FORMATION OF A PHYSICIAN’S ETHICAL COMPETENCE: A SYNTHESIS OF BIOETHICS, DEONTOLOGY, AND PEDAGOGY

Abstract

The article explores the development of ethical competence in medical interns as a critical dimension of professional formation within contemporary medical education. The authors examine the pedagogical dilemma between training technically proficient practitioners and cultivating morally autonomous physicians capable of responsible decision-making. Based on longitudinal experience at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, the study analyzes educational mechanisms that foster ethical maturity among postgraduate trainees. The empirical material comprises over twenty postgraduate training cycles, integrating clinical rotations, seminars, role-playing, simulation-based scenarios, group discussions, and ethical portfolio development. Ethical competence is conceptualized as the ability to act responsibly under clinical uncertainty, emotional stress, and interpersonal conflict. Its structure includes moral reflection, emotional resilience, communicative sensitivity, ethical reasoning, and accountability. The theoretical framework combines bioethical principles (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice), medical deontology (norms of professional conduct), and pedagogical strategies for nurturing moral autonomy. Special emphasis is placed on the mentor’s role as an ethical exemplar and facilitator of reflective dialogue. The study demonstrates that the most effective formats integrate clinical experience with ethical analysis through simulations, case-based learning, reflective writing, and portfolio assessment. Evaluation of ethical competence is conducted via qualitative pedagogical tools rather than standardized testing, enabling dynamic tracking of internal moral development. The findings suggest that ethical competence evolves through sustained mentorship, reflective practice, and contextual engagement. It transcends formal codes, requiring an inner readiness to act with dignity and responsibility in complex clinical settings. The presented model offers a transferable framework for postgraduate medical education and contributes to the discourse on ethics integration in clinical training.