AN APPROACH TO TEACHING ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL-ASPECTS OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY IN A RESIDENCY PROGRAM

An approach to teaching ethical, legal, and psychosocial issues in gyn ecologic oncology has been integrated into an obstetrics and gynecolog y residency program. Team-teaching is used, involving gynecologic onco logy faculty members and a medical ethicist with experience teaching i n the clinical setting of obstetrics and gynecology. The teaching take s place as part of ongoing teaching rounds in the division of gynecolo gic oncology. Articles from clinical journals are used to inform and s timulate discussion of clinical ethical, legal, and psychosocial issue s. Integrating the teaching of ethical and legal aspects of gynecologi c oncology into residency education is challenging, given the competin g demands on the residents' time and the need for teaching to be clini cally relevant. The program described in this article illustrates that such teaching can be carried out in a manner that covers main issues and has practical value for residents. Copyright (C) 1997 by The Ameri can College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.