The relevance of teaching medical ethics to undergraduate medical students is recognized worldwide. Since 1969 all Brazilian medical schools must teach ethics to the undergraduate students. To assess the evolution of the teaching of deontology, medical ethics or bioethics over the last thirty years, a systematic review of Brazilian publications on this subject was performed. Three studies published in three different decades were identified, showing little progress in the number of disciplines exclusively dedicated to the teaching of medical ethics as well as in the number of teaching hours and faculty staff directly involved with medical ethics, most of them in connection with forensic medicine. Professional accountancy and confidentiality were the issues most explored in the courses, mainly by means of oral expositions and case discussions. Given the importance of educating future medical doctors in ethics, this matter should be taught during the entire course by skilled and clinically experienced medical doctors with additional knowledge in humanities. It should be taught in line with other ethical subjects in the academic institutions in order to prepare ethically competent doctors for practicing the art and science of medicine.
Ethics, Medical; Bioethics; Education, Medical; Curriculum; Schools, Medical; Brazil
