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Abstract

Objective: To compare medical ethics awareness and perception among students across academic years andage groupsMaterial and Methods: This cross-sectional survey at Khyber Medical College KMC Peshawar Feb-May2023 assessed medical ethics knowledge and perceptions among 296 students selected through conveniencesampling. A validated self-administered questionnaire collected demographic data and assessed knowledge,perceptions, and compliance with medical ethics, using a 5-point Likert scale. Ethical approval and informedconsent were obtained. Data analysis by SPSS included descriptive statistics, one way ANOVA. Thesignificance level was set at p< 0.05 for all analyses.Results: Most of the students (81.1%) reported having no formal education on medical ethics. Meanknowledge scores increased steadily from 3.32±0.50 in first-year students to 3.69 ±0.50 in final-year students(F(4,291)=4.965, p=0.010). Similarly, perception scores rose from 3.34 ± 0.52 in first year to 3.68±0.52 infinal year (F(4,291)=3.739, p=0.040). Age significantly impacted ethics perception (F=2.054, P=0.001 andawareness (F=3.145, p =0.037 suggesting that older students may possess greater ethical understanding andcritical perspectives. Additionally, gaps in transparency and comprehensive patient communication werenoted especially in treatment costs and patient decision rights.Conclusion: Undergraduate MBBS students at KMC, Peshawar, have considerable gaps in knowledge andperception of medical ethics. A comprehensive outcome-based ethics curriculum is recommended topromote transparency and accountability, ensuring future doctors are well-versed in ethical practice.Keywords: medical ethics education, student perceptions, ethical behavior, patient rights, formal training,ethical principlesHow to cite: Ullah R, Ali L, Yaseen S, Ahmed F, Kashif L. Medical Ethics: A comparison of Awareness Among MedicalStudents and their perception in Medical practice. Esculapio - JSIMS 2025;21(03):450-456DOI: https://doi.org/10.51273/esc25.251321250