title: The Hidden Ethics Curriculum in Two Canadian Psychiatry Residency Programs: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors describe the hidden ethics curriculum in two postgraduate psychiatry programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Researchers investigated the formal, informal, and hidden ethics curricula at two demographically different postgraduate psychiatry programs in Canada. Using a case study design, they compared three sources: individual interviews with residents and with faculty and a semi-structured review of program documents. They identified the formal, informal, and hidden curricula at each program for six ethics topics and grouped the topics under two thematic areas. They tested the applicability of the themes against the specific examples under each topic. Results pertaining to one of the themes and its three topics are reported here.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Divergences occurred between the curricula for each topic. The nature of these divergences differed according to local program characteristics. Yet, in both programs, choices for action in ethically challenging situations were mediated by a minimum standard of ethics that led individuals to avoid trouble even if this meant their behavior fell short of the accepted ideal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Effective ethics education in postgraduate psychiatry training will require addressing the hidden curriculum. In addition to profession-wide efforts to articulate high-level values, program-specific action on locally relevant issues constitutes a necessary mechanism for handling the impact of the hidden curriculum.
authors.affiliation: l'Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada. mona.gupta@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forlini
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lenton
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duchen
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lohfeld
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004992:Ethics, Medical / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D000068616:Professionalism / Q000193:education*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics; D036301:Qualitative Research
keywords: Ethics; Professional development; Psychiatry residents