Last modified: 01 Oct 2025 14:02
This course allows medical students the opportunity to explore debates in Medical Ethics which inform contemporary ethical practice in Medicine and Healthcare. Students will be introduced to philosophical concepts and methods which will help them reflect on difficult cases drawn from real-life treatment scenarios and policy decisions.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | First Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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One or more of these courses have a limited number of places. Priority access will be given to students for whom this course is compulsory. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more details on this process.
The aim of this course is to allow medical students the opportunity to explore debates in Medical Ethics which inform contemporary ethical practice in Medicine and Healthcare. Students will be introduced to philosophical concepts and methods which will help them reflect on difficult cases drawn from real-life treatment scenarios and policy decisions.
Concepts covered will include standard ethical theories drawn on in debates about the ethics of Medicine and Healthcare, and related topics regarding moral psychology and issues of autonomy, justice and personhood.
Methods covered will include general philosophical skills like the analysis and critical evaluation of arguments and theories, and more specific skills in Medical Ethics regarding the benefits and challenges of applying ethical theories to difficult cases.
By the end of the course students will have had the opportunity to apply what they have learned to real-life cases and to begin forming a personal ethical viewpoint of their own as practitioners.
The debates and cases covered will allow students to reflect on a variety of ethical issues in Medicine and Healthcare, including beginning and end of life issues, patient-practitioner relations, and ethical aspects of Heathcare and Public Health policy.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 21 | Feedback Weeks | 25 | |
| Feedback |
Essay 2 will focus on presenting and analysing a case study. Feedback will be delivered via MyAberdeen and students will have access to Marking Rubric prior to submission. |
Word Count | 2000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | Students will be able to apply core ethical concepts and reasoning processes of difficult cases in medical practice. |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Students will be able to identify and evaluate specific arguments offered in favour of various approaches to challenging cases in Medical Ethics. |
| Reflection | Create | Students will be able to draw on contemporary research in Medical Ethics to begin forming their own personal ethical viewpoint as a medical practitioner. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 21 | Feedback Weeks | 25 | |
| Feedback |
Class test will be taken online and feedback delivered via MyAberdeen and sample answer document. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to explain key ethical issues arising from specific medical and healthcare scenarios. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to summarise and compare standard Normative Ethical Theories drawn on in debates regarding Medical Ethics. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 17 | Feedback Weeks | 20 | |
| Feedback |
Essay 1 will be academic focused, assessment students’ engagement with ethical theories and academic debate about medical ethics. Feedback will be delivered via MyAberdeen and students will have access to Marking Rubric prior to submission. |
Word Count | 2000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to explain key ethical issues arising from specific medical and healthcare scenarios. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to summarise and compare standard Normative Ethical Theories drawn on in debates regarding Medical Ethics. |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Students will be able to identify and evaluate specific arguments offered in favour of various approaches to challenging cases in Medical Ethics. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Class test will be taken online and feedback delivered via MyAberdeen and sample answer document. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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|
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
2,000-word essay (case study). Feedback will be delivered via MyAberdeen and students will have access to Marking Rubric prior to submission. |
Word Count | 2000 | |
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | Students will be able to apply core ethical concepts and reasoning processes of difficult cases in medical practice. |
| Reflection | Create | Students will be able to draw on contemporary research in Medical Ethics to begin forming their own personal ethical viewpoint as a medical practitioner. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to explain key ethical issues arising from specific medical and healthcare scenarios. |
| Procedural | Evaluate | Students will be able to identify and evaluate specific arguments offered in favour of various approaches to challenging cases in Medical Ethics. |
| Conceptual | Understand | Students will be able to summarise and compare standard Normative Ethical Theories drawn on in debates regarding Medical Ethics. |
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