The Ethical Sensitivity of Faculty Members at Alborz University of Medical Sciences

University professors are responsible for educating students academically and developing and enhancing their ethical values. Therefore, they must have a high level of ethical sensitivity. The present study aimed to determine the ethical sensitivity of the faculty members at Alborz University of Medical Sciences.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the first semester of the academic year 2020-2021 at Alborz University of Medical Sciences. The research population consisted of all faculty members (N=230) included in the study through a census method. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire assessing ethical sensitivity. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 27 and descriptive and inferential statistics at a significance level of P<0.05.

The mean ethical sensitivity of participating faculty members in this study was 4.36 ± 0.39, which was higher than the average. The examination of the mean dimensions of ethical sensitivity also showed that all dimensions of ethical sensitivity had a higher-than-average mean. The highest mean was for the dimension of "attention and respect for others" with a mean of 4.60 ± 0.44, and the lowest mean was for the dimension of "self-awareness" with a value of 4.06 ± 0.56. A significant relationship was observed between ethical sensitivity and work experience.

The self-assessment score of ethical sensitivity of the participating faculty members in this study was high. Further studies are needed to determine why, despite the high rating of University professors in terms of ethical sensitivity, educational environments, and learners still face ethical challenges.