Wellness as a virtue in Health Sciences students: are they practising what they preach?

Abstract

“Moral excellence, a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness”.¹ Collective and individual greatness are keystones of Health Science education. Enabling prospective healthcare providers to better the quality of life of the population they serve is vital to ensure collective greatness. However, collective greatness can only be achieved once a student is able to attain and retain individual greatness. Self-care, a necessary human regulatory function under individual control, is part and parcel of individual greatness. Healthcare providers can only care for others once they have established, and are able to, care for themselves.