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Scottish Doctors 2

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Scottish Doctors 3

Learning Outcomes for Attitudes, Ethical Understanding and Legal Responsibilities

Level 1 - How the doctor approaches their practice

Level 2 - Outcomes for Attitudes, Ethical Understanding and Legal Responsibilitieslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

The demonstration of appropriate attitudes by new medical graduates, as shown by their professional behaviour, is a key area of concern for educators and employers alike and is obviously also of great importance to patients and the public in general. It is therefore important to have attitudes as an outcome for undergraduate medical education even if it is more difficult to define what we mean by this in comparison to some of the other outcomes. The legal responsibilities of even new graduates are numerous and relate to all aspects of practice. A firm grasp of ethical principles and their appropriate application must be gained before graduation.

Level 3

This could include: Level 4

Appropriate professional attitudeslink to Tomorrows doctors

Establishing trust between doctor and patient and respect for patients and colleagues.

Adopting an empathic, holistic approach to patients and their problems.

Valuing and preserving patient autonomy and involving patients in decisions affecting them.

Respect for professional institutions and health service bodies.

Awareness of public opinion.

Basic ethical principles and standardslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Knowledge and understanding of contemporary medical ethics and the main ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.

The duties of a doctor.

Practical application of theories e.g. consequentialism, deontology (duty) and double effect.

The importance of confidentiality, truthfulness and integrity.

Knowing under what circumstances the breaking of confidentiality can and should occur

Dealing effectively with complaints about own performance.link to Tomorrows doctors

Legal responsibilitieslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Particularly with respect to:
Death
Drug prescribing
Physical and sexual abuse of children and adults
Use of the Mental Health Act
Reporting of adverse medical care / standards involving other practitioners
Codes of conduct
Human rights issues
Disclosure of patient information
Reporting of notifiable diseases

Practice of medicine in a multicultural societylink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Knowledge of and respect for differing cultures, views, beliefs and practices relating to the human body and healthcare.

Psychosocial issueslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Those arising from patients and colleagues and relating to the multitude of differing characteristics making up the human personality.

Economic issueslink to Tomorrows doctors

Knowledge and appreciation of financial constraints affecting the NHS and their impact on delivery of care.

Contributing to the advancement of medicinelink to Tomorrows doctors

Progress in medical science and how it is achieved, particularly the potential for every doctor to contribute to such progress.

The doctor’s role in ethical regulated clinical trials.

Specific Issues

Experience and literature indicate that using a variety of different assessment techniques is more reliable than use of one only (triangulation). In practice, this observation makes the task easier, since many aspects of medical education require use of a variety of examination types.

A formative component of each of these is always present (even though not always recognised), and enhances the attempt to assess. In other words, PROCESS may be as important as OUTCOME, and participation in process can legitimately be included in the ratings made for assessment.

Recommended methods of assessment include:
OSCE
OSLER
Case Studies
MEQ
Short notes

Other methods that should be considered are:
Recorded attendance at educational sessions
Defining Issues Test
Portfolios