‘The fault lies not in our students, but in ourselves’: academic honesty and moral development in health professions education—results of a pilot study in Canadian pharmacy

Abstract

Numerous explanations have been offered to explain the ubiquity and enduring nature of academic dishonesty in post-secondary education and professional programs, including dissatisfaction with curricula, disengagement from academic institutions, and poor admissions criteria for students. A pilot study in Canadian pharmacy education was undertaken to determine students’ and educators’ behaviours and attitudes towards academic dishonesty. Consistent with findings in other fields, this study illustrated a self-reported high incidence of academic dishonesty by both educators and students, although educators’ attitudes towards acts of dishonesty were somewhat more severe. In explaining these results, the author suggests an alternative, developmental explanation for academic dishonesty. By viewing academic dishonesty as a normative, developmental event, one in which students learn to behave professionally and morally by making choices, abiding by consequences, and (paradoxically) behaving immorally, academic dishonesty (while serious) may not be the result of any serious act of omission on the part of educators. If developmental, attempts to eliminate academic dishonesty through revised admissions policies, updated curricula, or other measures, may be of only limited success in addressing this ubiquitous and enduring issue.