title: Why dedicate yourself to bioethics? Seven reasons to get you started.
abstract: The aim of clinical bioethics is to promote rational clinical decisions that take into account the clinical facts and the preferences and values of individuals involved in a situation that entails a moral problem. The objective of the present study is to list the reasons why we consider bioethics knowledge and skills to be essential in daily practice and to promote a proactive mindset in clinical bioethics research. The arguments set forth include the need to adapt to changes in the clinical relationship in recent decades, the importance of an ethical approach both for the physician and the patient, the role of bioethics in preventing professional burnout, the ability of ethics to promote a more equitable distribution of resources and the possibility of conducting clinical research in bioethics, a field that has scarcely been explored in Spain.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, España; Grupo de Trabajo de Bioética y Profesionalismo, Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna, España; Instituto de Ética Clínica «Francisco Vallés», Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, España. Electronic address: diego.realdeasua@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Real de Asúa
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Madrid, España; Grupo de Trabajo de Bioética y Profesionalismo, Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna, España; Instituto de Ética Clínica «Francisco Vallés», Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herreros
keywords: Bioethics; Bioética; Doctor-patient relationship; Health assessment mechanisms; Mecanismos de evaluación de la salud; Relación médico-paciente