Iranian Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine

Virtue ethics is an agent-centered approach that is concerned with good and bad character rather than right or wrong action. It is based on the virtues and moral character of the agent. Morality of the physician is emphasized in medicine as well, which demonstrates its affinity with virtue ethics. Nevertheless, a theory of applied or medical ethics should provide a criterion for ethical decision making by instructing what should be done, something which, according to some philosophers, is incompatible with virtue ethics. This article aimed to demonstrate how virtue ethics can offer rules and guidelines by resorting to the moral agent and emphasizing virtues, and help physicians to make decisions when faced with dilemmas. For this purpose, examples about abortion and selling kidneys for transplantation were provided.Some of the most important advantages of virtue ethics include: context-dependence and attention to relevant realities the importance of emotions and the likely motivations of the people involved and finally emphasis on exemplar based on the sensitivity and practical wisdom of the virtuous agent. These advantages cause virtue ethics to be better positioned than other approaches to solving problems in medical ethics.

Adherence to ethical principles in medical universities, which play a vital role in training the next generation of healthcare professionals, is of significant importance. These principles can serve as a guide to achieving educational goals and improving performance in various academic fields. This study aimed to explain the components of ethics in education at the Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The study was conducted in 2023 using a qualitative Hybrid Thematic Analysis approach. Participants included 17 educational managers, faculty members, and students from the university. The study was carried out in three phases: a comprehensive literature review, interviews with experts, and the formation of a specialized panel. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using purposive and snowball sampling, and the process continued until data saturation was achieved. The interviews were transcribed, coded, classified, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed eight main themes, including ethics, justice, responsibility, duty, respect for others, adherence to dress codes, accountability, and spiritual health, along with 55 subthemes. Focusing on ethical components can enhance transparency, create a fair educational environment, strengthen responsibility among faculty members and students, and improve the quality of learning, thereby playing a crucial role in fostering interactions between professors and students. Adhering to ethical components in academic education not only requires understanding ethical concepts but must also align with appropriate implementation mechanisms. Therefore, organizing training workshops to raise awareness among faculty members, students, and staff, and incorporating ethical indicators into recruitment and promotion processes for faculty members are recommended.