Table 1 Thematic pattern of the answers given to the open-ended questions and sample quotations
From: The state of ethics education at medical schools in Turkey: taking stock and looking forward
Open-ended questions | Themes | Sub-themes | # Responses | Sample quotations (N37, N48, N59, ... etc. denote the participant order in the raw data) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What are the strong aspects of the ethics education at your school? | Experienced teacher | − Working for longer years − Being experienced in teaching ethics − Being open to multidisciplinary activities | 21 | N37_Our strengths are: Sufficient number of faculty members - faculty members are heterogeneous and wide ranging - and having a good medical history library. N48_Ethics education is provided by a medical history-ethics doctorate who had previous experience in ethics and experience in medicine as well. |
Educational model | − Diversity of course topics − Being supervised by national bodies − Using sources in English − Using a variety of teaching methods − Interactive sessions | 16 | N59_Our education model is efficient because of the active participation of students in diverse educational activities such as small group works, case discussions, and preparing term papers besides amphitheater presentations. | |
Vertical/clinical integration | − Formal ethics education in clinical years − Ethics education during internship | 7 | N17_ ... the ethics education of undergraduate students starts in the first year and takes place in the curriculum in different intensities in every educational phase. N25_In the integrated medical education curriculum of our faculty, in the first semester, medical ethics courses are currently given as a whole in the course program named "Evidence Based Medicine and Ethics". Our faculty has horizontal and vertical integration in medical education and our medical education is accredited. | |
Infrastructure | − Technological sufficiency − Using modern teaching techniques − Using simulation | 5 | N5_Our infrastructural facilities are quite sufficient for the first 3 years. | |
What are the aspects of ethics education at your school that need to be improved? | Academic staff’s quantity and quality | − Training and employing experts − Opening new departments − Strengthening existing departments | 34 | N25_Our history of medicine and ethics department urgently needs a faculty member. Since the workforce trained in this field in our country is insufficient, this number needs to be increased as soon as possible. N51_Firstly, a history of medicine and ethics department should be established and a faculty member should be appointed. N58_The biggest deficiency in the field of ethics is the lack of sufficient workforce. Sustainability of our activities in the context of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education can be possible with the continuous provision of qualified workforce. N59_ [Not being able to] increase the number of academicians, especially young academics, is an important problem. |
Education model | − Being up-to-date − Need for support and improvement | 9 | N58_From time to time, our education materials should be changed and updated in line with the world examples of education models and by taking our social needs into consideration. | |
Vertical/clinical integration | − Formal ethics education in clinical years | 12 | N73_[We need an] education program structured according to the system-based integration model that aims to ensure full integration of ethics education in the 3rd year and in clinical internships. | |
Infrastructure | - | 6 | N66_...education model and infrastructure facilities need to be improved. | |
Assessment and evaluation methods | − Diversifying assessment and evaluation | 1 | N17_I think that it is not enough to use only multiple choice test method as an assessment tool in ethics education. Student/team presentations in lessons; observational/interactive ethical dilemma discussions carried out with real patients/in hospital environments are also required. |