THE SACRIFICE DILEMMA IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION: MORAL VALUE OR VICTIMIZATION?

Abstract

Abstract. Formulation of the problem. In the process of reforming domestic medicine there is a paradigm shift in the direction of commercialization of medical services, which does not coincide with the traditional image of our society, a doctor who in his professional activity is guided by moral qualities and sacrifices personal interests for the benefit of their patients. Formulation of the purpose of the article. The aim is to find out the attitude of medical students to the phenomenon of sacrifice as a component of the medical profession. Analysis of recent research and publications. The sacrifice of a doctor in the process of his professional activity is determined by the norms of ethics and deontology, the humane desire to provide care to patients, which is the essence of professional honor and dignity of medical workers. Materials and methods of research. The study involved 47 students of 1-3 courses of medical faculties of various higher educational institutions of Kyiv, the average age of respondents was 19.3 years. The study consisted of two parts: writing meek essays by students on the topic of sacrifice in the medical profession, followed by analysis of their content, and psychodiagnostics using the Methodology of diagnosis of socio-psychological attitudes of personality in the motivational-needs sphere OF Potemkina. Research results. According to the method of F. Potemkina, altruism was the leading orientation of 51.1% of medical students, with a close (strong) direct link between the orientation to altruism and the result and the argument of sacrifice as a moral component of the medical profession (correlation coefficient equal to 0.754). On the contrary, the correlation between this argument and the focus on power and money turned out to be inverse (the correlation coefficient is -0.956). Discussion. The analysis of the essay texts allowed to identify several main points of view on the issue of sacrifice, in particular: understanding of sacrifice as a rudiment, a manifestation of commitment to already outdated and irrelevant traditions (10.7%); giving priority to one’s own, private interests over the patient’s interests, when in the situation of choice the needs of the doctor’s family are given priority (31.9%); interpretation of sacrifice as a manipulative technique in order to obtain certain benefits, recognition (2.1%), as well as recognition of sacrifice as a consciously chosen necessary component of the medical profession (55.3%). Conclusions and prospects for further research. Statements on the problem of sacrifice of the medical profession, with which students argued their opinion, quite vividly illustrate the worldview and professional guidelines of modern youth. Our study points to the importance of the moral component of a doctor’s professional activity. Issues of professional ethics, bioethics and deontology in the training program for future physicians, as well as consideration in the process of studying the history of medicine, the issue of sacrifice as a conscious moral choice of physician should be given priority as a basis for educating students. Only under the condition of entrusting the process of formation of key educational competencies on a moral basis can a decent present in the future of domestic medicine be ensured.