MODERN PARADIGMS OF TEACHING BIOETHICS IN MEDICAL UNIVERSITIES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF GLOBAL EXPERIENCE AND REFORM STRATEGIES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article substantiates the urgent need to modernize the system of teaching bioethics in higher medical education institutions during the era of digital transformation, convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), neurotechnologies, and gene-editing systems. The research aims to perform a comparative pedagogical analysis of global and European models of bioethical training for physicians and to develop strategic directions for reforming the domestic higher medical school based on empirical findings. The study analyzes the UNESCO Bioethics Core Curriculum and the experience of European universities (specifically in Spain and Greece) regarding credit allocation within the ECTS system and models of didactic triangulation. The article highlights the results of an empirical study conducted among 41 postgraduate students (PhD level). The survey assessed their self-evaluation of bioethical knowledge, perception of ethical risks regarding AI «algorithmic paternalism», and methodological requirements. A cross-sectional paradox was discovered: while 1st and 2nd-year PhD students demonstrate a solid theoretical base (71.4% correct answers), a decay of the theoretical core occurs by the 4th year (dropping to 60%) due to the influence of the clinical environment, despite a parallel rise in students’ subjective self-confidence (40%). It was found that 78% of respondents demand a rejection of the traditional transmission model of education in favor of constructivist, interactive student-centered methods. Based on the analysis of global best practices (University of Cambridge, University of Chicago), it is proved that the strategy of bioethics education reform must be based on a shift from passive lecturing to human-centered active pedagogical strategies. The effectiveness of introducing Case-Based Learning (CBL), the Flipped Classroom model, the Chicago three-dimensional model, and narrative ethics tools is substantiated. The study concludes that the key strategies for reform are the necessity of ensuring continuous bioethical support throughout the entire training cycle of healthcare professionals, transforming the teacher’s role into a facilitator, and purposeful utilization of narrative analysis methods to neutralize the destructive impact of the «hidden curriculum» and prevent the erosion of empathy in senior students.