Teaching Medical Ethics: Phramongkutklao College of Medicineûs Model
Surapon Surangsrirat MD*, Suthee Panichkul MD, MSc**, Pote Aimpun MD, PhD**, Ram Rangsin MD, DrPH**, Mathirut Mungthin MD, PhD***, Paanjit Taamasri MSc***, Panpen Napradit MSc****, Panadda Hatthachote PhD****, Kijja Suwan MSc****, Wirote Areekul MD**
Affiliation : * Department of Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine ** Department of Military and Community Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine *** Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine **** Department of Physiology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine
Background : Third-year (first preclinical year) Royal Thai Army (RTA) medical cadets were exposed to
a rural community in a community medicine field activity. The poor, kind rural people gave good
conditions for studentûs professional development and empathy.
Objectives : To report a community medicine field work activity for professional development of the
RTA medical school.
Materials and Methods : Descriptive analysis on two occasions to evaluate the third-year RTA medical
cadetsû impressions immediately after the community medicine field activity in a rural area in central
Thailand and one year later using baseline scores of cadetsû impressions against our instituteûs objectives.
Results : At the end of the field work, 90.9% of the cadets reported they achieved several institute
objectives. The four most frequent mentioned were ethical development (70.6%), professionalism (84.3%),
human relationship & communication skills (92.2%), and capability to work in the cmmunity (64.7%).
Furthermore, RTA medical cadets rated the staff as good role models (51%).
Conclusion : The community field work course provided a good environment for the third year medical
cadets in building morality and professional development to be good doctors.
Keywords : Medical ethics, Ethical teaching, Community medicine, Moral assessment, Authentic assessment, Professional development, Professionalism
