Some would argue that education in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) has focused on learning rules - e.g., don’t fabricate or falsify data; don’t plagiarize; don’t engage in conflicts of interest. Some would posit that the focus of bioethics education has been on learning theory that guides researchers who are faced with looming ethical dilemmas - e.g., when a researcher must weigh the good of using human participants or animal subjects in their experimentation against the good of avoiding their harm. However, most researchers will not have to make decisions of such social magnitude frequently. On the other hand, more researchers may be faced with everyday ethical decisions that can create personal inner conflict. For instance, as competition for resources increases, a researcher might feel he or she has to make a decision that weighs the good that comes from objectivity in research against breaking a rule, for instance exaggerating preliminary data in a grant application, for the good of possibly sustaining his or her research program and staff (but also at the risk of losing everything). What educational programs, what research environment can be fostered, at our institutions to help researchers with such decisions, or better yet, to help them never have to make such decisions? Perhaps there is something that could be gained through greater integration of RCR education and bioethics education? What are your thoughts?
Assurance
