Medical ethics as taught by members of the Department of Forensic Medicine in three of five medical colleges in Sri Lanka is a 'rule ethic' ('normative ethic') based on 'traditional' or 'classical' ethics. Instruction includes the teaching of moral principles, illustrated with examples. Also included are aspects concerning the functions of the Sri Lanka Medical Council. The topic is evaluated in the essay, multiple choice question and oral components of the third MBBS (Part II) examination (end of fourth year). As presently taught the syllabus is thoroughly inadequate for dealing with modern (medical) ethical issues. The shortcomings and limitations in the present programme are pointed out and requisite improvements suggested. A case is made for an eclectic view of ethics, in which a 'situation ethic' would play a part. Finally, the training of a highly moral responsible medical professional is emphasized.
Students are admitted to university in Sri Lanka on the basis of aggregate marks above a certain cut-off point obtained at the GCE (advanced level) examination. On this criterion and on a district-quota basis operative for the whole island, high performers are admitted to the medical faculties. Those with lower aggregate marks are admitted to the other life science faculties. High performance at the GCE (advanced level) examination is considered to reflect high general intellectual ability and vice versa. A group of students who failed to obtain university admission on their relatively poor GCE (advanced level) examination performance was used for a preliminary study. This study revealed that several students were of high general intellectual ability. A similar study carried out on groups of new entrants to the life science courses at the University of Peradeniya (which included medical students) showed that the groups did not differ significantly in general intellectual ability from the non-University group. Students of high general intellectual ability were found distributed evenly in all the groups studied.
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