Medical students' attitudes towards conscientious objection: a survey.
OBJECTIVE
To examine medical students' views on conscientious objection and controversial medical procedures.


METHODS
Questionnaire study among Norwegian 5th and 6th year medical students.


RESULTS
Five hundred and thirty-one of 893 students (59%) responded. Respondents object to a range of procedures not limited to abortion (up to 19%)-notably euthanasia (62%), ritual circumcision for boys (52%), assisted reproduction for same-sex couples (9.7%) and ultrasound in the setting of prenatal diagnosis (5.0%). A small minority (4.9%) would object to referrals for abortion. In the case of abortion, up to 55% would tolerate conscientious refusals, whereas 42% would not. Higher proportions would tolerate refusals for euthanasia (89%) or ritual circumcision for boys (72%).


CONCLUSIONS
A majority of Norwegian medical students would object to participation in euthanasia or ritual circumcision for boys. However, in most settings, many medical students think doctors should not be able to refuse participation on grounds of conscience. A minority would accept conscientious refusals for procedures they themselves do not object to personally. Most students would not accept conscientious refusals for referrals.


CONCLUSIONS
Conscientious objection remains a live issue in the context of several medical procedures not limited to abortion. Although most would want a right to object to participation in euthanasia, tolerance towards conscientious objectors in general was moderate or low.
Centre for Medical Ethics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Sven Jakob
SJ
Nordstrand
Centre for Medical Ethics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Magnus Andreas
MA
Nordstrand
Centre for Medical Ethics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Per
P
Nortvedt
Centre for Medical Ethics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Morten
M
Magelssen
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000941:ethics*; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000941:ethics; D003242:Conscience; D003625:Data Collection; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000941:ethics; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000941:ethics*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000941:ethics*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000941:ethics
Abortion; Conscientious Objection; Ethics