The Current State of Medical School Education in Bioethics, Health Law, and Health Economics
Publication Date
1-1-2008
Document Type
Article
Organizational Units
Sturm College of Law
Keywords
Medical education, Bioethics
Abstract
Current challenges in medical practice, research, and administration demand physicians who are familiar with bioethics, health law, and health economics. Curriculum directors at American Association of Medical Colleges-affiliated medical schools were sent confidential surveys requesting the number of required hours of the above subjects and the years in which they were taught, as well as instructor names. The number of relevant publications since 1990 for each named instructor was assessed by a PubMed search. In sum, teaching in all three subjects combined comprises less than two percent of the total hours in the American medical curriculum, and most instructors have not recently published articles in the fields they teach. This suggests that medical schools should reevaluate their curricula and instructors in bioethics, health law, and health economics. © 2008 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.
Recommended Citation
Govind C. Persad, et al., The Current State of Medical School Education in Bioethics, Health Law, and Health Economics, 36 J. L. Med. & Ethics 89 (2008).