the weekly source for radiology professionals

Students and Honesty

Posted At : 9/17/07 1:46 PM | Posted By : Debbie Poelhuis
Related Categories: Honesty,About Me

A few months ago I gave a presentation about the new Situational- Judgment Test Questions that the ARRT has on the registry examination. I did extensive research concerning this topic and found things that were, well, disappointing. It really makes me concerned about Ethics in Medicine, and if Ethics can really be taught. Did you know that at least 56% of business students in graduate school have cheated at some point? Statistics in other areas were almost as high. Surveys that I produced and gave to my classes as well as other general education classes at my college in which I asked one simple question " What would you do if you saw the person next to you cheating on their exam?" yielded alarming results in all sample populations. Most respondents had answers like " If I didn't like the person and they were always copying, I would tell", or " I would mind my own business", or, " It is the teachers responsibility to watch for cheaters".

So Educators, what do you think?

comment Comments (12) | print Print | email Send | del.ico.us del.icio.us
Comments
[Add Comment]
Honesty, integrity, and ethics is a crucial area to our profession. As educators, we are faced with the inevitable students who will eventually cross the line. Enforcing policies and procedures within programs seems to be the best way to deal with this issue. A "well, we'll let is slide this time" will not work; examples must be made as hard as it is to face. I'm sure there isn't an educator out there that enjoys the disciplinary action or dismissing a student for instances such as cheating, but if we don't nip it in the bud, we will lose credibility with all of our students and our clinical affiliates. Then we lose credibility within our profession.
# Posted By Terri Williamson | 4/3/08 8:53 AM
Terri,
Again, I couldn't agree more, and you are right, disciplinary actions are one of the more difficult tasks that we encounter in this position. In a sense, as educators, we are the "gatekeepers" to entry in this profession. When we let them slide, as we may often do because it is easier than the confrontation, we are just reinforcing their behaviors. Maybe that is why the ARRT recently placed a question on their application dealing with dismissals from a program.
# Posted By Debbie | 4/4/08 9:18 AM
Ethics is such an important issue and one that we need to remind our students of all the time. Their decision to be unethical has such a higher consequence than they can realize and we as educators should teach them to learn to think in the bigger picture
# Posted By Patty | 4/28/08 8:03 PM
Not to make this a generational issue, but in seems that many students in the age range of 18-30 something believe it is OK to not "rat on " others in terms of exposing a peer who may have committed an unethical behavior. It is not my business is often their response. They don't see it as an integrity or honesty issue at all on their part, only on the person committing the infraction. How do we help them see the bigger consequences ?
# Posted By Debbie | 4/29/08 12:31 PM
Even though we don't want to make it a generational issue, it is. Ages 18-27 are grouped in the "Generation Y" group of adults. I just completed a lengthy paper for a college class on a learning theory for this generation. The realization is in the way that the generation has been raised and catered to by the numerous parents that have tried, in a meaningful way, to give them a better childhood than they might have had due to divorce and social issues of the past. In doing this, though, it has created a tough job for educators who do not "dote upon" their students in efforts to teach ethics, professionalism, and prepare them for careers. It is very difficult to get the messages across, but all we can do as educators is possibly give numerous scenarios of the "what ifs" regarding behavioral patterns. Try, try, and keep on trying and hope that it sinks in! We are working against the odds but must not give up on ethical issues.
# Posted By Terri Williamson | 4/29/08 1:07 PM
“Monkey sees monkey does.” The generation “Y” has copied what they have seen around them, can you blame them for that? I am part of this generation and I can say very loud a clear that while the previous generation speaks one thing they do another thing. So… we do what we see not what you tell us! As painful and blunt as this may sound… it is the truth. And unfortunately it is not just what they see from their parents, but from the media, at school, from their piers, etc. And while this is sad, one can look for the good in it. If the previous generation realizes what is happening and they really want to make a change for the upcoming generations they need to change themselves first and foremost. Honesty, integrity, and ethics are not taught just by reading about them. They are traits taught by showing, and living with and within.
# Posted By Iva | 5/29/08 7:04 PM
Iva, I agree to an extent, but many in the previous generation do demonstrate honesty, integrity and ethical behaviors. Maybe just not enough of them, and as we are all aware, the traits and actions that get remembered are always the negative ones. Making generalizations of any " generation" doesn't work, as there are always many exceptions. I think the point that is trying to be made here is that it is up to all of us to present a professional image and remember that others are watching us. And continued reinforcement of these traits, no matter how one does it, is so important to our profession.
# Posted By Debbie | 5/30/08 9:47 AM
I normally don't comment on these situations but I must in this instance. I still can't figure out how the "60"s generation have obtained such a hedonistic Machiavellian mindset. I recently completed employment for a group of 20 radiologists. What I learned in my years with them is that the number one concern is now money. This is true of most of society. Unfortunately, charactersticis such as honesty, hard work, and dedication don't mean much anymore. Whatever it takes to get ahead, make more money, or increase stature is acceptable. Maybe it has always been like this, and I was not aware of it, but human ineteraction and consequences of decent behavior seem to be on the decline. I don't know if there is any way to reverse this, but I sure hope so.
# Posted By Bernie | 5/30/08 10:28 AM
I work for a radiology program, and have given multiple lectures to our clinical instructors and other educators on ethics and integrity in our schools and our places of work. I have mentioned time and again that new grads will "model" what they see at the clinical sites, in the classrooms, etc. If students now have the mindset that "no one cares, it's not my problem", then it usually came from someone they saw with the same mindset.
We, as educators and workers in the medical field, must constantly try to go about our daily lives with the highest of morals and values, hoping that this will "rub-off" on our students, co-workers, children, etc. We need to be that upstanding person ourselves before we can expect others to do the same thing.
# Posted By Emily | 5/30/08 11:18 AM
Emily, I couldn't agree more!!!
# Posted By Debbie | 5/30/08 12:13 PM
Very good points are being made here. I explained in my previous post that seemed to be misunderstood that Generation Y is the product of their parents and their actions are our shortcomings. But, Debbie makes an excellent point that even in doing the things that as parents we do for our children, we have done them with good intentions and hopefully with honesty and ethics. I personally have doted upon my own children too much but not by teaching them unethical and dishonest habits. I have done too much for them by doing instead of leading. This is the point that I was trying to make previously. It is definitely not a slam to the upcoming generation of technologists, but advice to educators to employ self-directive learning and reflective practice within our profession. Yes, the bottom line is usually money, but we do not have to utilize dishonesty and shame our profession to facilitate the unethical individuals. Honesty and hard work do mean alot in this profession and in society if you only choose to employ it and then it will "rub off" to future generations.
# Posted By Terri Williamson | 5/30/08 3:00 PM
Terri, you're so correct with that statement "we have taught them with good intentions and hopefully with honesty and ethics". My two children both just graduated from college this past December, and while they were growing up I too doted on them too much. But they both had an ethical upbringing and know how important it is to not only "know what is right" , but to " do what is right". I also may have done too much for them instead of leading, but they watched HOW I did it, and sometimes that counts even more. My son is now working for Dell, and I see how hard he is working and his committment and dedication in this new job and this makes me very proud. I know it did rub off each time I speak with him. Just like I know my efforts in the classroom have rubbed off when a past graduate calls or emails to thank me for their career. We are and do make a difference.
# Posted By Debbie | 5/30/08 3:15 PM
[Add Comment]
APEX Award ASBPE Award APEX Award ASHPE Award