Tendencies of Future Doctors’ Ethical Competence Formation at Medical Universities in Europe and the USA

Abstract

Abstract The materials presented in this article are the result of a documentary-bibliographic study, which is based on the use of methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. The results of the study have shown that the problem of professional ethics and culture of health care professionals is of significant interest. Problems of ethics, culture and deontology are the subject of consideration by scholars from the countries of Europe and the United States. There have been defined the main modern tendencies of training doctors for their professional activity in the leading countries of the world in the context of the professional and ethical competence formation. It has been found out that the development of higher medical education is carried out on the basis of the Bologna process principles, which involves introduction of two degrees (Bachelor and Master of Science), implementation of the ECTS system, introduction of the single diploma supplement, etc. It has been estimated that the educational programs for future doctors' training are aimed at the development of the students’ analytical and critical thinking; behavioral and social sciences, medical ethics, bioethics, provide knowledge, skills and abilities in the field of communication, clinical decision making, application of ethical norms, work in the multi-staff teams etc. The integrated programs play an important role in the educational process. Over the last decades studying bioethics is a compulsory component of the medical education. However, not only bioethics is the basis for the formation of future doctors’ professional and ethical competence at medical Universities abroad. The Oath of Hippocrates is of great significance for the students who devote themselves to medicine. In various countries it has been transformed into codes, oaths, etc., and now it is carried out by the students (future physicians) during their studies at higher medical educational institutions.