Director
Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology); Co-director, Program for Biomedical Ethics, Yale School of Medicine, Medical Education; Director, Yale Pediatrics Ethics Program
The Biomedical Ethics Concentration (BEC) is intended to provide a substantial overview of the crucial and fascinating field of bioethics over the course of a student’s time at Yale, in greater depth and with greater exposure than that experienced by most medical students.
While this may be of interest to anyone pursuing a career in medicine, it will be of particular value to those considering a focus on bioethics in their future work, whether in education, clinical practice, government, or advocacy.
First- or second-year MD and MD-PhD students are eligible to enroll. Students must enroll by October 15 of their second year of medical school, though enrolling in the first year is recommended to ensure ample time to complete the requirements.
To receive course credit for completion of the BEC, students must complete the following elements prior to graduation:
Clinical ethics consults are an important service provided to the patients and staff at Yale-New Haven Hospital by the Adult and Pediatric Ethics Committee. Consults are generally requested when there is a difficult ethical question related to care options and/or when there is disagreement among patients, families, and health care providers regarding the appropriate course of action. The consults may be provided by an individual ethics consultant, a small group, or a larger committee, depending on the specifics of the case at hand.
Students enrolled in the BEC must attend at least three consults with either the adult or pediatric ethics committee, and participate in documentation of the encounter as directed by the consult lead. Student participation in ethics consults will be coordinated by the concentration director with the chairs of the two hospital ethics committees. In general, participation will take place during or after the clerkship year.
Students enrolled in the BEC will complete at least one scholarly project related to biomedical ethics under the guidance of a member of the faculty. This may be a paper intended for publication, a reflective piece on any aspect of bioethics, such as a topic of specific interest to the student, or a reflection on a clinical case or consultation. Scholarly projects will be approved and coordinated by the BEC director or their designee.
Director
Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology); Co-director, Program for Biomedical Ethics, Yale School of Medicine, Medical Education; Director, Yale Pediatrics Ethics Program
Coordinator
Program Administrator; Program for Biomedical Ethics Manager; Program for Humanities in Medicine Manager