MEDICAL ETHICS: CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO ITS FORMATION IN MODERN MEDICAL EDUCATION

Abstract

The article focuses on analyzing conceptual approaches to forming the professional and ethical culture of future medical professionals within the context of the ongoing reforms in Ukraine’s healthcare sector. The article aims to review, analyze, compare, and evaluate the potential of current conceptual approaches to developing a professional and ethical culture among future medical practitioners. The study emphasizes the need for medical education to address contemporary challenges, such as rapid technological advancements, globalization, and patients’ growing expectations for high-quality medical care. Special attention is given to integrating ethical principles into the practical training of physicians, which is crucial for shaping their professional identity and enhancing their capacity for moral reasoning. The article examines existing conceptual approaches to fostering ethical consciousness among future healthcare professionals, including the systemic, competency-based, personality-oriented, cultural, activity-based, and axiological approaches, highlighting their complementary roles in developing ethical awareness. The systemic approach ensures coherence; the competency-based and activity-based approaches focus on the practical application of ethics; the personality-oriented and cultural approaches cultivate empathy and multicultural competence; and the axiological approach establishes the moral foundation for professional practice. The study demonstrates that only the comprehensive application of these approaches can adequately prepare future physicians to effectively navigate ethical dilemmas, such as conflicts of interest, challenges in palliative care, and the use of emerging medical technologies. The conclusions highlight the importance of investing in medical education resources and revising curricula to strike a balance between professional competencies and ethical awareness. Future research directions include a deeper analysis of international experience to adapt best practices to the context of Ukrainian medical education.