Health science students frequently experience ethical dilemmas on clinical placements, yet ethics education rarely prepares students with the ethical leadership skills required. The Leadership in Ethical Practice (LEP) program is an ethics education resource designed to enhance health science students’ knowledge and skills in ethical leadership to prepare them for clinical placements and future professional practice. This qualitative study aimed: to explore the nature of students’ ethical leadership goals; determine whether a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) format was an effective tool for students to create ethical leadership goals; and identify any changes in students’ pre- and post-self-ratings of ethical leadership knowledge following the LEP program. Eighty-two diagnostic radiography students from the University of Sydney participated in the study. Inductive and deductive qualitative content analysis (Elo & Kyngas, 2008) were used to explore students’ goals. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate students’ pre- and post-self-ratings. Four themes emerged from students’ goals: initiative, competence, and courage in ethical reasoning; communicating ethical stories through listening, questioning, and connecting; reflecting and growing as an ethical leader; and safe practice and person-centred outcomes. SMART goal format elements were evident in 61% of students’ goals. Students' ethical leadership self-ratings showed positive changes after participating in the LEP program. Findings indicated students planned to further develop ethical leadership skills during clinical placements and future professional practice. This study demonstrated the ethics education approaches used within the LEP could assist health science students to apply ethical leadership in future clinical practice.

健康科学专业的学生经常在临床实习中遇到道德困境，但道德教育很少让学生具备所需的道德领导技能。道德实践领导力 (LEP) 计划是一种道德教育资源，旨在增强健康科学专业学生在道德领导力方面的知识和技能，为临床实习和未来的专业实践做好准备。这项定性研究的目的是：探索学生道德领导目标的本质；确定特定的、可衡量的、可实现的、相关的和有时限的 (SMART) 格式是否是学生创建道德领导目标的有效工具；并确定学生在参加 LEP 计划前后对道德领导知识的自我评价的任何变化。来自悉尼大学的 82 名放射诊断学学生参与了这项研究。归纳和演绎定性内容分析 (Elo & Kyngas, 2008) 用于探索学生的目标。描述性统计被用来调查学生前后的自我评价。学生的目标出现了四个主题：道德推理的主动性、能力和勇气；通过倾听、提问和联系来传达道德故事；反思并成长为道德领袖；安全实践和以人为本的结果。SMART 目标格式元素在 61% 的学生目标中很明显。参加 LEP 计划后，学生的道德领导自我评价显示出积极的变化。调查结果表明，学生计划在临床实习和未来的专业实践中进一步培养道德领导技能。这项研究表明，LEP 中使用的伦理教育方法可以帮助健康科学专业的学生在未来的临床实践中应用伦理领导。