Medical Ethics and Professionalism (MA750.0)
This course provides an overview of many ethical issues that arise in the practice of medicine and research. The class will be entirely taught in separate sections with an enrollment of about 14 students and run in a graduate seminar format. The weekly sessions will be case-based, and will introduce students to the core elements of ethical reasoning around issues such as truth telling, confidentiality, genetic testing, rationing, professional boundaries, conflicts of interest, informed consent for treatment and research and end-of-life care. Readings will be required in preparation for each session, and students will be expected to participate in the class discussions. In addition to the readings and class participation, each student will be required to write a short essay (500 words maximum) weekly, on a topic to be assigned for that week, which is to be submitted by e-mail no later than noon on the Wednesday preceding Thursday’s class.
