Abstract

• Starting in 2015, a new bioethics education program for undergraduate medical students began development orchestrated by the Faculty of Medicine. Bioethics teaching has traditionally been developed within Euro-American contexts. As such, the historical lack of relevance to the cultural and socioeconomic realities of Hong Kong hindered the applicability of the learning material and the extent of student engagement in the curriculum. What is more, hands-on learning in applying ethical principles in the clinical setting proved inadequate as ethical issues are rarely touched on at the bedside modules designed for medical students. As a result, students graduated from medical school with insufficient understanding and experience in handling bioethics issues.
• There exists an opportunity to enhance experiential learning, engage students and increase the applicability of the teaching material as a part of the new bioethics curriculum currently under development. To meet these needs, we will develop new teaching approaches in bioethics comprised multidimensional teaching methods including development of documentary videos comprehensively illustrating local bioethics cases in clinical settings, guided small group discussion-based seminars and reflective essays to explore students' attitudes towards ethical issues. This new teaching approach can facilitate experiential learning, ethical reasoning and critical thinking skills, as well as real connections with the bioethical issues present at the local level.
• The new approach of bioethics teaching will allow our medical students to become physicians equipped with the globally recognized skills of appreciation of diversity and cultural influences that impact patients' interaction with medical care, as well as communication and collaboration at both the patient and societal levels.
• The outcome of the new developments in bioethics education project will be evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively based on student essays, group-based activities, and simulated case studies that require definitive action on the part of the student.