Student View on Ethical Aspects of Undergraduate Research at a Chilean Public University

Resumen

Most undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Life Science collegesin Chile become involved in scientific experiments as subjects and as researchassistants from the earliest stages of their studies. The complex hierarchicalrelationships between students and their professors are associated with particularethical issues that are not fully covered in the universal guidelines that rule scientificresearch at Chilean universities. This paper reports the work of undergraduateand graduate students during an introductory Bioethics course and professors ata Chilean public university. The group observed a need for guidelines specificallyaddressing the ethical challenges of research performed with participation ofstudents. Some ethical issues and proposals for such guidelines are outlined.

Keywords: Ethics, bioethics code, guidelines, student´s research