Film about integrity fixed part of programmes in Medicine for students and researchers

Starting in the 2014-2015 academic year, the film ‘The Integrity Factor’ will be a fixed item on the curriculum taught to Bachelor’s and Master’s students of Medicine in Groningen, and in the training programme for PhD students in the UMCG. The interactive film shows students how to recognize pitfalls and dilemmas relating to academic integrity. The students are set concrete questions and asked to make decisions in familiar academic situations.

The film revolves around the life of Tess, a new PhD student. She has been working on her research project for four months, but so far, without results. About to conduct a number of tests in the lab, she suddenly realizes that she does not have the required protocols. Tess asks her supervisor for help. The supervisor is pushed for time and tells her where they might be. Although she cannot find the exact protocol she needs, she does find one that is quite similar. What should she do?

Interactive film

‘The Integrity Factor’ is an interactive film, which challenges students to think carefully about certain questions, make decisions and face the consequences. It is a modular film that requires viewers to make choices at various points. The course the film takes then depends on the decisions made by the viewer. Viewers may also ask for extra information about particular subjects dealt with in the film.

Academic integrity is a recurring item in all programmes taught at the UMCG, and this film has now become part of the curriculum. The broad-based programme taken by PhD students also focuses attention on integrity issues.

The film is based on the American film ‘The Lab’. This film is about academic misconduct in an American laboratory, whereas ‘The Integrity Factor’ focuses specifically on the day-to-day practices of a young researcher in Western Europe. The film is a joint production of the UMCG, Martini Hospital, the Medical Center Leeuwarden, Hanze University of Applied Sciences and the University of Groningen.