Competency approach, ethics and personal values in Pediatrics specialist formation

Abstract

Introduction: in the human resources formation process, professional competencies should not respond exclusively to market exigencies and be limited to the techno-scientific aspects, but they should take in account also the ethical compromises and personal values of the professional. In Cuba the process of formation of Pediatrics specialists is developed in the medical services scenarios, according with the meaningful principle of Cuban medical education –education at the working place– which considers among its educative functions those of value formation and ethical behavior. Objective: to sustain the necessary interrelationship among the formation through competencies, ethical behavior and values acquisition in the process of Pediatrics specialist formation. Material and Methods: the present article, as a theoretical one, was developed from the personal experience of the authors in their professional and teaching practice, and from a review of several papers dealing with ethical aspects and personal values linked with professional competencies. Results: competencies based formation includes a philosophical dimension which establishes as its central core the integral development of human being. The formative process from competencies demands a pedagogical ethics expressed in professor’s exemplarity. Conclusions: there is a tight bond between medical practice, medical teaching and professional competencies of the pediatrician due to the presence of ethical commitment and personal value, among teaching and pedagogical strategies for competencies development, understanding and assimilation of ethical, professional and social responsibilities.Keywords: ethics, ethical behavior, ethical commitment, personal values formation, competency based on education.