The course “Medical ethics” is a second-year compulsory course of the Integrated Undergraduate and Graduate University Study of Medicine in English. The course consists of 15 hours of lectures and 30 hours of seminars. 2 ECTS credits are gained after successful completion of the course. The course is held in the third semester. The students are organized in one group for the seminars, which is in coordination with other courses during the third semester. The course is held within the Department of Social Sciences and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Braće Branchetta 20, Rijeka.
Course content:
TOPICS OF THE LECTURES:
Introductory lecture; Medical ethics and bioethics
Bioethical declarations and their meaning
The emergence and development of bioethics, bioethics in Croatia
Ethical theories and bioethical principles, Code of medical ethics and dentology
Privacy and confidentiality in the doctor/patient relationship
Paternalism
Informed consent
Communication in ethically challenging situation
Organ transplantation
Vulnerable groups
Reproduction
Abortion
Euthanasia and palliative medicine
Vaccination
Appeal of consciences
THE SEMINAR TOPICS:
Presentation of seminar topics, students' selection of the topics, guidelines for writing the seminar paper, schedule for students' oral presentations of seminar papers
Analysis of documents
The birth of bioethics; analysis of fundamental events in the history of bioethics
Ethical theories and bioethical principles
Privacy and confidentiality
Paternalism
Informed consent
Communication in ethically challenging situation
Organ transplantation
Vulnerable groups
Reproduction
Abortion
Euthanasia and Palliative medicine
Vaccination
Appeal of consciences
Test in the term of seminar 16 – the exact date and time will be decided later
Teaching is performed:
Teaching is held in the forms of lectures and seminars throughout the 3rd semester. Lectures (15 L) – classical lectures with the possibilities of students' inclusion; acquisition of theoretical knowledge and information based on examples. Seminars (30 S) – interactive teaching based on examples with the discussion, seminar assignments, case discussion, oral presentation and writing papers - optional. The teacher who participate in the course: associate professor.Gordana Pelčić, full professor Amir Muzur, associate professor Iva Rinčić, assistant professor Igor Eterović, PhD Robert Doričić, Gordana Šimunković, assistant, Toni Buterin, assistant. The collaborators in the course: associate professor Nataša Vlah, full professor Florian Steger.
Lectures presentations Materials for seminars Bioethical documents / The Code of Medical Ethics and Deontology
1.LooseLeaf for Medical Ethics: Accounts of Ground-Breaking Cases 2. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. 3. Clinical Ethics, 8th Edition: A Practical Approach to Ethical. Decisions in Clinical Medicine. 4. A Short History of Medical Ethics 5. Medical Ethics and Humanities. https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Ethics-HumanitiesFrederick-Adolf/dp/07637606 6. Medical Humanities: An Introduction. 7. https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Humanities-Introduction-Thomas-Cole/dp/110761 8. Medicine and Medical Ethics in Nazi Germany: Origins, Practices, Legacies 9. Case Studies in Biomedical Ethics: Decision-Making, Principles, and Cases (https://www.amazon.com/Case-Studies-Biomedical-Ethics-Decision-Making/ 10. Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction* - 11. https://www.amazon.com/Medical-Ethics-Very-Short-Introduction/dp/01928 12. Medical Review Aushwiths:Medicine Behind the Barbed Wire-Conference Proceedings 2018, Medycyny Praktyczna, Polski institytut Evidence Based Medicine 2019 KrakÓw Poland.
Lecture presentation and some other papers will be hend out to the students during the class. The literature will be available in the library of Faculty of Medicine.
Regular class attendance (lectures and seminars) Being active in the classes Colloquium (the midterm exam) Preparation and oral presentation of seminar paper The final exam
ECTS Grading System:
Student grading will be conducted according to the current Ordinance on Studies of the University of Rijeka (approved by the Senate) and the Ordinance on Student Grading at the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka (approved by the Faculty Council).
