Medical Humanities and Bioethics
Overview
Medical humanities is an interdisciplinary program that explores the historical, literary, philosophical, ethical, and spiritual dimensions of medicine and health. It Includes instruction in the visual arts, social sciences, narrative medicine, cultural studies, and clinical practice. There is a common focus on creative and compassionate approaches to professional relationships and patient care.
Bioethics focuses on the ethical dimensions of medical practice and research. It includes instruction in applying philosophical ethics, policy analysis, and decision theory to real world issues in healthcare. Topics include end of life care, disability, resource allocation, organ transplantation, research on human and animal subjects, reproduction and fertility, health care justice, and other topics relevant to clinical practice.
Combining approaches from the medical humanities and bioethics, students are encouraged to take a humanistic perspective on the practice of medicine, using methods from philosophy, the social sciences, and the arts. This program provides students with an opportunity to earn a Certificate in Medical Humanities (12 hours) or a Minor in Medical Humanities and Bioethics (18 hours) and is relevant to a wide range of fields including healthcare, disability studies, public health, social work, and biomedical engineering.