A special study module (SSM) is designed to provide medical students with an extended opportunity to work independently on a topic that interests them. They achieve this by exploring and critically evaluating the literature on the subject, producing a written report and presenting a seminar. Although the focus is on independent learning, academic support is provided by a named co-ordinator. This may involve limited introductory teaching and facilitation through seminars and individual tutorial support. Medical schools in the UK are encouraged to offer a comprehensive list of SSMs by the General Medical Council (GMC) in their role of overseeing undergraduate medical education throughout the country.
The Christian medical students at Birmingham University knew what they wanted to do for their SSM, but their choice didn’t exist. We describe how we created, implemented and evaluated a new SSM: Christian Medical Ethics (CME).
As Christians within the medical world, we face an increasing barrage of ethical conundrums. Take a moment to consider euthanasia, prenatal selection and genetic experimentation. Can you confidently explain the main ethical issues at stake in these dilemmas, let alone how God might want you to respond to them? We need to be like the men of Isaachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32 who ‘understood the times’ and ‘knew what to do’.
In the beginning…
A group of second year students approached us to ask about the possibility of running this SSM. They had gathered the names of 20 students who would be interested in taking it if it were offered. At Birmingham, the general choice is between biological sciences and integrated health sciences (which CME fits into). Each of these broad sections opens up to offer 15 to 20 choices. Students have to choose one from each section, taking one in the second year and the other in the third year. SSMs have a module co-ordinator overseeing the entire provision, so permission had to be sought to create a new option. Medical schools and the GMC are keen to offer as much variety as possible, but SSMs have clear criteria to fulfil.
The rationale
In developing a new SSM, it was very useful that we could show that there were already a number of students requesting it. We could also show that there was a need for students to spend time outside of the core curriculum examining this subject. Many students have personal beliefs that will (or are anticipated to) affect their future practice, so it is vital to examine how this will affect professional interactions with both patients and colleagues. It is important that SSMs don’t proselytise, but rather critically analyse beliefs and think about the consequences. For example, if you don’t agree with abortion, how may this affect your professional relationships, and what alternatives can you offer?
Organisation of the module
With this in mind, we organised the SSM around two distinct elements. First, we recognised the need to understand the biblical foundations for medical ethics. Contemporary medical ethics is derived from secular beliefs, and these often produce a dichotomy with biblical principles. We examined scriptural directions about the characteristics required to be a doctor who practices within a biblical framework, and examined the roles of rationality and consistency within biblical decision-making. Some of the material came from CMF’s excellent junior doctors’ day conference, Turning the Tide.[1] These sessions were delivered in a fairly informal lecture format.
The second element we examined was the variety of Christian perspectives on individual dilemmas, primarily concerning the beginning and end of life. Here, we invited a range of Christian doctors from the West Midlands to discuss how they practise within a biblical framework in areas such as paediatrics, oncology and general practice. Peter Saunders ventured north from the CMF office to speak about recent high profile media cases and potential changes to the law. Even those with medical training can find controversial cases confusing. Unpacking some of the media hype was most revealing. These sessions were run on an interactive seminar basis, with the timetable shown below.
Evaluation
Although CME was open to all students within the year group, the ten who elected to take the module were Christians. All were keen to learn about putting their faith into practice and were encouraged to discover like-minded people: not all of them were involved with campus Christian groups. Some said that they held particular views about issues, but were unsure why. Others wanted to ensure that their faith would not be compromised in difficult scenarios. Some had enjoyed the main ethics module, but were keen to get a Christian perspective on what is traditionally a secular subject. Many mentioned that it was fantastic to study the Bible as part of a medical degree! The ‘beginning of life’ session coincided with the announcement of the Korean cloning breakthrough: the students enjoyed critically analysing contemporary news articles.
All thought that the course had been of ‘high educational value’ in their feedback. We received comments such as, ‘it’s brought out the major issues clearly and given us guidance on clinical situations’ and ‘really good opportunity to discuss Christian ethics outside of usual ethics lectures – issues were made applicable to us as future doctors.’ The most popular session was the interactive ‘end of life’ seminar. Retired paediatrician, Janet Goodall, and Birmingham oncologist, Andrea Stevens, did a fantastic double act. Students commended their honesty, insight and realism.
Could we have one at our medical school?
With student numbers increasing and staff under growing pressure to inform and excite, the answer is probably yes. Ask God if it is right for you to explore the idea in your medical school. If you are interested in setting up a similar SSM, here are some tips. You need to have a supervisor; this can be a member of staff or an external person, such as a willing doctor or CMF staffworker/Relay worker. You should be able to find details of how SSMs are organised in your medical school from the school office website. You will need to have your supervisor complete the appropriate paperwork and submit this to the module co-ordinator for approval. This process can take several months, depending on a number of factors, so it is best to enquire as soon as possible. It might also be helpful to find other students who would be interested in the module, but this isn’t always necessary (Newcastle medical school allowed one student to do a similar SSM on her own, with the CMF staffworker as her supervisor). If you are required to give an assessed presentation and/or submit an essay, your supervisor may be required to have a second marker.
Any students who are interested in setting up a Christian medical ethics SSM are welcome to contact us for advice and use our materials, which can be supplied electronically on request.
