Bioethics (BIOE1-CE)

This course will provide an in-depth exploration of the field of bioethics. Study a range of bioethical challenges and conflicts, including those confronted by individuals, families, healthcare providers, and policymakers. Also, examine and discuss pivotal decisions—many of which affect both life and death—that are related to medical treatments and interventions, research, and policy decisions. Each lesson will present content in the form of questions and potential answers that stimulate group discussions and activities. In class, focus on practical problem solving for cases that may arise in both healthcare facilities and in the broader public health context. The goal of the course is to enable you to facilitate ethical decision-making in your professional and personal lives and to be a better-informed citizen. The course will draw upon historical examples, case studies, and cases upon which the instructor, Professor Arthur Caplan, was asked to consult as a leading bioethicist.

Like many fields, medicine has experienced profound changes in the past several decades. Rapid developments in technology, in the culture of medical practice, and in the financing of medical care mean that doctors and patients have to navigate many new and difficult ethical issues, and increasingly, they need to do this together. End-of-life care and reproductive health are just two areas in which the values and interests of patients, family members, and medical care providers might clash. It is vital to resolve differences between the values and desires of patients and their families and the values and evidence-based positions of medical practitioners’ preferred treatment plans. This is where the role of the mediator can be immensely helpful. This course is designed to introduce medical professionals and those interested in ethics consultation to key skills and insights need to successfully mediate, navigate, and manage medical conflicts, while paying careful attention to the rights, interests, and sensitivities of patients, family members, and medical providers.