Level of moral judgment in students of the medical career of a public university

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the education system, we must promote the moral, social and emotional competences along with the technical knowledge. The moral development in medicine students must be considered a high priority topic for the educators. Lind developed the Moral Judgment Test (MJT), in which through Index C measures the capacity of a person to judge other people arguments. OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference of stage of the moral judgment shown by the new students versus the fifth period medical students, along with their relationship with other variables, such as gender, age and parents schooling. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A comparative, observational, transversal and prospective study was done analyzing the moral judgment stage through the MJT from June 1st, 2018 to May 31, 2019. RESULTS: The Index C in the new students was on average 17.4%, and on the fifth period students 15.2%, with no difference. The Index C on the new students was lower on the 17 years old, without intergroup difference. On the fifth period students, the lowest Index C was found on the 21 years old, without intergroup difference. CONCLUSION: The Index C didn't show a significant difference in relation with the parents schooling.