Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07656402

Role Model-Based Ethics Education and Moral Injury Prevention in Second-Year Medical Students

This study examines whether role model-based ethics education can reduce moral injury and perceived stress, and improve resilience, among second-year medical students in Taiwan. Students participated in a general education ethics course and self-selected into one of two groups: a standard-intensity group receiving role model narratives and guided handouts, or an enhanced-intensity group receiving the same content plus reflective writing assignments and live guest appearances by featured practitioners. Validated questionnaires measuring moral injury (MIDS), perceived stress (PSS-14), and resilience (CD-RISC-10) were administered before and after the course. Open-ended written responses were also collected and analyzed. The study aims to inform early curricular integration of ethics education in medical training and to identify instructional designs that support moral agency without inadvertently promoting emotional disengagement.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Moral Injury Ethics Education Mental Disorders Perceived Stress Resilience Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, Traumatic Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

National Defense Medical University

Taipei, Taiwan

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Second-year medical students enrolled in a general education ethics course at National Defense Medical University, Taiwan
  • Willing to complete pre- and post-course questionnaires

Exclusion criteria

  • Students who did not complete both pre-test and post-test assessments

Treatment and study plan

Role Model-Based Ethics Education (Standard Intensity)

Behavioral

Participants attended a semester-long general education ethics course incorporating role model narratives drawn from real clinical practitioners. Guided reflection handouts were provided to facilitate structured engagement with the ethical themes presented. This condition served as the active comparator.

Role Model-Based Ethics Education (Enhanced Intensity)

Behavioral

Participants attended the same role model-based ethics course as the standard-intensity group, with two additional components: structured reflective writing assignments requiring personal ethical reflection, and live guest appearances by the practitioners featured in the role model narratives. This condition served as the experimental arm.

Primary outcomes

  1. Moral Injury (MIDS)

    Time frame: Baseline and up to 6 weeks (immediately after course completion)

    Moral injury symptoms measured using the Moral Injury and Distress Scale (MIDS). Higher scores indicate greater moral injury.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived Stress (PSS-14)

    Time frame: Baseline and up to 6 weeks (immediately after course completion)

    Perceived stress measured using the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14). Higher scores indicate greater perceived stress.

Other outcomes

  1. Resilience (CD-RISC-10)

    Time frame: Baseline and up to 6 weeks (immediately after course completion)

    Psychological resilience measured using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Higher scores indicate greater resilience.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Chun Lun Hsu

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Role Model-Based Ethics Education and Moral Injury Prevention in Second-Year Medical Students: A Mixed-Methods Quasi-Experimental Study

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jun 18, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 18, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.