ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
    • 2017 ACR/ARHP PRSYM
    • 2016-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • Register
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • Meeting Resource Center

Abstract Number: 167

Bioethics for the Rheumatologist: A Needs-Assessment, Curriculum Development, and Knowledge Assessment of Bioethical Topics for Rheumatology Trainees

Alexandra Saltman1, Heather McDonald-Blumer 2, Lynn Spiegel 3 and Pier Bryden 4, 1University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2University of Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, 3The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada, 4University of Toronto; Sick Kids Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

Meeting: 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Education, ethics and Curriculum, medical

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF
Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 10, 2019

Session Title: Education Poster

Session Type: Poster Session (Sunday)

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: An understanding of bioethics and an ability to apply ethical principles in clinical practice should be key components of postgraduate medical training. However, there is no formal bioethics curriculum for Rheumatology residents at the University of Toronto. Instead, the majority of bioethics education is currently delivered via informal role-modelling by staff physicians. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a curriculum tailored to the needs of Rheumatology residents, and delivered centrally at the National Rheumatology Residents’ Weekend (NRRW), would increase residents’ self-perceived knowledge of, and competency in, bioethical issues in clinical practice.

Methods: A literature review was performed to identify bioethical issues that were relevant to Rheumatology trainees. Cases were developed based on three of these issues for interactive, small-group sessions that were piloted at the NRRW in Toronto in December 2017. A clinician with bioethics expertise delivered a lecture on a framework for evaluating ethical dilemmas. Rheumatology faculty physicians facilitated case-based discussions of three key bioethical issues—medical assisted in dying (MAID), resource allocation, and relationships with industry—using group role-play as a tool for examining different perspectives surrounding these ethical controversies. Residents were given access to all study materials following the sessions. Pre- and post-knowledge surveys were distributed to participating residents to assess their comfort and knowledge with bioethical topics before and after participation in these sessions. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: 41% of attendees at the NRRW completed the needs assessment. 46% were PGY4s and 54% were PGY5s. Most residents agreed that formal training in bioethics was very important (29%) or somewhat important (51%) to rheumatology training, but the majority rated their knowledge as low in core bioethical topics. Residents identified: end of life care and MAID (41%), assessing capacity and substitute decision-making (34%), doctor-patient relationships and boundaries (32%), caring for the non-adherent patient (59%), medical resource allocation (51%), and cross-cultural issues (51%) as topics they wished to learn more about. 22% of attendees completed the post-rounds survey. The majority (91%) felt that the case-based sessions improved their knowledge of a core bioethical topic, and that they would feel more comfortable addressing this topic in clinical practice (86%). There were statistically significant improvements in self-perceived knowledge of, and comfort with, a number of core topics, including those not explicitly covered by the case-based sessions.

Conclusion: The design and implementation of a bioethics curriculum relevant to Rheumatology trainees is an effective means of increasing residents’ self-perceived understanding of, and engagement with, bioethical issues central to the practice of Rheumatology. Further study is required to assess whether or not residents retain knowledge of an ethical framework as presented in such a setting and can apply its principles to clinical practice.


Disclosure: A. Saltman, None; H. McDonald-Blumer, None; L. Spiegel, None; P. Bryden, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Saltman A, McDonald-Blumer H, Spiegel L, Bryden P. Bioethics for the Rheumatologist: A Needs-Assessment, Curriculum Development, and Knowledge Assessment of Bioethical Topics for Rheumatology Trainees [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2019; 71 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/bioethics-for-the-rheumatologist-a-needs-assessment-curriculum-development-and-knowledge-assessment-of-bioethical-topics-for-rheumatology-trainees/. Accessed April 17, 2021.
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
Save to PDF

« Back to 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/bioethics-for-the-rheumatologist-a-needs-assessment-curriculum-development-and-knowledge-assessment-of-bioethical-topics-for-rheumatology-trainees/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

ACR Convergence: Where Rheumatology Meets. All Virtual. November 5-9.

ACR Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2020

© COPYRIGHT 2021 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY

Wiley

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
  • Advanced Search
  • Meeting Resource Center
  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
This site uses cookies: Find out more.