Appraising the profile of ethics, law and professionalism in basic medical education

Substantial variation exists between schools and countries as regards the role of ethics, law and professionalism in medical curricula. Greater consistency of approach is needed between schools and countries to better safeguard standards of professional practice. From an international perspective these subjects are the focus of increasing attention as the nature of medical practice and regulation changes. This paper offers practical suggestions for raising the educational profile and integrating ethics, law and professionalism into medical curricula. Dealing with the subjects effectively during early medical training helps provide an appropriate grounding for future learning and practice.