Attitude and Awareness of Medical Students Regarding Medical Ethics Education in Karbala

Abstract

Background: Medical ethics guides healthcare professionals in moral decision-making, emphasizing patient welfare, minimizing harm, and respecting values. It integrates principles like autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Though vital in clinical practice, teaching ethics faces challenges, such as a theoretical focus over practicality and students prioritizing core medical courses over ethical education. This study aims to evaluate medical students' attitudes and awareness regarding medical ethics courses among students at the University of Kerbala.

Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February to July 2024 among 218 fourth- to sixth-year medical students at the University of Kerbala. Data were collected online and analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. A pilot study ensured validity and reliability. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: A majority of students demonstrated favorable awareness of medical ethics, with 66.5% attributing their knowledge primarily to lectures. However, 58.3% exhibited limited comprehension of core principles. The total mean attitude score percent was 83.2%. Most students viewed ethics education as vital for the patient-doctor relationship and engaging with ethical issues.

Conclusions: Medical students expressed positive attitudes toward medical ethics education and strongly recognized its professional importance. The findings highlight the need for more effective teaching methods and enhanced practical training. Students who attended ethics lectures had significantly higher attitude scores.