Factors Affecting Awareness Regarding Medical Ethics in Health Care Practice among the Resident Doctors in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Central India: A Cross Sectional Study

Introduction: Ethics is defined as moral code of conduct that defines right and wrong. At the core of health care ethics is our beliefs about rights we possess, duties we owe to others and our sense of right and wrong. So, it becomes important to study about factors that affect awareness about medical ethics and to use this knowledge to enhance the ethical conduct among the health professional. Methodology: A Cross - sectional study was carried out among the PG Residents of a medical college of Central India using google forms. Data was collected and analysed using appropriate statistical tests. Observation: There were total 147 study participants.28.08% responded that they received formal teaching on ethics in UG/Internship.46.57% correctly knew Hippocratic oath. Only 16.44% knew correctly about the Helsinki declaration. Previous attainment of classes on medical ethics, work experience and residency in non - clinical departments were found to be significant with knowledge regarding medical ethics. Conclusion: Incorporation of a formal structured teaching on medical ethics in the undergraduate curriculum is the need of the hour. Besides research work, the medical ethics committee in the institution should also act as the guiding hands to address the grievances faced by the doctors during medical practice.