FROM REFLECTION TO RESPONSIBILITY: HOW MEDICAL STUDENTS CONSTRUCT ETHICAL IDENTITY THROUGH REFLECTIVE LEARNING

Authors

  • Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al-Bader Full Professor, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4234-5929

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n4.3738

Abstract

This qualitative study explored how medical students use reflection to develop ethical awareness and construct their professional identities within a medical law and ethics course. Ten undergraduate medical students from a large public university participated in semi-structured interviews analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic framework. The findings revealed three interconnected themes: reflection as self-discovery, reflection as moral negotiation, and reflection as professional voice. Initially, students approached reflection as an academic task, but over time, it evolved into a transformative process of emotional understanding and ethical reasoning. Reflection helped students reconcile personal beliefs with professional standards, developing empathy, self-awareness, and moral agency. These insights support emerging evidence that reflection is central to professional identity formation, serving as a bridge between knowing what is right and becoming a practitioner who acts on it. Embedding structured, mentored reflection within medical curricula can foster integrity, empathy, and accountability among future physicians.

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Published

2025-11-21

How to Cite

Al-Bader, A. bin A. (2025). FROM REFLECTION TO RESPONSIBILITY: HOW MEDICAL STUDENTS CONSTRUCT ETHICAL IDENTITY THROUGH REFLECTIVE LEARNING. Veredas Do Direito, 22, e223738. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n4.3738

Issue

Vol. 22 (2025): Veredas do Direito, v. 22, 2025

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Articles

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