Antecedents and consequences of medical students' moral decision making during professionalism dilemmas
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
AMA Journal of Ethics
Abstract
Medical students often experience professionalism dilemmas (which differ from ethical dilemmas) wherein students sometimes witness and/or participate in patient safety, dignity, and consent lapses. When faced with such dilemmas, students make moral decisions. If students' action (or inaction) runs counter to their perceived moral values-often due to organizational constraints or power hierarchies-they can suffer moral distress, burnout, or a desire to leave the profession. If moral transgressions are rationalized as being for the greater good, moral distress can decrease as dilemmas are experienced more frequently (habituation); if no learner benefit is seen, distress can increase with greater exposure to dilemmas (disturbance). We suggest how medical educators can support students' understandings of ethical dilemmas and facilitate their habits of enacting professionalism: by modeling appropriate resistance behaviors.
First Page
568
Last Page
577
DOI
10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.6.medu1-1706
Publication Date
6-1-2017
Recommended Citation
Monrouxe, Lynn; Shaw, Malissa; and Rees, Charlotte, "Antecedents and consequences of medical students' moral decision making during professionalism dilemmas" (2017). Liberal Arts Faculty Publications. 89.
https://doi.org/10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.6.medu1-1706
https://collections.uhsp.edu/liberal-arts_pubs/89