Developing recommendations on ethical aspects affecting studies in health professions education research

Background: In addition to meeting legal requirements, education research studies in the health professions must also factor in aspects of ethical research. However, no specific guidance exists as of yet on how to implement these requirements and aspects in practice. Our aim was therefore to develop recommendations on how to apply aspects of ethical research when planning, conducting and publishing such studies.

Method: The recommendations were developed by the members of the DACH Association for Medical Education’s Committee on Methodology in Educational Research in three steps: (1) identification of problematic areas in education research, (2) derivation of concrete measures and explanations, and (3) review of the recommendations by experts with different research perspectives.

Results: Two separate sets of recommendations were developed. One set contains actions to ensure data protection, free consent, no harm to and the autonomy of participants (six areas with a total of 29 measures); the other addresses the quality assurance of studies and publications (four areas with a total of 14 measures).

Discussion: The recommendations provide assistance when considering ethical aspects and applying them. However, they do not replace any existing rules or the individual reflections of the researchers. These recommendations should undergo continual development and be investigated in regard to their application and effect on decision-making processes in education research.