Ethical Dilemmas Arising from the Implications of Military and Medical Professions in Military Medicine

When the profession groups are examined, we can talk about medicine and military service as two professions whose history are as old as human history. These two professions, which are inherently essential for making sacrifices for others, have been in constant interaction throughout history. While military service always has the potential to threaten human life and health, medical concepts such as injured treatment are the most needed professions. Medicine always aims to protect human life and health. Undoubtedly, the expectation of the society from the physician is to improve the conditions of illness and injury and to protect the health. In fact, the principle of not to give harm and benefit is the basis of medical ethics. On the contrary, the expectation of the society from the military profession group is to show an effect if necessary for the purpose of providing national security. In our study; dilemmas such as whether a physician providing health services to soldiers acts contrary to the nature of the medical profession by maintaining a destructive force will be examined. Methods: In the study, concepts related to the subject such as morality, ethics, types of ethics, applied ethics, medical ethics, deontology, and ethical dilemma were examined first. Since ethical dilemmas related to military medicine in particular will be examined, the legal regulations on this issue have been mentioned. The problems arising from the combined practice of military and medical professions, which are our subjects, have been philosophically discussed with examples from recent Turkish military history. Results: Although many legal and deontological arrangements have been made on the subject, it has been observed that physicians are faced with ethically controversial gray areas while performing their profession within the military profession. Military physician; The people he serves within the hierarchical structure he is in, their relatives, and the institution that receives the service, face positions other than the classical physician-patient relationship. Discussion and Conclusion: In medical practices to be carried out as a Military Physician, many ethical dilemmas may be encountered due to the behaviors that are specific to the profession, to comply with the determined principles and rules, or to have to comply legally. These ethical dilemmas are not a situation that can only be resolved by questioning the priority of being a soldier or medical doctor. Unfortunately, there isn’t any simple answer. Since each case has its own unique feature, a balanced approach can be demonstrated with a comprehensive analysis.