Developing Legal Competences in Medical Students as Applied to Biomedical Research: Pedagogical Experience Based on the Standards of the Declaration of Helsinki


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Abstract

The growing volume of biomedical research requires scientists and physicians to possess not only profound professional but also modern legal competences, given the dynamic development of legislation and the high level of responsibility for upholding human rights and freedoms. This article addresses the apparent contradiction between the objective need to develop legal competences in future medical professionals for the ethical and safe implementation of biomedical projects and their insufficient legal training within existing educational programs. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of medical students’ awareness of the legal and ethical principles that are keys in research involving humans and animals, as well as to analyze the development of their legal competences. In this regard, the article focuses on the standards of the Declaration of Helsinki, which serves as a global benchmark for ethical research practices and is integrated into Russian national legislation. The authors present the results of an anonymous online survey of 177 medical students majoring in General Medicine, Pediatrics and Dentistry. These results have shown that the respondents share key ethical values in scientific research but lack the legal knowledge necessary to develop their legal competences. This represents an important pedagogical challenge in this context and underscores the need to incorporate professionally oriented legal disciplines into medical educational programs. The materials and conclusions of this article may also be useful to researchers and practicing physicians in addressing pressing scientific challenges in biomedicine and healthcare.

About the authors

Anna D. Chestnikhina

Orel State University named after I.S. Turgenev

Email: romanova_orel@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0632-5100
SPIN-code: 9494-5493

Research Fellow at the Laboratory of Molecular, Translational and Digital Cardioimmunology, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Public Health, Healthcare and Hygiene

95 Komsomolskaya St, Orel, 302026, Russian Federation

Daria O. Efremenko

Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after V.Y. Kikot

Email: darja.o.re-va@rambler.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-1109-8850
SPIN-code: 7204-7732

Ph.D. in Leg. Sci., Deputy Head of the Philosophy Department

12 Academika Volgina St, Moscow, 117997, Russian Federation

Natalia A. Kabina

Orel State University named after I.S. Turgenev

Email: apt53boss@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0007-6915-9035
SPIN-code: 5103-2264

Research Fellow at the Laboratory of New Medical Technologies, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacy

95 Komsomolskaya St, Orel, 302026, Russian Federation

Maria O. Reviakina

Orel State University named after I.S. Turgenev

Author for correspondence.
Email: morevyakina@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1593-5290
SPIN-code: 4921-7530

Ph.D. in Med. Sci., Leading Researcher of the Laboratory of Molecular, Translational and Digital Cardioimmunology, Associate Professor of the Department of Immunology and Specialized Clinical Disciplines

95 Komsomolskaya St, Orel, 302026, Russian Federation

Irina A. Snimshchikova

Orel State University named after I.S. Turgenev

Email: snimshikova@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4258-963X
SPIN-code: 2728-3520

Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Leading Researcher at the Laboratory of New Medical Technologies, Head of the Department of Immunology and Specialized Clinical Dis ciplines, Director of the Medical Institute

95 Komsomolskaya St, Orel, 302026, Russian Federation

Anna V. Konshina

National Medical Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics named after N.N. Priorov

Email: Astro.cito@ya.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-0353-0849
SPIN-code: 6755-1368

Ph.D. in Biol. Sci., Associate Professor at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Related Disciplines, Head of the Department of Educational Activities

10 Priorova St, Moscow, 127299, Russian Federation

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