title: Teaching ethics in neonatal and perinatal medicine: What is happening in Canada?
abstract: Ethically challenging clinical situations are frequently encountered in neonatal and perinatal medicine (NPM), resulting in a complex environment for trainees and a need for ethics training during NPM residency. In the present study, the authors conducted a brief environmental scan to investigate the ethics teaching strategies in Canadian NPM programs. Ten of 13 (77%) accredited Canadian NPM residency programs participated in a survey investigating teaching strategies, content and assessment mechanisms. Although informal ethics teaching was more frequently reported, there was significant variability among programs in terms of content and logistics, with the most common topics being 'The medical decision making process: Ethical considerations' and 'Review of bioethics principles' (88.9% each); lectures by staff or visiting staff was the most commonly reported formal strategy (100%); and evaluation was primarily considered to be part of their overall trainee rotation (89%). This variability indicates the need for agreement and standardization among program directors regarding these aspects, and warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus and University of Ottawa;
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daboval
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus and University of Ottawa;
authors.forename: Gregory P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute;
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rohde
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute; ; Department of Pediatrics & Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; ; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus and University of Ottawa;
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferretti
keywords: Ethics; Medical education; Neonatal perinatal medicine; Postgraduate; Teaching