The teaching of bioethics in medical schools in Brazil

Abstract In Brazilian medical education and in the general teaching of bioethics in Brazil, there is a recurrent debate about the best way to teach ethics and/or bioethics, and even about whether it is possible to do so. In part this is due to the growing concern in society about the necessity of physicians to be both technically and morally competent. The teaching of bioethics is distinguished from medical ethics in that it focuses on the rights and duties of the doctor and also by its multi- and inter-disciplinary characteristics. The aim of the present study was to identify whether bioethics as a specific discipline is included in the curriculum of Brazilian undergraduate medical courses, and if so, how it is taught and what are its contents. The study found that the number of dedicated bioethics classes in medical courses has increased, and that the most frequently addressed issues are: an introduction to bioethics and principles of bioethics, the physician-patient relationship, abortion and euthanasia.

摘要：在巴西医学教育及巴西生命伦理学（bioethics）通用教学领域，长期存在关于伦理学与生命伦理学最佳教学路径的反复争论，甚至围绕其是否具备教学可行性展开讨论。这一现象的部分成因在于，社会日益关注医师需兼具技术能力与道德素养的必要性。生命伦理学教学与医学伦理学（medical ethics）教学的核心差异在于：前者聚焦于医师的权利与义务，同时兼具多学科与跨学科的特性。本研究旨在探究，作为一门独立学科的生命伦理学是否被纳入巴西医学本科课程体系；若纳入，则其教学开展方式与授课内容为何。研究结果显示，医学课程中专门开设的生命伦理学课程数量有所提升，且最常讲授的主题包括：生命伦理学导论与生命伦理学原则、医患关系、堕胎与安乐死。