Student's work will be assessed and graded during the course and on the final exam. A student may achieve up to 60% of the grade during the course, and up to 40% of the grade on the final exam. Students are graded according to the ECTS credit (A-F) and numeric (1-5) system.
Students are obliged to attend all forms of teaching during the course and may be absent from 30% of the classes (seminars and lectures). In case of absence from more than 30% of the classes, students have failed the course. In addition, a student who has achieved less than 30 points during the classes must retake the course.
From the maximum of 60 points during the classes, student must achieve 30 points to be allowed to take the final exam.
The students gain score points with an active participation in classes, performing the tasks and passing the colloquium (midterm exam):
During the classes the following is evaluated (up to 60 points) (for details see table 2):
Activity in the classes – max 14% (from S3 to S30)
The colloquium (midterm exam) - max 14%
The design and presentation of the seminar topic with discussion - max 22% (presentation 17%, discussion 5%)
Working sheets 10%
The final exam - max 40%
On the final exam can be realized maximum 50 points. There are no negative points on the final exam. The requirement for passing the final exam is 50% of the correct answers. All questions on the final exam are based on the materials covered in class and written materials.
The condition for approaching the final exam are: regular attendance of the classes with maximum of 15 hour EXCUSED absence (Lectures and seminars), completed colloquium, passed oral presentation of seminar topic (minimum gained points 10%)
It is no possible to refuse the obtained grade in the course of Medical ethics according to the Regulation of the studies University of Rijeka article 46. Student can make objection to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Rijeka during the 25 hours.
TABLE 2
Activity
Explanation
Number of points
Colloquium
Colloquium (the midterm exam) is scheduled in the week of S16. The exact date will be determined during the lectures. Students must gain a minimum of 50% of total points to pass the colloquium, which is a requirement for the final exam. Students that do not obtain 50% of total points will be given another opportunity for retaking the colloquium.
14%
Seminar
Oral presentation
1. Adherence to the time of oral presentation - (max 2 %)
2. Content of the presentation, bioethical elements, UpToDate knowledge, included bioethical declaration regarding the content of the presentation and the Code of Medical Ethics and Deontology (max 8 %)
3. Preparedness for the presentation (max 2 %)
4. Literature(max 3 %): 3 do 5 PubMed paper, possibilities that newsletter story be a base of case presentation, books, etc.
The students must submit the handouts on the presentation day.
Add the papers used in the preparation of the presentation to the folder on Merlin. Select and emphasize the paper on which the presentation is based. State the conclusion on the last slide. The presenter presents the last slide at the end of the discussion.
If the student does not present the seminar on the scheduled day, he or she will lose the possible achieved points when she or he presents.
15%
Discussion
In the discussion is possible to value the activities of other students
On the day of presentation, it is obligate to deliver the concept of planed discussion (it would not be possible to present without the discussion plan and conclusion) (1%)
Interaction with the colleague:
The conclusion of the discussion - the student who has presentation moderates the discussion. (max3%)
The student who presents gives his conclusion or answers to the planned discussion. The presenter’s conclusion of the discussion is written on the last slide. Should be available at the end of discussion. (max 3%)
7 %
Teacher’s reflection
The teacher will give a reflection regarding the oral presentation and discussion.
Working sheets
The students will submit the individual working sheets regarding the seminar topics. The working sheets should be submitted in accordance with the agreement at the seminar (the deadline of the submission of the working sheets will depend on the scope of the task).
The students would not be able to be submitted working sheets after the class is finished.
In the case of plagiarism of the working sheet, the grade of each person involved in the plagiarism for the particular seminar topic will be 0%.
The student who did not attend the seminar is not allowed to submit the working sheet from the topic of the seminar that he/she missed.
10%
Activity
It is possible to gain the points during the seminar work with active participation in the seminar discussion.
14%
Additional points
In the case that the student wants to collect a sufficient number of extra points during the course, he/she can obtain additional points in the amount of a maximum of 5 points by submitting the additional working sheets. Each working sheet should be submitted according to the schedule.
