Short report
Use of role play in undergraduate teaching of ethics – An experience

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jflm.2012.06.010Get rights and content

Abstract

Lecture is the traditional way of teaching adopted in our routine. Learning about medical ethics used to be done by lecture. All of us felt that learning some aspects of ethics requires a deeper understanding of the topics especially those areas involving feelings and emotions. So the role play method was chosen. We taught the topics consent and euthanasia by both the didactic method and by role play to the students of second year MBBS during the period June–July 2012 and then we compared the results. We have tried to evaluate role play vis-a vis lecture by analyzing the feedback from the students. The affective component analysis requires a different method of teaching and assessment as shown by our experience.

Introduction

Medical education is a field where proper teaching methods are required in order to embed in the young minds the seeds of correct concepts and right attitude. It helps to nurture in them the saplings of humanity, dignity and respect to human life. Numerous initiatives are taking place all over the globe in order to develop methods for better learning.1, 2, 3, 4 In our setting the usual way of teaching is by the didactic lecture method. The lecture method is good for knowledge acquisition.5 However, occasionally, covering more subject matter and a detailed lecture can be sleep inducing to the students.6

Small group discussion has its own value and role play in particular is helpful in teaching and discussing subjects which have an affective component as well.7 It enables more interaction7 and also facilitates acquisition of communication skills.6

In this medical college, the curriculum approved by the University affiliating about 40 medical colleges is followed. In the said curriculum, students start by reading the code of medical ethics on day one. As the students progress, code, decorum and conduct become part of their learning. Ethics is included in the formal course when they reach second year, in the subject of Forensic Medicine. About 8–10 sessions are usually allotted for this part of the course. When they start patient contact ethics essentially becomes part of their learning. After completing Forensic Medicine, students continue to receive as part of their learning more on desirable attitudes and behavior.

Section snippets

Methods

The batch was composed of 96 students of 2nd year MBBS. Orientation for the task was given in the beginning for all at the same time. The topic chosen was ‘breaking bad news’. The students are usually divided into two big batches – A and B batches of 48 each for the practical, the same was continued. The students belonging to Batch A were given the topic ‘euthanasia’ and the students belonging to Batch B were given the topic ‘consent’ to present as role play. Lecture class was taken on

Results

All the students actively participated in the group activity. They were enthusiastic and were excited about the acting part. They allotted themselves with the roles and made their own dialogs within the given time. Most of the students were thrilled by the experience. They were also deeply involved while performing and agreed that they were more interested in the class than the routine lecture. They also felt more emotions and expressed the same during the performance.

The average marks obtained

Discussion

The result showed that both methods are equally good. However, in order to really assess the impact of the class it is better to observe/assess their interaction with the patients and see how they differ from the other student group which is not taught using the same method. It is not easy to assess the affective domain in theory. The difficulties in teaching and assessment of ethics have been discussed earlier8, 9 with the various methods of assessment used being essays, multiple choice or

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the students, our colleagues Dr. Jagadeesh N, Dr. Kiran M.S of the Department of Forensic medicine and Mrs. Mini Jayan, Statistician, Department of Community medicine.

References (24)

  • F. Wright et al.

    Diverse decisions. How culture affects ethical decision making

    Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am

    (1997 Mar)
  • R.M. Epstein

    Assessment in medical education

    N Eng J Med

    (2007)
  • Skochelak et al.

    A decade of reports calling for change in medical education: what do they say?

    Acad Med

    (2010)
  • A. Majumder et al.

    Trends in medical education: challenges and directions for need based reforms of medical training in South–East Asia

    Indian J Med Sci

    (2004)
  • R. Vyas

    The needs and recent trends in medical education

    JBMAS

    (2012)
  • J.A. Colliver

    Effectiveness of problem-based learning curricula: research and theory

    Acad Med

    (2000)
  • U.A. Dhaliwal

    Prospective study of medical students' perspective of teaching-learning media: reiterating the importance of feedback

    J Indian Med Assoc

    (2007)
  • A. Hassanzadeh et al.

    Effects of two educational method of lecturing and role playing on knowledge and performance of high school students in first aid at emergency scene

    Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res

    (2010)
  • Teaching medical ethics and law within medical education: a model for the UK core curriculum

    J Med Ethics

    (1998 June)
  • General Medical Council

    Tomorrow's doctors: recommendations on undergraduate medical education

    (1993)
  • K. Mattick et al.

    Teaching and assessing medical ethics: where are we now?

    J Med Ethics

    (2006)
  • J. Klessig

    The effect of values and culture on life-support decisions

    West J Med

    (1992 September)
  • Cited by (11)

    • Student's perception about innovative teaching learning practices in Forensic Medicine

      2017, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
      Citation Excerpt :

      The usual way of teaching in any conventional setting is by the didactic lecture method. Although lecture method is good for knowledge acquisition, some matters that may be complex to understand through detailed lecture can be difficult for the learners and may become sleep inducing.20 Instead, if the teaching method can be made more involving and interactive, the objectives may get fulfilled with more interest and enthusiasm from the learners as well as the teachers.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text