Neuroethics for Neurology Residents: Concepts and Contingencies of a Pilot Neuroethics Curriculum

摘要

Moses and Illes (2017) posit that ethics education should be provided in the training of all neuroscience professionals, and propose coursework in ethical theories, history of ethics in neuroscience, and major neuroethical issues. We agree with their call for neuroethics education and argue its importance as a core competency of neurologists. Given recent and proposed translation of neuroscientific and technological research into various areas of clinical practice, neurologists are ever more likely to encounter neuroethico- legal issues fostered by the use of such diagnostic and interventional tools—often prior to directive guidelines and policies being established and in place. Early and recurrent education and training in neuroethics will be vital to equip neurologists with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively address and resolve these issues. Moreover, given that professional societies value the views and opinions of their experienced members, a growing cadre of neuroethically literate and competent physicians will be important to leading both the field, and the engagement of neurology as a public good. In this light, we have developed, implemented, and herein describe a neuroethics curriculum for neurology residents. Our curriculum introduces neuroethics as a discipline and set of practices, grounds practices of neuroethics to historical, current, and planned developments in brain science, and emphasizes discursive, problem-based address of key issues, and questions that have arisen and are likely to arise at the intersection of brain science, neurology, and the social sphere.