Ethical training as a support for the moral development of students in health sciences programs: Towards a teaching focused on the needs of the student as a person

© 2019, Instituto Nacional de Salud. All rights reserved. Based on the epidemiological surveys on mental health applied to Health Science students of the School of Medicine (Medicine, Nursing, Obstetrics, Nutrition, and Medical Technology) of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, the author postulates that there are two ways to understand the teaching needs of ethics: 1) as a curricular strategy, with theoretical information through specific courses; and, 2) as a support to the moral development of the personality with diverse innovative methods. Based on the results of the surveys mentioned, which show lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts and dissocial behaviors greater than in the general population, it is proposed that such teaching shall be planned for two groups of students with different needs: 1) those without a mental health pathology and who can benefit from the regular curricular strategy; and, 2) those who, with mental health problems and indicators of difficulties in their social behavior, shall also be helped with techniques aimed at offering them support in their moral development. And that this educational challenge must be the responsibility of the university of the 21st century, under the question: What does our country need, health professionals who know ethics or who behave ethically?.