The concept of value-rich exposure in medical education was introduced in this study as a means of transferring values. Concept synthesis with mixed approach was used to characterize the concept and clarify the elements and features of this phenomenon.
One dimension of the concept of value-rich exposures is probing self-inner values, which entails probing and stimulating students' minds to revive their moral and professional values. Human nature is full of moral and value qualities and virtues, but the trace of unwanted societal factors and counter-values may gradually settle on and diminish them. Be aware of these counter- values, diminish their impact and achieving inner values requires effort, practice and protection (18). The first step is to focus one's attention on inner values to achieve them. Genuine value-rich exposures are the best stimuli for values to emerge from within humans. This can be justified based on information processing theory. According to this theory, the learner's attention and perception are required to transfer information from sensory memory to short-term memory or working memory (19). As a result, putting a person in real-life situations causes him/her to attract his/her attention as well as reach the understanding that he/she should have by observing and confronting real-life issues. Godbold and Lees introduced a value-based approach to teaching ethics in the medical sciences, showing that the best way to teach ethics is through a self-reflective curriculum in which students reflect on their values and beliefs and make decisions based on them (20). The important point is that individual values are a factor in decision-making; thus, students should be aware of their values (21).
Another characteristic of value-rich exposures is the presence of a program designed to transfer the desired values. The primary goal of the medical curriculum should be a set of professional knowledge, skills, and values (22). In order to achieve the desired results, a well-structured instructional design is necessary for teaching values and ethics, to integrate them in to the curriculum and consider the necessary requirements and prerequisites (10). The importance of the designed curriculum in teaching values and the purposeful design of the curriculum were two thematic clusters extracted from the phenomenological part of this study, which eventually categorized into the theme of “curriculum-based value movement” (18). The reviewed studies also mentioned the need for a coherent program for teaching values (3), (10), (22), (23). As a result, in order for value-rich exposures to be effective, an educational program tailored to the type of exposure is required.
According to the findings of this study, the value mentor guides students to sublime values. Professional and value based behaviors of the educators is an experience that helps students internalize values. Value-rich exposures will have the greatest impact on students when they are provided by a mentor who is a role model and demonstrates his/her values through his/her behavior. Existing research indicates that the teacher, as a role model and provider of learning opportunities, plays a significant role in student’s learning (7). There is no doubt that teaching medical ethics and professional values necessitates appropriate models who can not only demonstrate enthusiasm and good practice but also articulate the reasons for their good behavior (1).
Value-rich interactions are valuable experiences that have a significant impact on transferring values to medical students. Interactions between students and people who adhere to values can transmit those values to students and also would show them the importance and possibility of persistence on values, means the value integrity. Interaction with peers, colleagues, national heroes, community members, and patients allows students to strengthen cooperation, trust, and empathy, which lead to normative adaptation (24).
The value-rich environment is the fifth characteristic of the concept of value-rich exposures. According to statements derived from review literature and interview analysis, it is a context in which value-rich exposures occur, and presence in the real environment, the provision of a favorable educational environment for the transfer of values, and real exposures are essential for experience of a value-rich exposure. According to the evidence, presenting a value-based curriculum should take place in an appropriate, safe, and supportive environment where values can be discussed and challenged (10). According to Fredholm et al., being in real environments is essential for understanding the true feeling of being a physician, and real-world experiences can be effective in developing students’ professional identities (25).
The elements of value-rich exposures in medical education are explained by the proposed features resulting from the concept synthesis and conceptual definition presented in this study. According to Walker and Avant, as a final step in concept synthesis, the researcher should explain the place of new concept in existing theories, if possible (14). Taking into account the various dimensions of the concept of value-rich exposure, which was introduced in the current study as a method of teaching values and ethics in medical education, this concept can be explained in the form of humanistic theories such as transformative learning theory and social theories of learning. Table 3 explains the characteristics of the concept under study based on these theories.
Table 3
Explanation of the characteristics of the concept of value-rich exposures based on theories
Theory | Theory characteristics | Characteristics of value rich exposures |
Social theories of learning | Learning and thinking are social processes. | One of the most important things to consider when designing value-rich exposures is the importance of the group and the interactions that take place between group members or between group and people in the community. |
Thinking and learning are structured by tools in specific environments and situations. | Value-rich exposures always take place in the context of an environment and under certain conditions, and the better this environment reflects the desired values, the better the student will understand them. |
Thinking is influenced by the situation in which learning takes place. | The student’s exposures in various situations serve as stimuli for probing and stimulating her/his mind, resulting in the manifestation of values. |
In teaching-learning situations, teachers should pay special attention to when, how, and in what situations this information is conveyed, rather than simply focusing on the content. | The characteristics of the concept under study that emerged in the form of a “value-rich educational program” are fully in line with assumptions of situational theory. |
Transformative learning theory | Transformative learning is a learning experience that is rooted in the way humans communicate. | Interaction with peers, community members, heroes, role models, colleagues, and even ordinary people and patients is an important dimension of value-rich exposures that form part of the student learning experience. |
Faculty members should assist students in becoming aware of and criticizing their own and others’ hypotheses in order to facilitate transformative learning. | The value mentor’s proper guidance and support of the student is an important factor that influences the experience of value-rich exposure. |
The student should be placed in situations that allow him or her to identify and criticize his or her frames of reference. | In value-rich exposures, the student is exposed to opportunities that challenge his or her inner values and beliefs. |
The learning experience should be designed in such a way that the student can effectively participate in the conversations. In other words, learning is a social process, and discourse is required for meaning to be created. | One of the fundamental features of the concept of value-rich exposure, which is an essential component of the dimensions of “value-rich educational program” and “value-rich interactions,” is the ability to discuss and challenge the experience of value exposures. |