The Role of Ethical Theory in Ethical Education for Physical Therapist Students

Background and Purpose. Theory has been strongly embraced in physical therapy curricula to inform practice. As such, including ethical theory in courses related to ethics or professionalism would seem to be unproblematic; however, many have debated the extent and depth to which ethical theory should be introduced to physical therapist students. Part of this debate centers on the esoteric content of ethical theory and disagreements over how much ethical “wisdom” physical therapists need to have to be able to make sound ethical decisions. This paper reviews the debate about the role of ethical theory for professional ethics education and urges its greater curricular appreciation and implementation. Position and Rationale. The authors argue that students can benefit greatly from a limited exposure to formal ethical theory. The authors show how such an exposure can not only deepen moral insight (beyond what might be offered in a course that restricts itself to a review of the law and practice acts) but also enable professionals to explain their moral beliefs or pronouncements with greater confidence and insight. Discussion and Conclusions. The background and significance of moral education for physical therapists is reviewed. The nature of ethical theory is discussed and its pros and cons are reviewed with respect to health care education in ethics. The discussion ends with an advocacy for the use of ethical theory linked to casebased moral dilemmas to improve ethical decision-making and insight.