international context of medical education.MethodsWe held a one-day workshop, convened by the present authors from the University Diego Portales and the University of Edinburgh, with 24 participants representing seven Chilean universities,. A combination of small-group elicitation activities and short presentations was used to explore participants' thinking and experiences in relation to ethics and social science teaching in medical education.ResultsParticipants reported a range of issues encountered in teaching ethics and social science in the medical curriculum, many of which are common in the wider international context of medical education. Systemic factors related to the structure of health care and wider socio-economic issues were also seen as important in shaping the medical education landscape, with implications for the teaching of social science and ethics.ConclusionsThe workshop provided insights into the teaching of ethics and social and behavioural sciences in Chilean medical schools, and highlighted some key challenges. Thinking about how to address these may lead to useful strategies for improving this aspect of medical education more generally.