The Ethical Commitments of Academic Faculty in Psychiatric Education

Abstract

This article explores the commitment of faculty to ethics training in psychiatric education. Although psychiatry has insufficiently addressed the profession's need for ethics training in education, program directors acknowledge its critical importance, and its positive impact has been demonstrated. Additionally, residents often seek ethics training as part of their instruction. The author suggests that academic faculty could respond to the profession's inadequate treatment of ethics training by helping trainees develop moral agency--the ability to recognize, assess, and respond to ethical dilemmas; decide what constitutes right or wrong care; and act accordingly. The author also describes how this objective could be met by promoting professionalism and offering didactic instruction that address substantive and process issues regarding psychiatric care. Specific recommendations are provided.