5% additional
The final exam
The final exam comprises multiple choice questions and case analysis. The requirement for passing the final exam is 50 points of the correct answers.
40
The final grade consists of the sum of credits gained during the course and on the final written exam.
Grading within the ECTS grading system is carried out with an absolute distribution, i.e. based on the final achievement:
A – 90 - 100% EXCELLENT (5)
B – 75 - 89.9% VERY GOOD (4)
C – 60 - 74.9% GOOD (3)
D -- 50 - 59.9% SUFFICIENT (2)
F – 0 - 49.9% INSUFFICIENT (1)
The numeric grading system, compared to the ECTS grading system, is as follows:
A = excellent (5)
B = very good (4)
C = good (3)
D = sufficient (2)
F = insufficient (1)
Attendance of the class
The student's attendance will be checked at the beginning of each class. A student coming to class late may attend lecture, but will not get any points. It is not allowed to use mobile phones in the class.
Written paper work
Students will decide regarding the submition of the written seminar paper regarding the possibilities of gainng 3 extra points. .
Academic rectitude
Teaching staff and students are obligated to respect academic rectitude.
Contact with the teaching staff
Contact with the teaching staff is in person or via email.
Expected general competencies
No specific general competencies are needed for enrolling in this class. It is expected that student is able to use computer, to search the web, or to communicate in English language.
Seminar topics:
The history of medical ethics and bioethics
Nazi medicine and the Nuremberg trials
Content and meaning of the Nuremberg code
The Declaration of Helsinki
Medical ethics and society
The role of media in medical ethics
Medical ethics: from professionalism to the business ethics
Drug addiction treatment and responsibility of society
Societhical category of health: obesity
Societhical category of health: genetic predisposition
Big data in medicine
Medical ethics and mental health
Ethical issues in the treatment of patients with mental illness
Suicide – from particular case to a society problem
Mental health and psychopharmacology
Bioethics in Croatia and the World
Integrative bioethics
The role of the Council of Europe in bioethics – Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine
European principles in bioethics
The National Committee for Medicine (legal, ethical protocol, members…)
Ethical issues regarding the end of life
The history of death perception in different cultures
Pain as an ethical issue
Palliative medicine
Distanasia
Ethical issues regarding the beginning of life
Surrogate motherhood
Ethical issues regarding the procedures and consequences of sex selection of the child
Genetic counseling, right to know and right to not-know
Therapeutic cloning as an ethical issue
Reproductive cloning as an ethical issue
Feminist (bio)ethic and the beginning of life
Research ethics
Ethical issues regarding the research with animals
Ethical issues regarding the research with children
Ethical issues regarding the research on stem cells
Ethical issues regarding the research with incompetent subjects
Ethical issues regarding the research in the “third world country”
Doctor – scientist: ethical similarities and differences
Medicine, ethics, religion
Islam as a basis for deontological activity in bioethics
Christian ethics and holiness of life in the comptemporary bioethical discussions
Jehovah's witnesses and blood transfusions
Scientology and medical treatment
Alternative medicine in contemporary society
New theologies
Social networks and health
The role of media in healthcare education
Internet addiction
Other topics
Communication with deaf patients
Ethical challenges in cosmetic surgery
Ethical dilemmas in xenotransplantation
Bioethical aspects of vaccination hesitancy
Ethical and legal aspects of sex change
Organ transplantation
GMO – from chance to threat
Disabilities from medical to social category
Hans Jonas’ Ethics of Responsibility
Triage in medicine – possible ethical issues?
The role of media in processing the delicate themes
Ethic committees
How to improve the teaching of medical ethics in the 21st century?
Reproductive technologies in demographic problems
Ethical responsibilities for our own health
Culture and pain
Commercialization of reproduction
Genetic testing and disabilities
Vaccination
The final list of seminar topics will be available at the beginning of the course.