Level of Moral Development of First-Year Medical Students: A Study at a Medical College in Pakistan

Abstract

Background: As the focus of medical education shifts from factual learning to a more holistic approach for physician training, we need to concentrate more upon the ethical and moral development of medical students. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of moral development in first-year medical students. Methods: We used the Defining Issues Test (DIT-1) to assess moral development levels among newly entering first- year medical students at a medical school in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The test was administered to 250 students, out of which 130 responses were included in the final analysis. Results: The mean age of the students was 18.6 ± 0.7 years. We found that only 16% of the students scored a “high” level of moral development based on the DIT. Conclusion: There may be several reasons for the low moral development scores in our cohort, but these findings make a strong case for future research and possible educational interventions in Pakistani medical schools.