Table 3 Domains of content covered in ethics training programs

 Ethical Theories and the Hippocratic Oath

–

[80]

 Respect for Patient and Autonomy

Privacy and confidentiality

Disclosure or non-disclosure to patients

Informed consent

Decision-making capacity and surrogate decision-making

Informed refusal of medical interventions

Informed consent in minors

[47, 49, 52, 53, 65, 78, 80–89]

 Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

Medical failures and errors such as problems associated with the transfer of care

Truth-telling

[49, 53, 58, 83, 87]

 Justice

Access to healthcare

Healthcare disparities

Healthcare system

Allocation of scarce resources

[53, 58, 60, 83–85, 89]

 Care at End-of-Life

Patient advance directives

Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining interventions, medical futility

Care for the dying, palliative versus curative care

Determination of death

[59, 65, 73, 78, 81, 84, 86]

 Communication Skills and Competencies

Patient communication such as breaking bad news, or communication of adverse outcomes

Interprofessional communication

Conflict resolution

[49, 54, 60, 65, 74, 75, 82, 85, 89–93]

 Doctor-Patient Relationship

This may include understanding day-to-day interactions with patients and how one should conduct themselves professionally or may tackle specific circumstances such as the acceptance of gifts from patients. Doctors are also taught how to navigate conflicts of interest.

[49, 54, 58, 60, 80, 82, 84]

 Ethics and Law

This may cover medicolegal issues such as with regards to expert witness testimony

[84, 92, 94]

 Ethics and Philosophy

–

[61]

 Application of Ethics in consideration of Sociocultural Nuances and Particular Circumstances of Patients

This may involve being, in general, well equipped to tackle communication challenges due to cultural differences. It may also include family relationships of patients and employment status.

[58–60, 86]

 Research Ethics

Publication ethics

Ethical issues in human subject research or in research involving vertebral animals

Good clinical practice in research

The use of placebos

[48, 49, 54, 66, 70, 85]

 With Regards to Medical Trainees, or being a Resident

Disclosure of trainee status

Tension between education and best care for patients

Hidden curriculum

Moral distress

[49, 52, 60, 90]

 Specialty-specific Ethical Dilemmas

Neonatal, perinatal and paediatric care “ethics of consent and [law] regarding minors with the legal authority to consent.”

Surgery, cosmetic surgery such as how to take informed consent for surgical procedures

Genetics

Psychiatry, such as on psychiatry diagnoses, suicide, consultation liaison psychiatry

Organ donation

Dermatology such as “cultural and religious determinants of dermatologic health care”

Infectious diseases such as treatment of highly contagious disease, vaccination and bioterrorism

Obstetrics and gynaecology, such as adolescent sexuality, domestic violence and abuse, termination of pregnancy, maternal-fetal conflict, assisted reproduction and paternal rights

[49, 58, 59, 62, 65, 78, 83, 84, 95]

 Interactions with Society at Large

With vendors

With the pharmaceutical industry such as in issues of drug pricing

With the media and advertising

[49, 54, 80, 84, 85, 91]

 Relationship with Healthcare Institute

Negotiation of contract

Whistle blowing

[49, 54]